"Mule Train" is a popular song written by Johnny Lange, Hy Heath, Ramblin' Tommy Scott and Fred Glickman. It is a cowboy song, with the singer filling the role of an Old West wagon driver, spurring on his team of mules pulling a delivery wagon. As he goes about his work, the driver mentions the various mail-order goods he is delivering to far-flung customers. "Mule Train" was originally recorded by Ellis "Buz" Butler Jr. in 1947. Butler was the original writer of the song along with Fred Glickman. The original recording was released by Buz Butler on Decca Records. The song was featured in the 1950 Republic Western Singing Guns (where it was sung by Vaughn Monroe) and nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1950, but lost out to "Mona Lisa". Western Writers of America chose it as one of the Top 100 Western songs of all time. Charting versions Charting versions were recorded by Frankie Laine, Bing Crosby, Tennessee Ernie Ford, and Vaughn Monroe. Frankie Laine and the Muleskinners' version was recorded on October 2, 1949, and released by Mercury Records as catalog number 5345. This version first reached the Billboard chart on November 4, 1949 and lasted 13 weeks on the chart, peaking at number 1. Laine's recording of the song was produced by Mitch Miller. It featured a bellowed vocal delivery (like that of a real driver shouting to be heard) and studio-created gimmicks such as whipcracking sound effects. Critic Ralph J. Gleason called it "an early rock and roll hit for adults". It is often cited as an outstanding early example of studio production techniques. The Bing Crosby version was recorded on October 26, 1949, and released by Decca Records as catalog number 24798. The flip side was "Dear Hearts and Gentle People" which peaked at number 2. The record first reached the Billboard chart on November 25, 1949 and lasted 16 weeks on the chart, peaking at number 4. This recording was featured in an episode of the NBC radio network radio program Lassie Show entitled "Mule Train", which aired on December 17, 1949. The Tennessee Ernie Ford version was recorded on October 18, 1949, and released by Capitol Records as catalog number 40258. The record first reached the Billboard chart on November 25, 1949 and lasted nine weeks on the chart, peaking at number 10. Ford's version also charted on