Songwriter Rudy Toombs was hired by Atlantic Records to write funny up-tempo R&B novelty songs. Tne label was looking for true life representations that were also funny. In "One Mint Julep" the idea was a young black man getting "tipsy" enjoying mint juleps, an upper class drink often associated with southern white ladies. It's unusual for this blog to feature two songs in their entirety but this is an exception.
In 1951 The Clovers (Harold Lucas,Matthew McQuater, Harold Winley, Charlie White and Bill Harris) recorded "One Mint Julep" (Toombs) releasing it the next year. It peaked at number two on the R&B chart.

The Ray Charles instrumental version was issued in 1961 and recahed the top of the R&B chart while peaking at number eight on the pop chart. Ray was featured on the Hammond B-3 organ on the album "Genius Plus Soul Equals Jazz" featuring members of the Count Basie Band.