Mitchell Torok wrote "Mexican Joe" in a half-hour, before political correctness was a issue. It was 1953 and Mitchell hit with his own release of "Caribbean".

Abbott Records was Mitchell Torok's label and that record company issued the original Jim Reeves version of "Mexican Joe" with Floyd Cramer on piano in 1953. It was later released by RCA and was Jim's first single on the country chart. This topped that chart, hit number twenty-three on the pop chart and the song became part of the album "Jim Reeves Sings". This was way before he became known as a smooth voiced singer of ballads.