Hold My Mule: The Real Story Behind the Shirley Caesar “U Name It!” Challenge

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“I want to tell you a story about a man called Shoutin’ John,” Pastor Shirley Caesar sang in the church one day.

You’ve probably already heard the story of Shoutin’ John, at least you’ve heard a very important part of it. The story of Shoutin’ John originates in Caesar’s sermon song “Hold My Mule,” which she performed live at Mount Calvary Word of Faith Church in 2007. But you’ve likely heard a snipper of this performance – “beans, greens, potatoes, tomatoes, lambs, rams, hogs, and dogs” – in the viral #UNameItChallenge, an online dance sensation created by DJ Suede the Remix God (and popularized by Chris Brown) that took Vine by storm in 2016 and has become a staple for the Thanksgiving season ever since.

But there’s more to the story of Shoutin’ John than all his vegetation and animals and the pictures of our Thanksgiving plates we post on Instagram and TikTok. The whole story is an inspirational and important message about praising the Lord.

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As Caesar tells it in her sermon, John was an old man who joined “a dead church,” no clapping, no dancing, no shouting or speaking in tongues. But that didn’t stop John from shouting and praising God, because He had been just that good to him. John’s shouting and praise upset the deacons. “Doesn’t he know we don’t act like that in our church? Doesn’t John know we got dignified people?” Caesar preached at Mount Calvary Word of Faith Church. They did everything they could to stop John’s exorbitant praise but Shoutin’ John was going to shout anyhow. 

The deacons traveled to John’s home in their “fancy cars” (Caesar says they had “a Lexus, a Mercedes… even had a little Volkswagen”) and saw him plowing away with “a beat up old mule.” They came in such a state to tell John to stop all his shouting or he would have to leave the church.

“Well, put me out. I cannot hold my peace no longer,” John said to the deacons. “Did you see all of that land that you all just drove in on? God gave me all of that land… I’m still able to harvest my own crop. Not only that, but look! I got beans, greens, potatoes, tomatoes, lambs, rams, hogs, dogs, chickens, turkeys, rabbits, you name it, God did it!”

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John said the Lord has been too good for him to keep still and he was going to praise Him anytime, anyplace, no matter what anybody said or thought. John said to the deacons, “Since I can’t shout in your church, I got something that I want y’all to do for me. I want you to hold my mule.” And John praised the Lord on the spot.

The song continues with Caesar and the choir singing the refrain “I feel like praising, praising Him” because that’s what Shoutin’ John does and that’s the message Shirley Caesar wants us to remember: to praise the Lord for all His blessings, for all the ways He’s protected us, for all the things He’s provided, and for how good He is. 

So as you think of all the things you’re grateful for this holiday season, and if you look down on your dinner plate this Thanksgiving and see some beans, greens, and potatoes, maybe even some lamb and hogs, remember the story of Shoutin’ John, and remember to praise God for keeping your plate full and your life full of blessings.