Show Us Your Beads

By Mr. Moderator on Feb 20, 2007

Townsman BigSteve reports from the heart of today's Mardi Gras festivities.

Today is Mardi Gras. I have no grand thesis that warrants discussion, but here are some videos to help you celebrate the day. A brief video explaining the Mardi Gras Indians with photos, with the Wild Tchoupitoulas song "Meet de Boys on de Battlefront" as a soundtrack:

A TV show from a few years ago (Soundstage I think) with Professor
Longhair singing Tipitina backed by the Meters:

And here's the big finale, Dr. John leading the band with Earl King
singing his composition Big Chief, a seasonal classic recorded by Fess, who is also featured on this number:

Enjoy! (Please note: You'll have to fast for 40 days afterwards.)

7 comments

Comment from: hrrundivbakshi [Member]

Hey, thanks, BigSteve! The Wild Tchopitoulas number rocked, fully! Unfortunately, the Meters/Longhair/Dr. John tunes gave me a splitting headache, due to a serious case of 1970s conga abuse. Ugh!

But, look, seriously, would you mind sharing your vision for a New Orleans/Zydeco/Swamp Music "Gotta Have It" list? I for one could use some wise insider's counsel on this topic.

Thanks!

02/20/07 @ 15:47

Comment from: markwallace1322 [Visitor]

Steve, my good friend Dan Gutstein recently sent me some music you sent him on a collection called "Swamp Pop." A few of the numbers I knew, but many I did not.

Re this ongoing geographical discussion, would you want to clarify what specific musical elements, if any, qualify as "Swamp Pop" other than the fact of being pop from New Orleans. I'd like to know your thoughts,, and give you a chance to show off your regional knowledge.

02/20/07 @ 16:38

Comment from: BigSteve [Member]

But, look, seriously, would you mind sharing your vision for a New Orleans/Zydeco/Swamp Music "Gotta Have It" list? I for one could use some wise insider's counsel on this topic.

This is kind of a large topic to try to encompass on Ash Wednesday ("remember, man, that thou art dust, and unto dust thou shalt return"). For starters, Rhino has excellent two-CD compilations on both the Meters and Professor Longhair.

I'm not en expert on zydeco. though I think someone else here in the Hall might be. I just have a Clifton Chenier compilation, and he's somewhat atypical.

As for "swamp music," I'm going to reply separately to Mark about swamp pop, but you might want to keep an eye out for anything you can find on the Excello label, which was the home of Slim Harpo, Lightin' Slim, Lazy lester, Whisperin' Smith, and Lonesome Sundown. This style is known as 'swamp blues,' and it originates in Baton Rouge and points west.

02/21/07 @ 09:48

Comment from: BigSteve [Member]

Steve, my good friend Dan Gutstein recently sent me some music you sent him on a collection called "Swamp Pop." A few of the numbers I knew, but many I did not.

Re this ongoing geographical discussion, would you want to clarify what specific musical elements, if any, qualify as "Swamp Pop" other than the fact of being pop from New Orleans. I'd like to know your thoughts,, and give you a chance to show off your regional knowledge.

I put together that swamp pop compilation from a number of different sources, one of which was the CD that came with the book Swamp Pop: Cajun and Creole Rhythm and Blues by Shane Bernard (son of Rod Bernard, singer of the swamp pop classic This Should Go On Forever).

Swamp pop is actually not from New Orleans. I put Irma Thomas' It's Raining on the CD, because it borrows some of the genre's musical characteristics, like the piano triplets. Swamp pop itself originated over in Cajun country in the southwestern part of Louisiana, and it's basically the result of Cajun kids mixing the rock and roll and country they heard on the radio with their local heritage. There's a very good article in the Wikipedia about it that might fill in the gaps.

The last time I was in Lafayette Warren Storm and Johnnie Allan were still playing in clubs. The modern inheritor of the style is C.C. Adcock, whose two albums I cannot recommend highly enough. He also intermittently leads a swamp pop 'supergroup' called Lil Band o' Gold, who made a very nice album too.

For those who may be unfamiliar with the style, Sea of Love, covered by Robert Plant's Honeydrippers, is a swamp pop classic, as is the last song on Joe Strummer's last album, Silver and Gold (also known as Before I Grow Too Old).

02/21/07 @ 10:10

Comment from: Mr. Moderator [Member]

Should I get a few additional free moments in today, I'm planning on posting some if not all of BigSteve's Swamp Pop collection. Stay tuned! I like it.

02/21/07 @ 10:30

Comment from: Oats [Member]