Music For Mardi Gras

With  New Orleans still on a high after the Saints' Super Bowl victory I'm sure this year's Mardi Gras will be something to remember (Hurricanes and Dixie beer not withstanding). My only Mardi Gras, back in 1996, was one of the most memorable trips of my life. Each year on Fat Tuesday, as well eating pancakes, I also like to have my own little Mardi Gras celebration. These are some of the tunes that make me wish I was in New Orleans today.

MP3: Professor Longhair - Go To The Mardi Gras

I posted this one last year too but it's the definitive Mardi Gras song performed by the definitive New Orleans artist.
Buy Professor Longhair - The London Concert: 7digital | Amazon

MP3: Sugar Boy Crawford & His Cane Cutters - Jock-A-Mo

This 50s gem is from a great 52 track compilation called Crazy Man Crazy! The Roots of Rock'n'Roll I bought on Sunday. The song morphed into The Dixie Cups' hit Iki Iko in 1964.
Buy Crazy Man Crazy! 7digital | Amazon

MP3: Fats Domino - Walking To New Orleans

During my Mardi Gras trip I went to a memorable block party hosted by WWOZ DJ The Governor.  The following day he did an entire show of Fats tunes; this one was obviously included.
Buy The Fats Domino Jukebox: 7digital | Amazon

MP3: The Meters - Hey Pocky A-Way

I discovered the New Orleans masters of funk relatively recently while researching one my chicken song posts. This track has become a carnival standard.
Buy The Very Best of The Meters: 7digital | Amazon

MP3: Dejan's Olympia Brass Band - Ain't My Fault

The Olympia Brass Band are New Orleans legends. You may recall this appearance in the Bond film Live and Let Die.


Buy New Orleans - Rebuild, Restore, Rejoice: 7digital | Amazon

MP3: Jerry Lee Lewis - Jambalaya

I'm on a bit of a Jerry Lee kick at the moment after recently reading Joe Bonomo's new book about The Killer. Not technically a Mardi Gras song I guess but jambalaya, crawfish pie and file gumbo would be high on my list of Mardi Gras eats (along with a fried oyster po' boy,  Popeye's chicken and Zapps chips).
Buy Jerry Lee Lewis - Legendary Sun Classics: Amazon

MP3: Tom Waits - I Wish I Was in New Orleans

My sentiments exactly. I remember we played this as we drove over Lake Pontchartrain into New Orleans for Mardi Gras in 1996. "Arm-in-arm down Burgundy, a bottle and my friends and me". Perfect.
Buy Tom Waits - Small Change: 7digital | Amazon

If you have your own favourite Mardi Gras songs, please do leave a comment and tell me what they are. 

Related Posts

I Wish I Was In New Orleans - last year's Mardi Gras post featuring two Professor Longhair tracks and a lethal sangria recipe from Tipitina's

State Songs #19: Louisiana - songs by Lucinda Williams, Guy Clark, The Be Good Tanyas, Stacey Earle & Mark Stuart, Emmylou Harris, Lightnin' Hopkins, Waylon Jennings

Related Links
Home of the Groove - great blog full of Mardi Gras songs and New Orleans R&B

I Wish I Was in New Orleans

Photo © bcostin

Every year on 24 February I think back to 1996 when I was in New Orleans for Mardi Gras with my friends Jeff and James. Jeff was the perfect person to guide two Gap year kids around the Crescent City. He'd lived there for years as a student, policeman, social worker and cook at the legendary club Tipitina's.

I remember being impressed that after our 14 hour drive from Charleston, SC, where we worked together, he swiftly found us a backstreet parking spot and led us immediately to a parade that had just begun.

Other memories: Zapps crisps, learning how to pronounce Tchoupitoulas, my first oyster po-boy at Uglesich's, going to WWOZ DJ the Governor's block party and later hearing his two-hour tribute to Fats Domino, drinking Dixie beer and eating Popeye's chicken, paying tribute to the infamous Chris Owens and catching a Zulu coconut.

I may have imagined this but I vaguely remember Jeff telling me that he served Professor Longhair his last meal at Tipitina's the night he died in 1980. I'm no expert but no one seems to embody the spirit of New Orleans' melting-pot music as much as Fess. These two tracks are from his 1978 concert at the New London Theatre - just the Prof at a grand piano accompanied by conga player Alfred 'Uganda' Roberts.

MP3: Professor Longhair - Go to Mardi Gras


MP3: Professor Longhair - Tipitina


More Fess: official site | Amazon | 7digital

A few years ago I asked Jeff to send me some recipes from his Tipitina days. After tips on how to make shrimp and andouille creole and a delicious crawfish étouffée he ended his email with this.

"It is Sam the bartender's recipe for sangria. It tastes like Kool-Aid going down, but drink enough and the next morning and you won't remember anything from the night before".

22½ shots (ounces) brandy
7½ shots grenadine
7½ shots sour mix
52½ shots orange juice
7½ shots soda water
2½ gallons burgundy wine

mix together in large container and refrigerate

If you're lucky enough to be in New Orleans this week have wonderful time. If not I hope these songs and two gallons of booze help conjure up what an incredible experience Mardi Gras is.

Related Links
Mardi Gras
Tipitina's Foundation