Hasta Luego NOLA

Our entire class would like to thank Julie Livaudais George, Esq. (and family!) and Dr. Carolyn Kolb for acting as our gracious hosts to all of New Orleans’ cultural, natural, and culinary delights. We learned so much in our time together with you both.

The night before we left New Orleans I thought about how best to reflect on our three weeks together in the Crescent City. Because we had a 10-hour road trip ahead of us, and because music filled our physical, spiritual, and emotional landscapes wherever we went (whether it was WWOZ, show tunes at McDonald’s, live music at Preservation Hall, or your very own gleeful voices) I thought a music mix might be most appropriate.

Now that we’re home I have been able to add the hallmark New Orleans songs I wanted but didn’t yet have (purchased legally, of course!)

1. “It's the Night Time” Josh Rouse
This song includes the lyrics “I hear you’re really living Uptown/ I’m just a downtown fool.” Although Rouse is singing about another great city, we spent our share of time uptown (some more than others) even though our beloved Depot House was in the CBD.
2. “Get Up Stand Up” Bob Marley
This songs’ insistence that we “stand up for (y)our rights” reminds me of Jericho Housing’s executive director Brad Powers, and the agency’s mission to help people empower themselves through home ownership in Central City. www.jerichohousing.org
3. “Mack The Knife” Louis Armstrong
Roddey and Lorna often sang this song, and I heard it on WWOZ on the way back from the airport dropping Lorna to her early departure. Plus, we had the gift of listening to a fabulous Dixieland trio at Arnaud’s, learning only later that the trumpeter was one of Louis Armstrong’s last pupils.
4. “Give It What You Can” The Meters
While visiting the George Family the evening before we left Will George (fellow Furmanite) introduced us to New Orleans music, making special note of the Meters.
5. “Big Boss Man” Elvis Presley
Although this is not Roy Orbison’s “Working for the Man” (sung haphazardly by Macon Fry the Garden Guy while we were digging the Honduran trenches) it does remind me of Jorge. Another song you might like by the Gourds is “My Name is Jorge” about a man who sells fruits and vegetables. Jorge was not tall (as is the Boss Man in Elvis’ song) but he is big in his way.
6.”Big Log” Robert Plant
This is a quintessential driving song. Knowing we had 10 + hours in front of us the next day, I put it in the mix. The cities did fly by (as they do for the speaker in this song.)
7. Iko Iko Zachary Richard
Featured in “Hurricane on the Bayou” this version of Iko Iko is hard to resist.
8. “Power to the People” (Clean version) Public Enemy w/ Moby
I did a lot of “overhearing” on this trip. One convo I caught was between Sarah Yost and Andrew, who wanted to know if Sarah had ever heard any Public Enemy. It is a rap song, so you’ll want to locate the clean version.
9. “Good Morning” Debbie Reynolds, Donald O'Connor, Gene Kelly & Singin' In the Rain Singers
It was only fitting that the song you had been singing for two weeks would show up in the matinee Sarah Blake, Savannah, and Lorna attended at the legendary Prytania Theatre.
10. “Have You Ever Seen The Rain” Credence Clearwater
During our airboat tour we were treated to a sunshower, which made me think of this song’s lyrics: “Have you ever seen rain…coming down on a sunny day?”
11. “Atomic Dog” George Clinton and the P Funk All Stars
I couldn’t find a song called “Blue Dog” so we’ll have to hearken George Rodrigue’s signature canine “atomically.”
12. “Red Beans” Professor Longhair
We ate red beans, we cooked red beans, we used them to try to cajole people out of their solitude,, and then we went home.
13. “Beautiful Racket” Mary Chapin Carpenter
This song reminds me of work mornings. Kim, MoPete, and I would be running back from the gym, there was a bustle in the kitchen as people prepared breakfasts and lunches, the passing of the Guarana vitamins (that’s for you Mollie Wade)…a beautiful racket.
14. “Don't Stop Believin'” Journey
This is for all you Journey (and Frontiers) fans out there. You know who you are.
15. “Shreveport” The Gourds
This is the song we played just before we began our Skype session with Dr. Benson’s class. If I had never lived in Shreveport, I probably wouldn’t have lived in Louisiana, and then I probably wouldn’t have had the good fortune of working together with you during our transformative class. So thank you to Shreveport. And thank you intrepid NOLA May Exers!
16. “Stayin’ Alive” The Bee Gees
This song came on the radio as we were crossing the Crescent City Connection back into town after our air boat tour. I do believe everyone was singing this one.
16. “Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans”Harry Connick, Jr.
Meg reintroduced our class to the smooth stylings of Harry Connick, Jr. In some way each of us knows what it means to miss New Orleans.