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Recorded on the Ric label, Al Johnson’s “Carnival Time” hit the streets of New Orleans for Mardi Gras of 1960. While it didn’t catch on at first, today it’s a standard. That’s Mac Rebennack (Dr. John) on the piano. The Hawkettes, "Mardi Gras Mambo" New Orleans is small as metropolises go, which is why so many of the songs on this list share musicians, vocalists, and songwriters. In fact, this high school group—which recorded the original version of this classic in the Fifties—would go on to mutate into the Neville Brothers. The Mardi Gras Indians started their journey in the late 1800s and pulled much of their influence from their Native American comrades. Whether they're Wild Tchoupitoulas or Wild Magnolia, the music of the Mardi Gras Indians represents strength and long-rooted tradition and is as vital a part of Mardi Gras music history as the music of brass bands. Here they are, in no special order, the Top Ten Mardi Gras Songs of Louisiana! 10) "My Feet Can't Fail Me Now" The Dirty Dozen Brass Band. 9) Carnival Time Al Johnson. 8) Big Chief Professor Longhair. History of the Cajun Mardi Gras Song . As is the case with most traditional folk songs, not many specifics are known about the history of "La Danse de Mardi Gras."It is generally posited, though, that the melody is much older than the lyrics, as its modal sound and melodic form are indicative of old Breton (French Celtic) melodies, which could've easily been brought along by the Acadians While watching Mardi Gras indians parade and dance in the early 1950s, he hurriedly wrote down a phonetic interpretation of the indian’s chants, put the chants to music, and in 1953, created one of the most popular, longest lasting Mardi Gras, or “Carnival,” as it’s often called, songs in existence. "Take Me to the Mardi Gras” by Paul SimonListen to Paul Simon: to the official Paul Simon YouTube channel: https:/ Mardi Gras music, like Christmas music, is not so much a style of music as it is an aural milieu comprised of various forms. Among them: orchestral and big-band arrangements played at tableau balls; Mardi Gras-themed rhythm-and-blues numbers that pour out of jukeboxes, “cutting-loose” jazz tunes that drive revelers to “shake booty” and pump umbrellas in the air; Afro-Caribbean chants "This song is sung once a year during the traditional « Courir » (running) of Mardi Gras. In rural Cadien (Cajun) Louisiana, horsemen would organize on Mardi Gras day. Under the directions of the Capitaine, they would visit the surrounding farmsteads in search of ingredients for a communal gumbo. Mardi Gras Music in New Orleans . Since then, Mardi Gras and New Orleans have gone hand-in-hand. The musical elements of the holiday come from the slew of cultures that predominate the city. Almost from the beginning, the gumbo of French, Canadian, American and Caribbean cultures have influenced the music of New Orleans and its Mardi Gras Crawford set phrases chanted by Mardi Gras Indians to music for the song. Crawford himself states that he has no idea what the words mean, and that he originally sang the phrase "Chock-a-mo", but the title was misheard by Chess Records and Checker Records president Leonard Chess , who misspelled it as "Jock-a-mo" for the record's release. Everyone in New Orleans knows the essential Mardi Gras songs. The likes of “Carnival Time,” “Mardi Gras Mambo,” “Go To the Mardi Gras,” “Big Chief” and “Second-Line, Pt. 1” are "Mardi Gras Mambo" is a Mardi Gras-themed song written by Frankie Adams and Lou Welsch.The song's best known version was recorded in 1954 by the Hawketts, whose membership included Art Neville, a founding member of the Meters and the Neville Brothers. One of the most enduring songs of the Mardi Gras season is the 1954 version of Mardi Gras Mambo. It started as a country Western tune by Jody Levins and Lou Welsh. During Mardi Gras celebrations, you'll hear a whole mish-mash of party music and other genres. For this Mardi Gras playlist, we've focused mainly on brass bands, rhythm and blues, jazz, and zydeco in order to capture the traditional sounds of the Bourbon Street festivities. The durability of this version is evidenced by the fact that it appeared first as a 78, then a 45, then an LP and now on CD on the legendary Mardi Gras Parade Music from New Orleans on the George This unforgettable song, sometimes known as “La Danse de Mardi Gras” or “La Chanson de Mardi Gras,” has been memorably recorded by Beausoleil, Wade Fruge and Cedric Watson, but the best Mardi Gras songs pulse with the energy and spirit of celebration, making them essential to the vibrant festivities in New Orleans.Classic tracks like "Go to the Mardi Gras" by Professor Longhair and "Carnival Time" by Al Johnson set the tone for the season. "Mardi Gras Mambo" is a Mardi Gras-themed song written by Frankie Adams and Lou Welsch. The song's best known version was recorded in 1954 by the Hawketts , whose membership included Art Neville , a founding member of the Meters and the Neville Brothers .
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