Mardi Gras Mambo
"Mardi Gras Mambo" | |
---|---|
Single by Jody Levens | |
Released | 1953 |
Recorded | 1953 |
Genre | Country |
Length | 2:44 |
Label | Sapphire |
Songwriter(s) | Frankie Adams, Lou Welsch |
"Mardi Gras Mambo" | |
---|---|
Length | 2:14 |
Label | Chess |
Songwriter(s) | Frankie Adams, Lou Welsch, Ken Elliott |
Producer(s) | Ken Elliott |
"Mardi Gras Mambo" is a
Jody Levens song
The original version of the song was written in 1953 by Frankie Adams and Lou Welsch as a country song. It had a syncopated Latino beat. The song was recorded at Cosimo Matassa's studio in New Orleans by singer Jody Levens.[1][2] Huey Bourgeois was the original guitarist.[2] The song was released as a single in 1953 by Sapphire Records.[1] In 1996, the song was re-released on the compilation album The Best of Sapphire.[3]
The Hawketts song
In the early 1950s, The Hawketts were a seven-piece New Orleans
Success of the song boosted the band's popularity.[8] Larry Williams sought them and The Hawketts toured as his backing band. The exposure also helped Neville and he released several singles as a solo artist with Specialty Records.[1][7] Neville led the band in later years.[6] The song has since been recorded by The Meters, Buckwheat Zydeco and many others. Years later, Boudreaux and Neville spoke about the pride they felt at the time in having a hit song, and the fact that the song has remained popular for so long.[5][7]
Personnel
Credits adapted from Mardi Gras in New Orleans liner notes.[9]
- Ken Elliott (aka Jack the Cat) – producer, engineer
- Carroll Joseph – trombone
- Art Neville – vocals, piano
- John Boudreaux – drums
- Israel Bell – trumpet
- August Fleuri – trumpet
- Morris Bechamin – tenor saxophone
- George Davis – alto saxophone
- Alfred August – guitar
Lyrics[10]
Uhh
Down in New Orleans
Where the blues was born
It takes a cool cat to blow a horn
On LaSalle and Rampart Street
The combos play with a mambo beat
The Mardi Gras mambo, mambo, mambo
Mardi Gras mambo, mambo, mambo
Mardi Gras mambo, ooh
Down in New Orleans
In
It's a Mardi Gras mambo with a beat
We shoot and cheer for the Zulu King
And truck on down with a mambo swing
The Mardi Gras mambo, mambo, mambo
Mardi Gras mambo, mambo, mambo
Mardi Gras mambo, ooh
Down in New Orleans
Down in New Orleans
Where the blues was born
It takes a cool cat to blow a horn
On LaSalle and Rampart Street
The combo's there with a mambo beat
The Mardi Gras mambo, mambo, mambo
Mardi Gras mambo, mambo, mambo
Mardi Gras mambo, ooh
Down in New Orleans
Mardi Gras mambo, mambo, mambo
Mardi Gras mambo, mambo, mambo
Mardi Gras mambo, mambo, mambo
Mardi Gras mambo, mambo, mambo
References
- ^ a b c d e Dan Phillips (February 22, 2006). "Down in New Orleans". Home of The Groove music blog. Archived from the original on March 1, 2012. Retrieved November 8, 2015.
- ^ a b "Westbank Musicians Hall of Fame, Inc. Inductees 2003". westbankmusicianshof.com. 2003. Archived from the original on November 8, 2015. Retrieved November 8, 2015.
- ^ "The Best of Sapphire – compilation album". discogs.com. 1996. Archived from the original on November 8, 2015. Retrieved November 8, 2015.
- ISBN 9780879306298. Retrieved November 8, 2015.
- ^ a b c d David Kunian; Bill Taylor (February 10, 2004). "Gambit Weekly – The Mambo Kings". bestofneworleans.com. Archived from the original on March 9, 2005. Retrieved October 31, 2015.
- ^ a b "Art Neville biography". The Neville Brothers. Archived from the original on September 6, 2015. Retrieved November 8, 2015.
- ^ a b c Bunny Matthews (February 1, 2003). "2002 Best of the Beat Lifetime Achievement in Music Award: Art Neville". OffBeat magazine. Archived from the original on October 31, 2015. Retrieved November 8, 2015.
- ISBN 9780393034684. Retrieved October 31, 2015.
- ^ "Mardi Gras in New Orleans – compilation album". discogs.com. 1977. Archived from the original on February 16, 2015. Retrieved November 8, 2015.
- ^ "Lyrics: Mardi Gras Mambo".
External links
- The Mambo Kings, Gambit Weekly at the Wayback Machine (archived March 9, 2005)