1000 SONGS DAY 368 - SONG #399

DAY 368: AMERICAN BOHEMIA

In the northern part of Upper and Lower Austria, there is a not too benevolent saying: „a Czech is either a thief or a musician“. The first prejudice being the usual prejudice of people living at the border held on people on the other side of the border, we can (and have to) ignore it.  The later one is not so much a prejudice, but has a sound basis in the abilities of our friends from Moravia and Bohemia. Many of them had to immigrate to the Americas in those harden times, when they were severely challenged by bad labour conditions, draught, economic downfall and Austrian politics. Some of them went to the region now known as Texas. They took their popular music with them and “syncretised” it with other forms of popular music available. Trikont records did a 3 volumes edition of songs from this musical tradition. Here are three tracks from Vol. 1.

First one is Corn Cockle Polka by Vrazels & Majecks & Bobby Jones Czech Band

Next one is: Oh Susanna Schottische by Ray Baca and His Orchestra

Third one: Krasna America by Adolph Hofner

1000 SONGS DAY 367 - SONG # 398

DAY 367: JESUS ON THE MAINLINE

On p. 153 of their book "Spiritual Churches in New Orleans" (Knoxville 1991), Claude F. Jacobs and Andrew J. Kaslow mention that in healing services held in those churches, "popular gospel songs [...] are among the most powerful conveyors" of the idea, that these churches are capable of "solving people's problems". One of the gospel songs they mention in this context is "Jesus on the mainline", a song explaining that whatever trouble one might face, trust in Jesus will solve all the problems - by a simple act of faith. As I read that yesterday evening, some fine versions of this gospel song in a style you could more or less call "blues" came to my mind.
First one featured here is by Mississippi Fred McDowell, from his 1969 album I Do Not Play No Rock 'n' Roll. One version of the song is part of Ry Cooder's 1974 album Paradise and Lunch. As Ry has done a lot of live-versions of that song, here is a very fine one, with Eldridge King, Terry Evans and Bobby King; finally, among all those other versions available, I chose the one by the Staple Singers, as arranged by Pop Staples - it is the one version that took the song out of church and into popular music.

1000 SONGS DAY 366 - SONG # 397

DAY 366: COME ON TAKE ME TO THE MARDI GRAS

Among the interesting things on the Mardi Gras in New Orleans, since the olden times and not just with respect to today's tourists' expectations are those Indian masks - African-Americans that dress up as native Americans for the occasion. 

As Carolyn Morrow Long has it in her book on Marie Laveau (Gainesville 2006, 131f.), there was a similar masquerade at St. John's  Eve ceremonials, so that one could find an "interesting link between the dances performed at St. John's Eve and the practices of today's 'Mardi Gras Indian' gangs. The 'Indians' first appeared during carnival around 1885". There is a lot of music referencing the Mardi Gras in New Orleans, by Professor Longhair, Dr John and others. And there is that wonderful album by The Wild Tchoupitoulas, named after a group of those Mardi Gras Indians, led by George "Big Chief Jolly" Landry. He did that one record with the help of some very fine musicians from the region, among them his nephews as vocalists, who later came to fame as the "Neville Brothers". The rest was mostly done by members of "The Meters". Here are two songs:

Big Chief Got a Golden Crown



Hey Hey (Indians Comin')