Re-Make The Battle of New Orleans

[wx5]

The Battle of New Orleans. I've had this song in my head since 1959. A couple of years ago I decided to re-arrange it in a Celtic/Irish style. I finally got around to it this year. I don't in any streach of the imagination consider myself as a singer, so laugh if you want! It is entertaining tho. The Fiddle was played by Tom Campbell. I played the Bass on the Yamaha Motif keyboard. The whistle and flute is a Yamaha VL70-m and Yamaha wx5 Wind Synthesizer. The Drums and rhythm guitar was programed using Band-in-a-Box. The Strings are a combination of the Motif and a Korg Wave Station. I'm using a Lawson tube mic and the mic pre is a DTC MindPrint. The Recorder is a Korg D16 expanded. I edited on Cool Edit 2.1 Anyway, It was a fun project. Dave Chambliss

 

[Greg_L]

I love the original version of this song. Growing up in New Orleans, this was like history class. Lol.

I'm not crazy about your remake. It's ambitious, but the Celtic thing kills the whole vibe of the song. The song is funny....and it's unashamedly American. You took a song about spanking the British and put it to their music. Then you "rapped" it with the twang of a backwoods redneck. Lol. It just doesn't work for me. Maybe I'm too familiar with the original. Anyway, besides the vocals, the arrangement and mix seems really nice for a bunch of digital instruments.

 

[stevieb]

Greg is a New Orleans Ex-pat! Who knew??

I agree with your gigging the song for the redneck vocals, Greg, but you missed the bus about the song being "put to (British) music." The Irish are NOT "British-" far from it. "The Troubles" in Northern Ireland were really much more about nationalism than religion (If there are any Irish nationals here, feel free to correct me, if I am wrong.)

And anyway, Greg, surely you remember the "Irish Channel" part of New Orleans?

 

[wx5]

Hey Greg, It was backwoods rednecks that saved New Orleans in 1815. If we had not come down there you'd probably be speaking with an English accent today! And redneck? backwoods I probably am....but hey, I didn't call you a "coon-ass" now did I? Seriously tho, thanks for the input! I know what I sound like attempting to sing!!!! I laugh at it myself when I hear it! Back in the 70's I had a 5 piece band with a female vocalist. No one else in the band sing, so I had to pick a few songs that had very little melody like "Play that Funky Music" and "Mustang Sally". It would all-ways crack me up when someone would come up and say that they liked it! Boy the public has NO taste! This was just recorded for fun, and the fiddle is real....and there's nothing wrong in calling a spade a spade. Dave Chambliss

 

[Greg_L]

Greg is a New Orleans Ex-pat! Who knew??

I agree with your gigging the song for the redneck vocals, Greg, but you missed the bus about the song being "put to (British) music." The Irish are NOT "British-" far from it. "The Troubles" in Northern Ireland were really much more about nationalism than religion (If there are any Irish nationals here, feel free to correct me, if I am wrong.)

And anyway, Greg, surely you remember the "Irish Channel" part of New Orleans?

Of course I know the Irish Channel. My grandma lived there on Magazine st. I grew up in Harvey on the west bank. Who Dat!

Irish, British, English, Scottish, Welsh, I don't care. It's all the same to me. Isn't N Ireland part of the UK? I don't know. I don't keep up with the limeys. They're all a bunch of inbred drunks.

 

[Greg_L]

Hey Greg, It was backwoods rednecks that saved New Orleans in 1815. If we had not come down there you'd probably be speaking with an English accent today! And redneck? backwoods I probably am....but hey, I didn't call you a "coon-ass" now did I? Seriously tho, thanks for the input! I know what I sound like attempting to sing!!!! I laugh at it myself when I hear it! Back in the 70's I had a 5 piece band with a female vocalist. No one else in the band sing, so I had to pick a few songs that had very little melody like "Play that Funky Music" and "Mustang Sally". It would all-ways crack me up when someone would come up and say that they liked it! Boy the public has NO taste! This was just recorded for fun, and the fiddle is real....and there's nothing wrong in calling a spade a spade. Dave Chambliss

You could call me a coon-ass. I wouldn't care. I've got a hint of Cajun in me from my mom's side, but I'm mostly a dago-wop. Lol. New Orleans isn't really a coon-ass city though. It's got more of an actual European French culture. The Cajuns were French-Canadian.

Anyway, I wasn't trying to be insulting by calling you a redneck. I live in Texas now, and that word gets thrown around by everyone. Hell, it's a term of endearment around here.

 

[wretchasketch]

I enjoyed your approach to the song. It is pointless to compare it to Johnny Horton's version. If you can search youtube for Jimmy Driftwood performing it, you'll be in for a treat. The lyrics had to be tamed quite a bit to make it radio friendly for 1959.

 

[stevieb]

... I didn't call you a "coon-ass" now did I?

Careful, there, Dave. First, that term is pretty much the "N" word for cajuns- it's much like the fact that blacks can call each other the N-word, and Jews can tell Jewish American Princess jokes- but whites and goys can't. That folks get away with using the "CA word" is due to cajuns' being more laid-back than most blacks and jews (with good reason- centuries of oppression tends to piss folks off) and more likely to just laugh at someone's ignorance, rather than kick their ass.

And, as Greg points out, New Orleans and Acadiana (strictly speaking, a 5-parish area in South West Louisiana,) are quite different. Those differences are easily overlooked by ignorant people who are hungry for an "exotic experience" that has been sanitized, and look to Louisiana for it, instead of going where they belong- Disneyworld. If all the "danger" you can handle is barfing your guts out after drinking too many Hurricanes, then sure, stay on Burbon Street- you poser. (Not necessarily directing that at you, Dave. You know if you are a poser, or not.)

My family is from Lafayette Parish (one of the Acadian parishes,) and I lived in New Orleans for fifteen years. I dearly love both areas, the culture, music, food, etc. in both are wonderful- but they are not the same.

 

[Greg_L]

Right, New Orleans and Jeanerette are geographically only a few hours apart, but culturally they're like two different universes.

Southern Louisiana is loaded with history and culture, but people only go to New Orleans to get wasted on Bourbon St.

 

[wx5]

Ok, No insult intended to anyone. I like N.O. too. I lived in Biloxi Ms. for five years while in the Air Force, and would frequent N.O. a lot back then. That was when Archie Manning was with the Saints. Anyone remember back that far?

 

[Greg_L]

Ok, No insult intended to anyone. I like N.O. too. I lived in Biloxi Ms. for five years while in the Air Force, and would frequent N.O. a lot back then. That was when Archie Manning was with the Saints. Anyone remember back that far?

Lol. I do. I was just a wee lad, but I remember the "Aints" very well.

Times have finally changed for my Saints.