Earl King
Earl Silas Johnson IV (February 7, 1934 – April 17, 2003), known as Earl King, was an American singer, guit ...
in the early 1960s. It became a hit in New Orleans for Professor Longhair in 1964,Berry/Foose/Jones, ''Up from the Cradle of Jazz''. University of Louisiana at Lafayette Press, 2009, p. 148. featuring a whistled first chorus in a rollicking
blues piano
Blues is a music genre and musical form which originated in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads from the Afri ...
style and subsequent lyrics written in mock-American-Indian pidgin (whistled and sung by King, uncredited). The tune became popular in
Dr. John, and is now a staple of the repertory of most brass bands and musicians in the area. (Even though it was not a national hit, the single was available for years in the New Orleans area, especially during Mardi Gras.)
King wrote the song while attending school, and recalled the tune during a recording session with Longhair arranged by Wardell Quezergue."Meet De Boys". ''
OffBeat
Offbeat, originally a music term meaning "not following the standard beat", which has also become a general synonym for "unconventional" or "unusual", may refer to:
Music
*Syncopation
*Off-beat (music), the musical term in more detail
*Off Beat (l ...
'', February 2010, p. 22. Longhair originally wanted to record the song with a small ensemble, but Quezergue, King, and
Smokey Johnson
Joseph "Smokey" Johnson Jr. (November 14, 1936 – October 6, 2015) was an American drummer. He was one of the musicians, session players, and songwriters who served as the backbone for New Orleans' output of jazz, funk, blues, soul, and R ...
(who also played on the session) convinced him to include an eleven- or fifteen-piece horn ensemble on the 1964 recording.
Background
The song refers to
Mardi Gras Indian
Mardi Gras Indians (also known as Black Masking Indians) are black carnival revelers in New Orleans, Louisiana, who dress up for Mardi Gras in suits influenced by Native American ceremonial apparel.
Collectively, their organizations are calle ...
groups; an important part of the African American Mardi Gras tradition. The "Indian Nation" of Mardi Gras Indian "gangs" in New Orleans includes the Wild Magnolias, the Golden Eagles, and several others. Mardi Gras Indian gangs have existed since the early 20th Century. Each gang performs its own original songs and dances on Mardi Gras Day, on "Super Sunday" (the Sunday before St. Patrick's Day) and at other functions in the community. The "Big Chief", the "Spy Boy", the "Flag Boy" and several other roles or offices are important to the Mardi Gras Indian tradition of "masking" (parading through the street in full costume). These characters are mentioned in Earl King's song, as well as many other songs which have come out of New Orleans.
According to tradition, the African Americans in New Orleans who first formed "Indian gangs" did so as a tribute to the Native American tribes in the area who took in runaway slaves in the pre-Civil War era. Mardi Gras Indians wear elaborate, hand made costumes which feature massive feather headdresses and intricate bead work.
Sample
The song is sampled in the song "Knock 'Em Out" from ''
Alright, Still
''Alright, Still'' is the debut studio album by English singer Lily Allen, released on 13 July 2006 by Regal Recordings. After being rejected by several record labels, Allen signed to London Records, who eventually lost interest in her, leading ...
'', the debut
album
An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as Digital distribution#Music, digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early ...
from
Lily Allen
Lily Rose Beatrice Allen (born 2 May 1985) is an English singer-songwriter and actress. She is the daughter of actor Keith Allen and film producer Alison Owen. Her music career began in 2005 when she made some of her vocal recordings public ...