Louisiana 1927
Encyclopedia
"Louisiana 1927" is a 1974 song telling the story of the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927
that left 700,000 people homeless in Louisiana
and Mississippi
. The song was written and originally recorded by Randy Newman
on the album Good Old Boys.
"). Also touched on is the callous response of the federal government, embodied by the appearance of President Calvin Coolidge
, whose reaction to the devastation is a disingenuous "ain't it a shame", followed by his calling the people of the area "crackers
", an epithet.
, and is typically performed at a slow tempo. It has been covered many times, but Newman performed the original in the key of G-major. Newman's version starts out with piano solo, but builds into including a whole orchestra. Of particular note is the original recording's use of the triangle
, which is prominent.
in the public consciousness after being sung by Aaron Neville
at NBC
's "A Concert for Hurricane Relief
", being sung by Newman at the multi-network television fundraiser "Shelter from the Storm: A Concert for the Gulf Coast
," and a fully orchestrated version of the song performed by Newman during Saturday Night Live's
Mardi Gras Special
. A new recording of the orchestrated version is included on the Katrina charity album, "Our New Orleans," on Nonesuch Records. In 2007 the song was covered by Ray Stevens
on his tribute album to New Orleans and Louisiana culture titled "New Orleans Moon
". New Orleans-based singer/pianist Marcia Ball
also covered the song at several Katrina benefit concerts.
Great Mississippi Flood of 1927
The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 was the most destructive river flood in the history of the United States.-Events:The flood began when heavy rains pounded the central basin of the Mississippi in the summer of 1926. By September, the Mississippi's tributaries in Kansas and Iowa were swollen to...
that left 700,000 people homeless in Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
and Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
. The song was written and originally recorded by Randy Newman
Randy Newman
Randall Stuart "Randy" Newman is an American singer-songwriter, arranger, composer, and pianist who is known for his mordant pop songs and for film scores....
on the album Good Old Boys.
Lyrics
Sung from the perspective of a neutral narrator recounting the flooding of Saint Bernards and Plaquemines parishes during the flood, "Louisiana 1927" features lyrics that depict the lament of the residents of those parishes in the aftermath of the flood. In particular, the narrator lays out the widespread nature of the destruction ("river has busted through clear down to Plaquemine") and the volume of water the flood produced ("six feet of water in the streets of EvangelineEvangeline Parish, Louisiana
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 35,434 people, 12,736 households, and 9,157 families residing in the parish. The population density was 53 people per square mile . There were 14,258 housing units at an average density of 22 per square mile...
"). Also touched on is the callous response of the federal government, embodied by the appearance of President Calvin Coolidge
Calvin Coolidge
John Calvin Coolidge, Jr. was the 30th President of the United States . A Republican lawyer from Vermont, Coolidge worked his way up the ladder of Massachusetts state politics, eventually becoming governor of that state...
, whose reaction to the devastation is a disingenuous "ain't it a shame", followed by his calling the people of the area "crackers
Cracker (pejorative)
Cracker, sometimes white cracker, is a pejorative term for white people. It is an ethnic slur that is especially used for the white inhabitants of the U.S. states of Georgia and Florida , but it is also used throughout the United States.-Etymology:One theory holds that the term comes from the...
", an epithet.
Music
The song is written in the style of a lamentLament
A lament or lamentation is a song, poem, or piece of music expressing grief, regret, or mourning.-History:Many of the oldest and most lasting poems in human history have been laments. Laments are present in both the Iliad and the Odyssey, and laments continued to be sung in elegiacs accompanied by...
, and is typically performed at a slow tempo. It has been covered many times, but Newman performed the original in the key of G-major. Newman's version starts out with piano solo, but builds into including a whole orchestra. Of particular note is the original recording's use of the triangle
Triangle (instrument)
The triangle is an idiophone type of musical instrument in the percussion family. It is a bar of metal, usually steel but sometimes other metals like beryllium copper, bent into a triangle shape. The instrument is usually held by a loop of some form of thread or wire at the top curve...
, which is prominent.
Hurricane Katrina
The song became identified with Hurricane KatrinaHurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
in the public consciousness after being sung by Aaron Neville
Aaron Neville
Aaron Neville is an American soul and R&B singer and musician. He has had four top-20 hits in the United States along with four platinum-certified albums...
at NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
's "A Concert for Hurricane Relief
A Concert for Hurricane Relief
A Concert for Hurricane Relief was an hour-long, celebrity-driven benefit concert broadcast live. Sponsored by the NBC Universal Television Group, its purpose was to raise money, relief, and awareness in response to the loss of life and human suffering that resulted from Hurricane Katrina in five...
", being sung by Newman at the multi-network television fundraiser "Shelter from the Storm: A Concert for the Gulf Coast
Shelter from the Storm: A Concert for the Gulf Coast
Shelter from the Storm: A Concert for the Gulf Coast was a one hour, commercial-free benefit concert television special that aired simulcast worldwide on September 9, 2005 at 8 p.m. ET/CT live from New York City and Los Angeles and tape delayed in the Mountain Time Zone and Pacific Time Zones...
," and a fully orchestrated version of the song performed by Newman during Saturday Night Live's
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
Mardi Gras Special
Saturday Night Live (Season 2)
Saturday Night Live aired its second season during the 1976–1977 television season on NBC. The second season started on September 18, 1976, and ended on May 21, 1977....
. A new recording of the orchestrated version is included on the Katrina charity album, "Our New Orleans," on Nonesuch Records. In 2007 the song was covered by Ray Stevens
Ray Stevens
Ray Stevens is an American country music, pop singer-songwriter who has become known for his novelty songs.-Early career:...
on his tribute album to New Orleans and Louisiana culture titled "New Orleans Moon
New Orleans Moon
-Album credits:*Arranged and Produced by: Ray StevensMusicians*Ray Stevens - keyboards/bass*Jerry Kimbrough - guitar*Glen Duncan - fiddle *Brian Sterling - guitar/banjo/mandolin...
". New Orleans-based singer/pianist Marcia Ball
Marcia Ball
Marcia Ball is an American blues singer and pianist, born in Orange, Texas but who grew up in Vinton, Louisiana. She was described in USA Today as "a sensation, saucy singer and superb pianist.....
also covered the song at several Katrina benefit concerts.