In this episode, we get a better idea of the problems facing the main characters and where their battle lines are drawn. Which makes the choice of the song/title of this episode appropriate.
"Meet De Boys On The Battlefront" is a tune first recorded by The Wild Tchopitoulas. It has since been recorded by others, including Bo Dollis & The Wild Magnolias and Big Chief Monk Boudreaux. It refers to the mock battles that Mardi Gras Indians engage in and signs of respect they exchange when they meet on the streets of New Orleans in full regalia. This could be during Mardi Gras season, but it's even more likely on St. Joseph's Day (March 19th), a day that is special to Mardi Gras Indians and on which you can expect to see them parading down the streets of the city. Many will also 'mask' and parade on the Sunday before St. Joseph's, better known locally as Super Sunday. However, Mardi Gras chiefs are also known for speaking out on behalf of their communities; it's a quality we see in Albert Lambreaux later on in the season, but we get the first hint of it in this episode.
A classic New Orleans song recorded much more frequently is "Careless Love," which we hear during the episode from that ill-suited busker couple, Sonny and Annie. Sonny's singing isn't up to snuff when compared to Annie's exquisite violin work.
While we're talking classics, there's "When The Saints Go Marching In," which is probably the first tune most people think of when you mention New Orleans, known to locals as just "Saints." In fact, it's so popular and overplayed (not to mention over-requested by tourists) that it's become stereotypical and trite to some. In this episode, Annie reveals to some out-of-town do-gooders who request the song that it's tradition for locals to charge extra for playing "Saints," but she never says why that is (probably because it would've cost her the tip; how do you tell tourists in a friendly way that it's a pain in the ass to play that song for the umpteenth time that day?). In New Orleans, "Saints" is as much a cliche as "Melancholy Baby" and "My Funny Valentine" are to jazz musicians elsewhere. Of course they'll charge extra.
Also heard in this episode is Lee Dorsey, a New Orleans R&B singer. If his name doesn't ring a bell and neither does the song "Ya-Ya," try "Workin' In A Coal Mine," a crossover top-40 hit for Dorsey during the 1960s. Dorsey was one of many musicians who worked with the well-known pianist, songwriter, arranger and record producer Allen Toussaint. Dorsey is heard in the background during a scene at Antoine Batiste's house.
We soon see maestro Toussaint with Elvis Costello, Delmond Lambreaux, and others in the middle of a recording session. At the end of the session, some of the musicians try to persuade Costello to go with them to hear the funk and swamp jazz band Galactic over at d.b.a., a nightclub on Frenchmen Street. Costello declines, pleading too much work left and the need for an early bedtime, but we get the distinct impression that the rocker doesn't think Galactic is really authentic-New-Orleans enough (too bad: it's Costello's loss). What did he miss? Galactic with Delmond sitting in really swinging out on Blackbird Special.
At another point in the episode, we're treated to Antoine Batiste's ambivalence over a gig on Bourbon Street. Some local musicians consider working on Bourbon Street with distaste, given that the area is mostly tourist traps and strip joints, catering to the lowest common denominator of musical taste and the home of the highly commercialized traditional jazz called Dixieland. But Batiste is encouraged to take the gig by others, who remind him "there's pride on Bourbon Street." Indeed, both Pete Fountain and the late Al Hirt worked for many years in the Bourbon Street area.
Batiste then runs into his old teacher, Danny Nelson, portrayed by
Deacon John Moore, a New Orleans jump blues musician, studio musician, and bandleader; this is one of the rare instances in Treme when a local musician doesn't play himself. Moore is also the subject of a jump-blues documentary titled Going Back To New Orleans.
Here's the episode's playlist, with the tracks in their order of appearance:
- Walking With The Spirit – Coco Robicheaux from the album Spiritland
- Tremé Song – John Boutté from the album Jambalaya
- Meet The Boys On The Battlefront – Anders Osborne and Big Chief Monk Boudreaux from the album Bury The Hatchet
- unrecorded version of Careless Love performed during the episode by Annie and Sonny (Lucia Micarelli and Michiel Huisman)
[suggestion: version by Kid Ory's Creole Jazz Band on the album Kid Ory, New Orleans Jazz Man]
- unrecorded version of When The Saints Go Marching In performed during the episode by Annie and Sonny (Lucia Micarelli and Michiel Huisman)
[suggestion: version by Tuts Washington on the album New Orleans Piano Professor]
- When The Saints Go Marching In – Dr. John from the album N'Awlinz Dis, Dat, or D'Udda
- Waltz For Pud – Tony Green from the album Gypsy Jazz (at http://orleansrecords.com only)
- I Hope You're Comin' Back To New Orleans – New Orleans Jazz Vipers from the album Hope You're Comin' Back (at CD Baby and Louisiana Music Factory only)
- Long Hard Journey Home – The Radiators from the album New Dark Ages
- Ya-Ya – Lee Dorsey from the album Lee Dorsey – Selected Hits
- Tears, Tears And More Tears – Elvis Costello and Allen Toussaint from The River In Reverse
- Dolores’s Boyfriend – Allen Toussaint (no recording available)
- unrecorded version of Up For The Down Stroke by JT Ka-Nection Band
[suggestion: version by Parliament on the album The Millennium Collection: Best Of Parliament]
- unrecorded version of Blackbird Special by Galactic
[suggestion: version by Stanton Moore from the album Take It To The Street (The Music)]
- Little Old Money Maker – The Meters from the album Look-Ka Py Py; also on Funkify Your Life: The Meters Anthology
- Tremé Mardi Gras – Kermit Ruffins and Baby J from the album Livin' A Tremé Life
- Go Go – Galactic from the album Coolin' Off
- Moore Women Shuffle – Joe Krown from the album New Orleans Piano Rolls
- St. Louis Blues – The Boswell Sisters from the album That's How Rhythm Was Born
- unrecorded chant of Shallow Water performed during the episode by Albert Lambreaux and George Cotrell (Clarke Peters and Otto Dejean) and friends
[suggestion: version by Donald Harrison, Dr. John and friends on the album Indian Blues]
- unavailable recording of New Orleans by Willy DeVille
[suggestion: version by Roomful Of Blues on the album Raisin’ A Ruckus]
As always, your comments on any of these are most welcome.
Next: Right Place, Wrong Time, Season 1 - Episode 3
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