Louisiana

When the levees first broke, I thought of posting a virtual mix here in the blog – songs about hurricanes and floods or songs using floods as metaphor and/or songs about New Orleans – and inviting commenters to participate. But as things moved inexorably from natural disaster to full-blown human catastrophe, it just didn't seem appropriate; not now, any way. Mrs. DJStan and I often talked about visiting New Orleans, but somehow never got around to it. Now there's doubt that this city and its people, one of the great wellsprings of American music, will – or even should be – rebuilt, and there's little question in my mind that even a reconstructed New Orleans will never be the same as it was before the deluge.

Meanwhile, hordes of people are suffering on a scale undreamt of in this country in this century. Here's a Red Cross link for donations. I'll certainly be making what contribution I can to the city of Louis Armstrong, King Oliver, Sidney Bechet, Dr. John, Professor Longhair, Irma Thomas, the Neville Brothers, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Fats Domino, and so many others to whom we owe so much. I urge any readers to do the same.

The one song that does keep running through my mind is Randy Newman's Lousiana:

What has happened down here is the winds have changed
Clouds roll in from the north and it started to rain
Rained real hard and it rained for a real long time
Six feet of water in the streets of Evangeline

The river rose all day
The river rose all night
Some people got lost in the flood
Some people got away alright
The river have busted through clear down to Plaquemines
Six feet of water in the streets of Evangeline

Louisiana, Louisiana
They're tryin' to wash us away
They're tryin' to wash us away
Louisiana, Louisiana
They're tryin' to wash us away
They're tryin' to wash us away