i highly recommand the listening of the benefit album " our new orleans " by various artists,  made after katrina, with the version of Louisiana 1927 by Randy Neuman.

Stick Randy Newman's voice on this and it could be the opening title music of any PG comedy-drama movie released between 1985 and 1995.

 first time I've ever heard this and I just knew it was a Newman tune just from the orchestration. This deserves to be played more often.

jbtidwell wrote: 

Aaron Neville is one great vocalist!  

jbtidwell wrote: Thank you for the reprint! Interesting to read after Katrina...

RichardPrins wrote: 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 President Coolidge came down in a railroad train With a little fat man with a note-pad in his hand The president say, ''Little fat man isn't it a shame What the river has done to this poor crackers land." 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 They're tryin' to wash us away They're tryin' to wash us away I had heard the term "cracker" before, but decided to look it up: This term is said to have originated in England before the 16th century, refering to the lower class whose diet primarily consisted of "crackers", actually biscuits. Many of their descendants were sent to the Georgia penal colony, hence "Georgia crackers." White people had invented this name for themselves before the first slave was brought to America, although it is still in use today by mostly older blacks referring to whites. Was probably redefined in the days of American slavery by the slavemaster's "Crack" of the whip. https://www.rsdb.org/

Specially poignant with the scenes coming out of the current disaster. Lovely song, thanks for the illustrative comment ref. the lyrics.

Great episode of The American Experience about this flood: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/flood/index.html The landowners would not let the sharecroppers leave because they would not come back and then no-one would pick the crops, so they ordered the blacks to stand on the levies while the river rose & levies burst. Per gov't order....

Newman's lyrics

This was written by Randy Newman and originally recorded on his masterpiece, GOOD OLD BOYS. Interesting to note that Neville changed the line that Calvin Coolidge speaks from "what the river has done to this poor crackers' land" to "this poor farmers' land". What was originally intended as a line that specifically spoke to Northerners' attitudes about the South was changed to reflect virtually the opposite.

This is an incredible CD and I highly reccomend it!

beag wrote: I gotta agree. This one's nice but I *loooooove* Newman's version.

:::sniffle::: Dammit, now I'm all gloppy and can't see my screen.

zaknafein wrote: I agree completely. "President Coolidge come down, in a railroad train With his little fat man with a note pad in his hand President say little fat man, oh isn't it a shame, What the river has done to this poor farmer's land"

This IS a Randy Newman song, and I prefer Randy newman's version - the delivery is drier, more affecting.

I'm not normally an Aaron Neville fan, but this song has a lot of soul. Very nice.

Sing on, you Sons of New Orleans.....

Same piano line as Randy Newman's "In America," but Aaron sings waaay better than Randy. ... And then I hear from Bill's explanation that it was written by Randy Newman. Go figure!

Wow! Beautifull! Is that Randy Newman on Piano?

Wow.

Great song from a great artist and so appropriate for this situation in 2005...thank you RP

Thanks to Ngoziman for uploading this at my request, and to Bill for playing it! It just makes me feel better down here in Louisiana....