Friday Random Ten: A Super Bowl for the Second Line.

After Sunday, let us refrain from ending any words in “eaux” as in “geaux” for “go.” Let us refrain from casually slipping references to gumbo or voodoo or Cafe Du Monde into our conversations or prose. Let us refrain from engaging in any ridiculous hyperbole about how a team of professional athletes can and will save a city still reeling from the effects of a devastating storm.

And let us, please, refrain from fixing our mouths to say anything approximating “Who Dat?”

Agreed? Only three days to go, OK?

But now that we’ve got that out of the way, whether your allegiances are with the Saints or Colts this weekend, let us also acknowledge that few U.S. cities can compete with New Orleans in terms of its output of talented musicians.

That also means Indianapolis, no matter that the Circle City gave us Babyface and After 7.

So, given that New Orleans is home to an eclectic array of music artists ranging from Louis Armstrong to Wynton Marsalis to Mia X, this seems as good a time as any to pay homage to the great sounds wafting up from the Big Easy like the scent of filé powder and onion from a pot of boiling gumbo.

Dammit. Sorry:

1. Ha – Juvenile (Brokey)

2. Do The Jubilee All – DJ Jubilee (Blackink)

3. Spotlight – Mutemath (slb)

4. Move On Up A Little Higher – Mahalia Jackson (Brokey)

5. Once – Harry Connick, Jr. (Quadmoniker)

6. Look-Ka Py Py, Jungle Man – The Meters (Blackink)

7. Do Whatcha Wanna – Rebirth Brass Brand (slb)

8. #1 Stunna – Big Tymers (Brokey)

9. Walking to New Orleans – Fats Domino (Blackink)

10. When Will You Call – Terrence Blanchard feat. Bilal (Brokey)

Please don’t judge us if we left anyone out/waiting for groans from No-Limit fans. Let’s be honest: 10 songs isn’t even enough for a list of Mystikal’s greatest hits.

Instead, just offer up a recommendation and be prepared for a party. This is the perfect weekend for song, food and football.

Makes you wonder what took New Orleans so long to get here.

Joel

Joel Anderson —blackink —  writes about sports, politics, crime, courts, and other issues far beyond his competence at BuzzFeed. He has worked at media outlets in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Atlanta and contributed to a number of publications, including The Root and The American Prospect, among many others.

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  • Grump

    Rebirth Brass Band
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAdZ0-NUa2o

    Big Mike(The Convicts/Geto Boys)

  • Grump

    Oh, and U.N.L.V’s classic diss to Mystikal

    • blackink12

      I wanted that on the list soooo bad. Thanks for the heads-up on that one.

  • shani-o

    Monica — so glad you threw in Harry Connick, Jr. Love!

  • Scipio Africanus

    Did you really diss Babyface on the low? That dude is responsible for most of the good R&B from 1987 to 1995.

    • blackink12

      Naw, no shots at Face. I was a fan of his during that time period. Was. But “Grown & Sexy” sorta killed it.

  • Nice. I look forward to your Friday lists B.

    Love, love this city.

    #1 song that makes me think of N.O is Grazing in the Grass. There is a brass band on the corner of Royal and Canal that I’ve been watching for years that can do that song all night long.

    • blackink12

      Appreciate the good word, fam. Many thanks.

      And while, being a native Houstonian, I tend to jones on my brothers and sisters from N’awlins, I still have mad love for them and the city. I spent 10 of the best days of my life there in January ’04.

      It’s sad to think that a lot of people will never get to experience that city. The one before the storm.

  • all the cash money in this list makes my soul SOAR.

    • also, ‘do what you wanna’ is my new ‘shake it in the shower’ song.

      yes, i have a ‘shake it in the shower’ song.

  • Marc Broussard, “Home”

    (I would have posted “Just Like That,” but I can’t find it. Listen to it if you ever come across it.)

    Wild Tchoupitoulas, “Meet de Boys on de Battlefront”

    Ozomatli, “Magnolia Soul” http://www.melophobe.com/audio/06-magnolia-soul.mp3 (Sorry, I couldn’t find good audio on YouTube, though there was a hilarious live clip where they introduced the song with “George Bush hasn’t done shit for the people of New Orleans. Or the people of Belgium.”)

  • Grump

    If anybody can find a good file of The Meters’ “Oh, Calcutta” and The Wild Magnolia’s “Handa Wanda” that would be greatly appreciated

  • slb

    I have to add one more Mutemath contribution to the pot, this time with 100% more Rebirth Brass Band accompaniment: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgjvoqKA2O0

  • blackink12

    Well, shoot, since we’re adding to the list, how about this original bounce classic? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpE9t0JluME

  • Steve

    The first time I saw the video to juvenile “ha” I was in middle school and completely confused as to what I was seeing. It was a completely different world. That being said, I would have liked some Lil Wayne..or Mia X lmao

  • No Nevilles? at all?

    • April

      Wow, that’s a horrible oversight.

  • Ash

    I can’t promise I won’t say “Who Dat?” but thanks for this eclectic collection of songs. I especially enjoy The Meters!

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