Mardi Gras is French for Fat Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday, or the beginning of Lent. The term refers to the last chance to eat rich, fatty foods – and for many, the last chance to drink copious amounts of alcohol -- before the Lenten season and its penance, which for many includes giving up something for the 40 days between Ash Wednesday and Easter.
This may be the best party that Christianity ever created. Beads, babes, Bourbon Street and.......penance?
According to History.com, “When Christianity arrived in Rome, religious leaders decided to incorporate these popular local traditions into the new faith, an easier task than abolishing them altogether. As a result, the excess and debauchery of the Mardi Gras season became a prelude to Lent, the 40 days of penance between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday.”
I don't have to agree with History.com but let's be honest about one thing: despite Rome's somewhat sordid past, I have a hard time believing that anything they did even remotely resembles what goes on in New Orleans on Fat Tuesday.
We need some cool, French Mardi Gras phrases, I would think.
The title of this entry translates to 'Let The Good Times Roll.'
Well alright then, that's as good as start as any. I've got my costume, my beads, my Abita Beer, and jambalaya is simmering on the stove. In fact I've got lots and lots of beads. Want some? You know the routine.
I like an English quote better. After Katrina, the quote I remember most regarding Mardi Gras the following February was "Mardi Gras let's people know that New Orleans is open for business."
Katrina was tragic, putting it mildly, not just in New Orleans but throughout the Gulf Coast. Magic could be the word used to describe the way the area banded together in Katrina's aftermath. Not celebrating Mardi Gras in 2006 would have represented defeat for a city that would not allow itself to be defeated. We all saw the pictures -- the death, the destruction, the homelessness, the strife -- and we all read the stories about initial lack of forward direction, particularly among law enforcement officials and government leaders on the local, state and federal levels. Despite all that, New Orleans, as a people, rose above all of that in triumphant fashion.
Mardi Gras is the biggest party of each year in New Orleans, without doubt. But since 2006, the celebration behind it has taken on a whole new meaning. Raise your beer, and toast the people of New Orleans.
Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler.
THIS WEEK'S TOP FIVE LIST
Five Mardi Gras traditions bastardized by us Northerners.
01. Misappropriation Of Beads
02. King Cake With The Baby On Top (Choking Hazard)
03. Miller Lite & Budweiser (instead of Abita beer)
04. Watered-Down Hurricanes (the drink, not the storm)
05. No Costumes, No Krewes
THIS WEEK'S FACEBOOK FRIENDS
Music has been a part of Shamarr Allen’s life for as long as he can recall. A musical prodigy, people have forever recognized his extraordinary talents as a musician. Shamarr’s countless career accomplishments, are highlighted by performances with artists Patti LaBelle, Lenny Kravitz, Harry Connick Jr., Branford Marsalis, and a multi-city tour and studio recordings with country legend Will Nelson, Ray Price, Leon Russell, and R.E.M. His personal compositions include music for the New Orleans Saints, Bring Em To The Dome, the ecologically conscious oil spill record, Sorry Ain’t Enough No More.
In 2011, he with his band the Underdawgs, were invited to tour Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan as cultural ambassadors for the United States State Department. With all of those amazing achievements, Shamarr claims one of his favorite moments as being the first trumpet player to play the National Anthem for President Barack Obama. Ultimately, he played for the President twice, the second time with multiplatinum artist, Harry Connick Jr. at the White House.
You can Facebook Like Shamarr Allen right here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Shamarr-Allen/53871617074
Tell Shamarr that Mike from Jivewired sent you, please and thank you.
VIDEO OF THE WEEK
Sorry Ain't Enough No More (BP Oil Spill Song) by Shamarr Allen featuring Dee-1, Paul Sanchez and Bennie of Hot 8 Brass Band
ABOUT THE MONDAY MIX
The Monday Mix airs from 12:00PM to 5:30PM CDT each Monday and is designed to help you get through that brutal after-lunch, energy-sucking span that kicks off every work week. This particular show will be a mix of old, deep album cuts and new indie music with a lot of genre crossover. No Adele. Sorry.
What else does The Monday Mix do? Well, it helps you discover new indie music by combining some really great under the radar tracks with more established songs that were, once in fact, under the radar as well. The hope here is that the culture shock of discovering your next favorite band won't be so enormously imposing if we surround the new stuff with some of your old, familiar friends.
Jivewired supports independent musicians by paying royalties for airplay on Jivewired Radio. Please help us support indie artists by listening to our station and by purchasing indie music. Thank you.
The links on the radio player will give you download options if you really dig on the music and some of the songs are offered for free.
To listen, just press play on the radio widget to the right or use this link to open in a new window that will allow you to listen when you navigate away from this page:
Launch Jivewired Radio
MONDAY MIX PLAYLIST FOR 11 FEBRUARY 2013
01. Crawfishin' by Marcia Bell
02. Skokiaan by Heb Alpert & Hugh Masakela
03. Pearl River by Mike Zito with Cyril Neville
04. I Put A Spell On You by Screamin' Jay Hawkins
05. Get Low Down by Curly Moore
06. Suck The Head by The Radiators
07. Spoonful by Howlin' Wolf
08. Such A Night [Live] by The Band featuring Dr. John
09. Bye Bye Girl by Beausoleil
10. New Suit by The Wild Magnolias
11. Let's Work Together by Wilbert Harrison
12. The Ocean by The Dustin Pittsley Band
13. Skokiaan by Kermit Ruffins
14. I Just Wanna Make Love To You by Etta James
15. Carved In Stone by The Subdudes
16. Erie Canal by Bruce Springsteen & The E-Street Band
17. Yellow Moon by The Neville Brothers
18. Hey Pocky Way by The Meters
19. The Party's Still Goin' On by Marcia Ball
20. I Pulled The Cover Off You Two Lovers by Dr. John
21. My Aching Back by Phantom Blues Band
22. Black Water Gold by African Music Machine
23. Get Out Of My Life, Woman by Allen Toussaint
24. Long Hard Journey Home by The Radiators
25. I Can't Be Satisfied by Muddy Waters
26. I Got Some Devil by The Paul Benjaman Band
27. Walking To New Orleans by Fats Domino
28. Night People by Lee Dorsey
29. Zu Zu Man by Dr. John
30. A Night In Tunisia by Shamarr Allen & The Underdawgs
31. Soul Junction by The Backyard Heavies
32. Stompkick Blues by John Calvin
33. You Can't Do Me by Madeleine Peyroux
34. That Was A Crazy Game Of Poker by O.A.R.
35. Take Me To The River by The Commitments
36. Blue Monday by Fats Domino
37. Let's Go To Big Mamou by Fiddlin' Frenchie Burke
38. Drink A Little Poison (4 U Die) by Soul Rebels Brass Band
39. Champagne & Reefer [Live] by The Rolling Stones with Buddy Guy
40. Orange Blossoms by JJ Grey & Mofro
41. Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most by David Torkanowski & Lucia Micarelli
42. (We Gotta) Bust Out Of The Ghetto by Moody Scott
43. Going Back To Louisiana [Live] by Delbert McClinton
44. Poor Boy Got To Move by Allen Toussaint
45. Tipitina by Professor Longhair
46. La Danse De Mardi Gras by Steve Riley, Steve Earle & Eunice Revelers
47. Fire Water by The Wild Magnolias
48. Take It To The Street by The Rebirth Brass Band
49. Sisters by John Boutte
50. Ain't Messin' Round by Gary Clark Jr.
51. New Orleans After The City by Hot 8 Brass Band
52. B-Movie Boxcar Blues by Delbert McClinton
53. We Made It Through That Water by Free Agents Brass Band
54. Sadie by Son Seals
55. Smokestack Lightning by Howlin' Wolf
56. Easy People by Pilgrim
57. (If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don't Wanna Be Right by Luther Ingram
58. Turn On Your Love Light [Live] by Delbert McClinton
59. Dog Days Are Over by Florence + The Machine
60. The Clap Hands Song by T Bird & The Breaks
61. Bring It On Home To Me by Tab Benoit/Louisiana's LeRoux
62. Zydeco Et Pas Sale by Clifton Chenier
63. Mardi Gras in New Orleans by Professor Longhair
64. When The Saints Go Marching In by Rebirth Brass Band
65. Ragg Mopp by Rebirth Brass Band
66. Big Chief by Professor Longhair
67. North Side Gal by JD McPherson
68. Oye, Isabel by The Iguanas
69. Shame, Shame, Shame by Seve Zahn & Friends
70. Feel Like Funkin' It Up by Rebirth Brass Band
71. Second Line by Stop, Inc.
72. What Is New Orleans? by Kermit Ruffin' & The Barbecue Swingers
73. Here Come The Girls by Ernie K Doe
74. Carnival Time by Al Johnson & The Soul Apostles
75. Treme Song by John Boutte
76. Blue Dog by Gogo Plumbay
77. Ooh Poo Pah Doo by Trombone Shorty
78. Iko Iko by The Dixie Cups
79. Sneakin' Sally Through The Alley by Lee Dorsey
80. You Can Give But You Can't Take by Aaron Neville
81. Leaky Faucet by Shamarr Allen & The Underdawgs
82. Funkafied Blues by E.C. Scott
83. Some Kind Of Wonderful by Little Milton
84. Too Much Barbecue by Big Twist & The Mellow Fellows
85. Mama Roux by Henry Butler
86. I Am Louisiana Red by Louisiana Red