A brief song-based tribute to the sadly departed New Orleans great, aka Mac Rebennack, the rich-voiced, voodoo-style Mardi Gras feather-wearing pianist, guitarist and singer who spanned genres with colour and charisma. He began working as a professional session musician at 13, playing organ in strip clubs, working with the likes of Professor Longhair, and his early career was marked by heroin use, helping run a brothel, and a gunshot injury to his finger which curtailed his guitar playing. He became a member of one of the greatest backing bands of all time – The Wrecking Crew – who played with just about everyone from Sinatra to Sonny & Cher, were ‘ghost musicians’ on early records by The Monkees, and were Phil Spector’s unofficial house band.
Then in 1968, aged 30, Dr John, as he became, the voodoo doctor ‘Night Tripper’, released the album Gris-Gris, an astonishing mixture of the musical and social melting pot of his Louisiana city - stirring up jazz, R&B, blues, bluegrass, soul, rock, voodoo and mysticism in an intriguing, disturbing, brilliant gumbo. It was one of the most striking and innovative albums of the decade. Five years later in 1973 he had his biggest hit album – In The Right Place – in which he teamed up with The Meters and that other New Orleans great, Allen Toussaint.
As Dr John himself put it: “When the voice and the vision on the inside is more profound, and more clear and loud than all opinions on the outside, you've begun to master your life … You wanna do some livin' before you die. Do it down in New Orleans.”
So to celebrate his life, here are a couple of tracks from these two albums, the opener and closer on Gris-Gris, plus his biggest hit single, and then Qualified, another fabulous track from the same album, written with fellow Louisiana singer Jessie Hill.
They call me, Dr. John, The Night Tripper
Got my sizzling Gris-Gris in my hand
Day trippin' up, back down the bayou
I'm the last of the best
They call me the Gris-Gris man
Got many clients
Come from miles around
Running down my prescription
I got my medicine, to cure all your ills
I got remedies of every description
[Chorus]
Gris-Gris gumbo ya ya
Hey now
Gris-Gris gumbo ya ya
Hey now
[Verse 2]
If you got love trouble, got a bad woman you can't control
I got just the thing for you
Something called "Control In the Hearts Get Together Drops"
If you work to hard and you need a little rest
Try my utilize rub put some on my drop fix and jam
Put some in your breakfast
[Chorus]
Try a little bit ah
Gris-Gris gumbo ya ya
Hey now
Gris-Gris gumbo ya ya
[Verse 3]
They call me, Dr. John
Known as the Night Tripper
Sazzle a little Gris-Gris in my hand
Day trippin' up, back down the bayou
I'm the last of the best
They call me the Gris-Gris man
[Chorus]
Sellin'
Gris-Gris gumbo ya ya
Mm
Gris-Gris gumbo ya ya
Mm Mm Mm
[Verse 4]
So why war if your neighbours give you trouble
Put your fitness in the street
Seal a Jew in my whole car in the street
Try my Dragon Blood
My Drawen Hidin'
My Secret Sand
Try a little black cat if your woman got another man
So easy does it as you put it in the palm of your hand
[Chorus]
Gris-Gris gumbo ya ya
Put on a woman's feet
Gris-Gris gumbo ya ya
Mumble
Gris-Gris gumbo ya ya
No, no, no
Gris-Gris gumbo ya ya
Gris Gris Gumbo Ya Ya
Hey now..
Gris-Gris gumbo ya ya
Gris-Gris gumbo ya ya
Gris-Gris gumbo ya ya
Gris-Gris gumbo ya ya
Gris-Gris gumbo ya ya
Some people think they jive me
But I know they must be crazy
Don't see dey misfortune
Guess they just too lazy
J'suis le Grand Zombie
My yellow belt of choison
Ain't afraid of no tom cat
Fill my brains with poison
Walk thru the fire
Fly thru the smoke
See my enemy
At the end of dey rope
Walk on pins and needles
See what they can do
Walk on guilded splinters
King of the Zulu
Come Get It, Get It, Come, Come
Walk on guilded splinters
'Til I Burn Up ,'Til I Burn Up, 'Til I Burn Up ,'Til I Burn Up
I rolled out my coffin
Drink poison in my chalice
Pride begins to fade
And y'all feel my malice
Put gris-gris on your doorstep
Soon you'll be in the gutter
Melt your heart like butter
A-a-and I can make you stutter
Come Get It, Get It, Come, Come
Walk on guilded splinters
Come Get It, Get It, Come, Come
Walk on guilded splinters
'Til I Burn Up ,'Til I Burn Up, 'Til I Burn Up ,'Til I Burn Up
Come Get It, Get It, Come, Come
Walk on guilded splinters
(repeat for most of the rest of the song)
Coco Robichaux
Come on down to my soiree
Bring your parain, your Marie, your Mamie, your Dondi, your cousin
And the whole family
No fine de cose bonne?
La jovial la chandelle?
Se la fais la carabas?
Coco Robichaux
Coco Robichaux
Padre diablo?
Gran come the bride?
With your Coco Robichaux
With your Coco Robichaux
'Til I Burn Up ,'Til I Burn Up, 'Til I Burn Up ,'Til I Burn Up
'Til I Burn Up ,'Til I Burn Up, 'Til I Burn Up ,'Til I Burn Up
Come Get It, Get It, Come, Come
Walk on guilded splinters
Come Get It, Get It, Come, Come
Walk on guilded splinters
Coco Robichaux
Dine at the soiree on the bayou … etc
I been in the right place, but it must have been the wrong time
I'd have said the right thing, but I must have used the wrong line
I been in the right trip, but I must have used the wrong car
My head was in a bad place and I'm wondering what it's good for
I been the right place, but it must have been the wrong time
My head was in a bad place, but I'm having such a good time
I been running trying to get hung up in my mind (oooh)
Got to give myself a good talking-to this time
Just need a little brain salad surgery (oooh)
Got to cure this insecurity
I been in the wrong place, but it must have been the right time
I been in the right place, but it must have been the wrong song
I been in the right vein, but it seems like the wrong arm
I been in the right world, but it seems wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong
Slipping, dodging, sneaking, creeping, hiding out down the street (oooh)
See me life shaking with every ho' I meet
Refried confusion is making itself clear (oooh)
Wonder which way do I go to get on out of here
I been in the right place, but it must have been the wrong time
I'd have said the right thing, but I must have used the wrong line
I'd have took the right road, but I must have took a wrong turn
Would've made the right move, but I made it at the wrong time
I been on the right road but, I must have used the wrong car
My head was in a good place and I wonder what it's bad for
Looky here
Better hurry up and check it out
Looky here, looky here
Your steak ain't no hipper than my pork chop
Your Cadillac ain't no hipper than my bus stop
Your champagne ain't no hipper than my soda pop
Looky here, I'm ready to take care of business
Have no fear, I'm already here
I'll Tell you now (I'm qualified)
You know that I'm qualified
(You know that I'm qualified)
Your top hat ain't no better than my ginger brown
And your sharkskin ain't no badder than my Levis jean
The money you got, it ain't no better than a higher spending man's
All I've got is a little bit of common sense
I believe in my heart, the best teacher is experience
I'll tell you now (I'm qualified)
You know that I'm qualified
(You know that I'm qualified)
You may find me in a project slum
Be hanging out with all the skid row bums
I may be sick and I may seem dumb
That don't mean you know where I'm coming from
Look out kid
Just make a little room
Your social life ain't no better than my hot dog stand
Your edu-ma-cation ain't no hipper than what you understand
Your woman next door, she ain't no hipper than a hot loving band
I got the power to control
I can see clean through your blindfold
And I want to tell you now (I'm qualified)
You know that I'm qualified
(You know that I'm qualified)
Look at me, I'm filling up in class
And you better watch out, I'm stepping up fast
Can't hang a jacket on me, I've been hanging out in the projects
Hangin' out with all you rednecks
You rubbernecks and rejects...
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