By Elaine Ernst Schneider
Down the Mississippi, Down to New Orleans…
"The Battle of New Orleans" by Johnny Horton (1959-1960) drew music listeners in close to the radio to concentrate on lyrics that told the story of Colonel Jackson fighting the British along the Mississippi. In 1972, interest was again directed down the Mississippi with the song "The City of New Orleans," by Steve Goodman. The train rider in the song recalled the "houses, farms, and fields . . . and the graveyards of rusted automobiles" that lazily drifted by his window as the train rolled through New Orleans.
So which is it? Historic moss-covered oak trees against a starry southern night, or the lights of a big city illuminating the way to the home of the raucous Dixieland jazz that fills the French Quarter?
Sure. It's both. Blame It on Ol' Man River
The Mississippi is still key to New Orleans' flavor and pizzazz. The seafood, the steamboat cruise, the swamp tours, and the history--it's all there. And the jazz? Well, there are those who would swear that the uncanny beat of the music comes from the intrepid rhythm of the Mississippi's waters.
Colonel Jackson may not be firing his guns on the British anymore, but a royal carriage tours major landmarks such as the historic battlefields around the city. And those interested in the fallen soldiers' graves can arrange a visit to the Cities of the Dead, where New Orleans' above-ground tombs evoke the different eras of New Orleans' history. In the French Quarter, the influence of the past creates an atmosphere of French colonial tradition and West Indian Spanish architecture. Southern charm is exemplified in the plantation homes that dot what is known as River Road, testimonies to the romanticism of a slower way of life that set its pace by the flow of the Mississippi.
The beauty and romance of New Orleans are best captured on a steamboat cruise through one of the world's most active ports. Along the way, travelers can stop at the Audubon Zoo and the Aquarium of the Americas. The steamboat won't venture as far as the swamps, but wetlands ecologists stand ready to guide visitors through a boggy nature trip.
Then, of course, there's the food. New Orleans is known for its unique cuisine-- Creole, Cajun, southern, and French--it's the taste of New Orleans, the flavors of the different cultures that gathered by the Mighty Mississippi. It Don't Mean a Thing if It Ain't Got That Swing
New Orleans and jazz--the two go together. The birthplace of a distinctive style of music, New Orleans jazz is its own mix of swing, blues, and improvisation. From Basin Street to Bourbon Street, the cornets and trombones blast and the clarinets wail, punctuating the melody of the Dixieland bands.
Tradition plays a part in the celebration of holidays with parades and festivals occurring all year long. Of distinction are the Mardi Gras and St. Patrick's Day parades where the floats themselves are sculptured works of art. The French Quarter Festival is a three-day celebration of New Orleans food, music, and people, including the world's largest jazz brunch. December toasts Christmas with a tribute to jazz. One wonders if Jackson and his troops might have faced their December battle against the British with an eye toward going home for Christmas. Perhaps the ghost of a soldier walks the Hauntings Tour, a legend to those who have gathered to celebrate "Christmas in New Orleans."
The Mississippi rolls along, sometimes dipping peacefully by elegant structures that stand as historical monuments amidst Bonds' magnolias, other times roaring to the hustling rhythm of a contemporary harbor that provides the foundation for a metropolitan economy. According to Horton, Jackson and his men chased the British into that harbor, all the way "to the Gulf of Mexico." A hum of activity during the day, a syncopated embellishment on a jazz theme by night…a reminder that the past can blend with the present to fulfill destiny. That's The City of New Orleans.
Elaine Ernst Schneider is a freelance writer and music teacher. She has been writing since high school and has published articles, songs, and children's work. Presently, Elaine is a curriculum author for Group Publishing.