Dr John has gone. 1st Verse the Dr has left the building and across this mortal plain. I cried tonight from sadness, as he boarded that heavenly train. He walked on Gilded Splinters with a Zulu staff of light and as he lifted into to the sky he whispered ‘such a night.’ I wrote a second verse for Dr. John after viewing the second line in New Orleans. His granddaughter Steph was in the middle of the crowd. I thought what would he say or do if he was a ghost watching all this from the side lines and then it came to me. Verse 2. I walked across the Levee and through the Treme today. The second line was waiting for the tubas to start a parade. The trombones slid up on the trumpets and the drums just felt so tight, was this for Fats, Fess or Toussaint but something was just not right. I recognized a girl in the middle of the crowd, it was my granddaughter Steph singing and crying out loud. Verse 3. I caught a reflection in a window and the person looking back, It was then I recognized the man who some call Malcom "Mac" Rebennack. My feet suddenly left the ground as I slowly rose above, I realized at once it was for me, all this outpouring of love. I hovered above the music as I floated with the wind, I heard a gospel choir and that finally drew me in. The angels surrounded me and rang a golden chime, it’s time to leave the crescent city and the loves I've left behind. I've never felt so good and sad a tear ran down my face. I was in the right time as I entered heaven and crossed over the pearly gates. Love Richard Tbear Fats refers to Fats Domino Fess is professor Longhair and Toussaint is Alan Toussaint all had second line parades.
Richard TBear , that was hauntingly beautiful and made me actually cry as I could picture it as if it were happening your words displayed it so you could feel it happening ...
Getting ready for my next visit this weekend; thought I’d look this one up. It’s only been a year or so, but the city has lost a few definite legends since I’ve last been there. Don’t ever change, NOLA. As legends pass, ensure that their legacies live. God bless Dr. John.
That was a marvelous send off for the good Dr. The 5:30-7:15 mark was a nasty phenomenal groove with the horns and the percussion. I see where John Bonham got a lot of his influence.
