Suite 101: "Wow. Susan Cowsill really pours her whole self into this song. How can a listener not be moved? This song contains powerful vocals and raw emotions. Susan sings, "Oh New Orleans/I'm growing weaker everyday/I no longer have the strength to stay."
In this song, as in a couple of the others on this album, Susan is dealing with the question of the reality of the tragedy. In this one, she sings, "And when I come back/I'll find it's just a dream/A real bad dream/A terrible dream." In "Could This Be Home," Susan sings, "And this is way too real."
Standard Examiner: "The song “ONOLA” is an homage not only to the city’s damage, but also to its reeling townspeople, many still scattered."
lyrics
Oh New Orleans
You will always be my city
I will always be your daughter
The Saints are smiling down on us tonight
Oh New Orleans
I feel so free just standing here
The Mississippi whispering in my ear
Clouds are rolling over us tonight
I came back to wipe your tears
And I’m proud to hold your hand
There’s only so much anyone could stand
Oh New Orleans
I’m growing weaker everyday
I no longer have the strength to stay
I don’t even want the chance to fight the fight
But I don’t know where to go
Maybe some place I could see some snow
So far away from here they’ll never know
There’s a hole inside my heart I don’t want you to see
You’ve given me so much I only wanna give some back you see
So I’m leaving here today I’m no good to anyone this way
I’ve gone to save my soul and then I promise you that I’ll be back again
Or maybe I could find another way
Or maybe I’ll just fall asleep
And when I come back
I’ll find it’s just a dream
Just a dream
A real bad dream
A terrible dream
Oh New Orleans
Guess that’s all that I have left to say
No need to pack she took it all away
But I’ll take with me the world I used to know
I’ll remember that I’m still your child
Carry your music each and every mile
And I’ll be back when my heart learns how to smile again
Until then
Chorus
Or maybe I could find another way
credits
from Lighthouse,
released May 18, 2010
S. Cowsill/R. Broussard
Susan Cowsill, guitar & vocal
Russ Broussard, drums & percussion
Aaron Stroup, guitars
Tad Armstrong, bass & Hammond B-3
John Drumbo French from Captain Beefheart and The Magic Band worked with Thompson on two albums along with Fred Frith and Henry Kaiser.
Those two French, Frith, Kaiser and Thompson albums led me to this.
Also, Richard Thompson taught Hugh Cornwell (of The Stranglers) how to play the bass guitar in a band when they were both at the same school (Emil and The Detectives?).
With a career spanning 50 years and playing with two of my heroes (French and Cornwell) Thompson has produced a fascinating EP. yellowcakeuf6
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