Our New Orleans
Holiday Music Favorite
Benny Grunch
These days it's hard to remember what Christmas and Mardi Gras
were like before Benny Grunch showed us how to enjoy them in a uniquely
New Orleans way. His music has transformed the sound of music for those
holidays forever.
Actually
Benny, a St. Aloysius alum, has been on the radio with his original New
Orleans classics since the mid-70's with "Spirit Of Smiley Lewis"
and "Gotta Get A Band"...cleverly using the same music track for
different lyrics on both sides. Both sides were favorites on the Poppa Stoppa
show on WNNR-990 AM.
In
the mid 90's, Benny Grunch And The Bunch (including Kathie Savoie and Johnny
Vindigni) recorded "Santa And His Reindeer Used To Live Right Here"
and produced a full-length video of the song, which has become a Christmas
classic on television.
"The Twelve Yats Of Christmas" also hits home with any
New Orleanian at Christmas time. Day six, spotlighting the "six pack
of Dixie" is hilarious as the song progresses and sips are taken, and
by the end of the song it becomes a "dix pack of Sixie," and he
passes out while singing.
Constantly
breaking new ground, Benny next recorded "Ain't No Place To Pee On
Mardi Gras Day," the first song to ever use that bodily function in
a title in music history and get played in heavy rotation on the radio.
But, in true Benny Grunch fashion, it became a hit that has endured and
will for years to come! The first version of the song was a 50's rocker
version, followed the next year with a "second line" version...the
same song but different!
Of course, "Do What You Wanna" has become a standard
in Mardi Gras music. What a parade street beat...definitely New Awlins.
A sneak preview: listen this holiday season as the new offerings
from Benny Grunch include "Santa Put The Hurt On You" (a Christmas
takeoff on Raymond Lewis' 1962 New Orleans hit "I'm Gonna Put Some
Hurt On You") and "I Got A Used Kazoo For Christmas."
* Benjie Records / PO Box 24762 / New Orleans, LA 70184
/ (504) 488-1583 *
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