Great Big House in New Orleans

Details

Description

This is a fun American folk song that I've taught for many years now, so I thought I'd turn it into a video.

I've always thought the song told a story, but not a real clear story, so for the video, I've interpreted it as a story about a father who leaves home to find work in New Orleans, promising a better life for his family once he's found a stable job. So as a teacher, this song could be a nice example of migration tendencies of Americans during the industrial revolution that led to such large cities throughout the United States.

Musically speaking, the song is arranged for drum, rhythm sticks, and tambourine. The rhythm sticks keep a steady quarter note pulse, designed to be played by the singers. The other two instruments, however, have a tricky pickup rhythm preceding the down beat that repeats over and over (an ostinato). This creates an excellent opportunity for teachers to talk about pick-up rhythms and how to anticipate and play them in a way that leads to the down beat.

So try this video at home with your family or at school with a band of students, and please don't forget to subscribe!

Credits:
Video: Nathan Walby
Composer: American Folk Song
Arranger: Nathan Walby
Performers: Computer, Nathan Walby- Vocalist