The Big Easy List: Back to New Orleans

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The other day I mentioned that there are a million ways to say New Orleans. Today’s song presents one of those ways: “new OR-le-ANNS.” It’s a cool pronunciation, a cool song, and a cool guy just about everyone has forgotten. Let’s hit the town with today’s song! Back to New Orleans - Buddy Knox The “other Buddy” in early rock and roll. Everybody remembers Buddy Holly, but if you remember Buddy Knox, it’s for the song “Party Doll.” We had a couple of his singles from the 50s on Roulette Records (“Hula Love” and “Somebody Touched Me”) when I was a kid. And, unlike the major Buddy, Knox’s first name really was Buddy. Buddy Wayne Knox. Only in Texas. As is the case with so many of the 50s acts not named Presley, Knox had his day then faded. Subsequent singles bombed (he never had another charted single after 1961 in America), but he continued performing. He moved to the Pacific Northwest and was a regional star for many years with both his newer material and as an “oldies” performer. He died of lung cancer in 1999. This song is one of those many “rap-before-rap” songs, with a rock/country music backing that was popular in the late 60s/early 70s. Buddy Knox should be remembered more as just “the other Buddy who did ‘Party Doll.’” Back to New Orleans Written by Buddy Knox Recorded by Buddy Knox Released as a single, 1970 NEW ORLEANS LYRICS: title L.A. city is a doggone pity: