The Big Easy Top Ten: Mississippi (#7)

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My, but isn’t this early! I’m on my way to the State Fair. If the Fair is like it always is I’ll probably be at Chuy’s by noon. Or, I might be there all day. You never know. First thing first: a trip to New Orleans in song. Here’s today’s song. #7: Mississippi - John Phillips Hey, look, it’s a song from my 100 favorites list! (There’s another one coming up soon, fear not.) Here we have Papa John Phillips doing a solo album after the Mamas & Papas disintegrated. Let’s face it, Phillips’ voice was nothing like Mama Cass Elliot’s, so he didn’t get the solo attention that she did. That doesn’t stop this from being a terrific song. It got airplay on our “progressive” country station (WINN), probably because of the opening line (“early in the morning she hitched a ride down to Louisville”). I don’t consider this country, not even with James Burton playing a dobro and Buddy Emmons playing steel guitar. What I do consider it is one terrific song, and I’ve felt that way for about 56 years now. Mississippi Written by John Phillips Recorded by John Phillips From John Phillips (John, the Wolf King of L.A.), 1970 NEW ORLEANS LYRICS: Dressed herself like a Cajun queen in New Orleans, baby