The Big Easy Top Ten: Down in the Quarter (#2)

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You just knew these guys were going to show up. You’re probably just surprised that (a) it’s this song, and (b) they aren’t #1. When you see the number one song tomorrow you’ll see why most things take a back seat to it. Let’s keep rollin’ on down to New Orleans with the penultimate song. #2: Down in the Quarter - Poco Yes, I could have easily used their “big hit,” “Heart of the Night” (“Oh oh, down in New Orleans, I’m so glad to be back in New Orleans”). Either way I went you are going to get a song recorded by Poco and written by Paul Cotton. So there! “Heart of the Night” is on my 100 favorites list. Without question, it’s a great song celebrating New Orleans. This one, however, is an album cut. I also feel that it captures the “mystery vibe” of New Orleans (as opposed to the party/play/live vibe of “Heart of the Night”). Why the attraction? Cotton said, “I’m just drawn to the South. Hey, I spent 25 winters in Chicago.” (He was also born at Fort Rucker Army Base in Alabama, which is not that far from Louisiana.) I love the imagery in this song, and the feeling that the city with put on a person who’s “talking with a new-found friend who lived his life on river time.” It’s not as bouncy as the hit, but it captures the joy of the Crescent City so well. Down in the Quarter Written by Paul Cotton Recorded by Poco From Head Over Heels, 1975 NEW ORLEANS LYRICS: Lost and found in the city, New Orleans