This is a love song to a city and it's inhabitants, written by Master 'Bones' Jangle when he was living in New Orleans, LA. Whilst performing in the street, 'Bones' found kinship with the rats that wander the city in broad daylight and through the night, scavenging amongst the leavings of the tourists that often crowd the streets and made the connection that the musicians, entertainers, bartenders, cooks, shop owners and tour guides, the homeless and the well-heeled depended on tourism to survive, just like the rats. Rats are intelligent, adaptable and relentless and so are the people of New Orleans. Though he no longer resides in New Orleans 'Bones' still proudly remembers his time as a "Rat."
lyrics
Rats of New Orleans
Take a walk down on Bourbon Street
Hear the music now and it sweet
See the people and the rats of New Orleans.
Frenchman, Royal or lower Decatur,
Look again that ain’t no alligator.
Beware of the rats of New Orleans.
If you walk to French Quarter keep an eye on your feet
You might kick a rat hangin' out in the street.
Don’t you tread on the rats of New Orleans.
Your trash is their treasure,
Your dumpster their heaven.
They slink down the alleys through all kinds of weather.
The streets are their homes and they're never alone,
Don’t you turn your back on those rats of New Orleans.
Now be careful my friend, don’t ya find yourself utterly
Drunk and a'layin' face down in the gutter,
You’ll be picked clean by the Rats of New Orleans.
And don’t you go wandering down any dark alleys
Where are the meanest of Rats they all gather and rally.
Don’t be caught unaware by the rats of New Orleans.
Now some Rats are clean, and other Rats dirty,
Some Rats are cruel and other Rats flirty.
Break your bread with the Rats of New Orleans.
Your trash is their treasure,
Your dumpster their heaven.
They slink down the alleys through all kinds of weather.
The streets are their homes and they're never alone,
Don’t you turn your back on those Rats of New Orleans.
Now some play the music, some dance to the beat,
Some they hold signs while they lay in the streets.
Give your spare change to the Rats of New Orleans.
Now some of us Rats is just down on our luck
So we pour out our souls just to bring home a buck.
Please be kind to the Rats of New Orleans.
We can be your best friend or your worst enemy
We all want the same thing, we’re just tryin' to be free
And they call us the Rats of New Orleans
Your trash is our treasure,
Your dumpster our heaven.
We slink down the alleys through all kinds of weather.
The streets are our homes and we're never alone,
Don’t you turn your back on us Rats of New Orleans.
We're the Rats....
Beware.....
The Rats of New Orleans
credits
from Sail into the Wind,
released October 4, 2018
Master 'Bones' Jangle : Lead Vocals/Bass/Guitar
'Gangplank' : Percussion
'Catgut' : Pochette
'Hairball' : Flute
Admiral Whisle Hiatus : Lewis Finkle
Mastered by Mattie Smith with Tree Leom at Stewart's Place in Austin,Tx
Produced by Master 'Bones' Jangle with Tree Leom
Written and arranged by Master 'Bones' Jangle
Recorded and Mixed at SoundWright Productions, Rosanky, Tx by Tree Leom
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