Song of the Day 3/1: Paul Simon, “Take Me to the Mardi Gras”

In another sign that the pandemic is slackening, New Orleans is celebrating Mardi Gras this year after Covid forced last year’s cancellation. You can watch some of the parades live at a link provided at the link above.

Though it’s now considered a minor song in his catalog, “Take Me to the Mardi Gras” was released as the fourth single from Paul Simon’s second post-Garfunkel solo album, 1973’s “There Goes Rhymin’ Simon.” It failed to chart in the US, though it did make the top 10 in the UK.

The falsetto backup voice is gospel singer Claude Jeter, leader of the gospel group the Swan Silverstones. Simon’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water” was inspired by a line in Jeter’s rendition of the traditional spiritual “Mary Don’t You Weep.”

An acoustic demo of the tune was included on a 2004 remastered CD. He played the demo for the house band at Muscle Shoals Sound Studios and they recorded the final track in two takes.