The New Orleans Saints will take on the Atlanta Falcons in the Superdome on Monday night. The game will go down almost exactly 10 years after the boys in black and gold celebrated their post-Katrina return to the same stadium with a triumphant victory over the same team.
The Atlanta Falcons’ team colors are red and black, and some falcons are black. So this kind of adds up.
I originally intended to honor this anniversary by making U2 and Green Day’s rendition of “The Saints Are Coming”–which was recorded for that fateful day 10 years ago–the newest Song of the Week, but former OffBeat Web Editor Alex Rawls already wrote the definitive story on that piece of music/sports history for My Spilt Milk, so there’s no need to dive into that one. Instead I’ll be taking a look at Miles Davis’ 1957 rendition of the jazz standard “Bye Bye Blackbird.”
The Saints’ season isn’t looking too hot right now. With a record of 0-2, it’s going to be an uphill battle to win our division. But beating the Falcons is about more than wins and losses. It’s about pride. These are the Dirty Birds we’re talking about–the Saints’ longtime rivals and representatives of an objectively inferior Southern metropolis. If all goes well they’ll be flying back to Atlanta on Monday night with their tail feathers between their legs. And that’s why “Bye Bye Blackbird” is our Saints Songs of the Week.
Originally penned by Ray Henderson and Mort Dixon in 1926, “Bye Bye Blackbird” has been tackled by countless artists in the ensuing decades. I’ve decided to go with this version from Miles Davis’ album ‘Round About Midnight because, while Davis may not be the best representative of New Orleans, he’s a damn fine representative of jazz. It’s also an instrumental rendition, so we don’t have to be sidetracked by the fact that the lyrics have no connection to anything resembling football.
Enjoy!
