Thirty years after Mickey Clark recorded the first “Battle of New Orleans” takeoff in honor of the University of Louisville basketball team getting to the Final Four in New Orleans, he’s out with his latest release, honoring Rick Pitino’s 2012 team.
Mickey’s a lifelong Cardinal fan, absolutely nuts about U of L basketball, is a local country music favorite and sells advertising space for the Louisville Sports Report. The song is not available for purchase because it includes player names.
You heard it here first (turn the volume up, way up, so your UK neighbors can hear.)
Lyrics: Battle of New Orleans, 2012
And a plug for Mickey himself: “I am doing my Wednesday night solo gig at Mulligan’s (1801 Newburg Road, phone # 632-2818) from 7-10 p.m. and Friday I am with my band, Mickey Clark & The Blue Norther at Fiesta Mexicana (4507 Bardstown Road, 491-2922), from 6:30-9:30 p.m.. Friday we have a very special guest that will be sitting in with us, fiddle phenom Michael Cleveland who is this year’s SPBGMA Fiddle Performer of the Year. I will be doing the new BNO but you might mention also that I will not be selling a CD of the song, as I use player’s names and do not want to cause any kind of NCAA violation were I to sell them. I have done this to cheer them on!”
Sounds the same as it did in ’82 in New Orleans like it was yesterday.
Thanks Mickey
Mickey is a national treasure, with solid Louisville roots. His musical take on Americana is nothing but pleasure for the ear! Those unfamiliar with his other work owe it to themselves to buy or borrow his award-winning Winding Highways CD. You might also check him out on: http://www.mickeyclark.com
Frankly, I had forgotten about the 1982 version of this song, but always would bring to mind the various bersions of the Cardinal Cannonball, used for various Final Four and bowl game appearances over the years.
Mickey has such a pleasant personality and wonderful way with music that anyone will love him from the first impression on.
This brings back great memories of that trip in ’82. We took our first-grader and his cousin and sat in nose-bleed seats of the SuperDome, seeing more of the on-court action on the little tv sets suspended from the ceiling, the actual players looking like ants way down below.
The cousin ate his first shrimp that time and each night thereafter. We rode the Streetcar Named Desire and pressed our noses to the glass door of that famous pralines store (although they had just closed for the night, they reopened when they saw those two boys’ cherubic faces).
But best of all was being on Bourbon Street with fans from all four universities. What a party. We listened to Cardinal Cannonball many times, and have since then.
It was prophetic, I now believe, that Mickey sang it for those of us attending the Central Cardinal Club’s Holiday Boutique early in THIS season! Just as fun then as now. Thanks, Mickey, for being a huge part of the festivities for Cardinals fans.
Go Cards!
Good for you, Mike.
My kids love the Wolfe Brothers version of the Battle of New Orleans and I think they’ll go nuts for this version. I’m starting them young and raising them right!
Thanks for all the time and work on the song. I’ve got it keyed on my mp3 player in the vehicle.
Love it, great stuff. 30 years huh? Sounding better than ever Mick.
Great job, Mickey. Thanks for contributing to the tradition of U of L basketball. Love the song, the sound is great.