The Jorgensens’ “Storyville” is a lovely, soulful song about The Big Easy. It’s a song that, justly, sounds like the region it describes.
The Jorgensens ae a singing couple comprised of Brianna and Kurt. Kurt takes the lead on this one. He sings it with plenty of R&B power. Its arrangement includes organ, piano, a horn section and even a touch of Dixieland clarinet. When Kurt mentions thinking he saw the ghost of Louie Armstrong, it’s clear New Orleans’ rich musical history was a prime inspiration for this song.
Nevertheless, the place Storyville actually has a sordid history. It was New Orleans’ red-light district from 1897 to 1917. The music created in this part of the country, reflected its gritty culture. Granted, New Orleans can’t take sole credit for inventing jazz music, but early jazz recordings came out of the same culture that also gave New Orleans its brothels, saloons and dance establishments. Jazz was its soundtrack, if you will.
Although a loving tribute, The Jorgensens’ song is a cleaned-up history of the place. However, Kurt does sing about hoping to find himself a Delta queen. The lyric and music may be Louisiana-adjacent, yes, but its vocal sounds closer to something out of Detroit, MI. Namely, Bob Seger. No, it’s not a ramblin’ gambling man kind of rock & roll raver, but there is a raw quality to the singing that brings Seger immediately to mind.
It begins with Kurt singing of having a cool wind at his back. He has a strong case of wanderlust. Yes, he’s excited about experiencing New Orleans. However, he’s also looking to get away from places with cooler weather, too.
The song’s lyric reads a little like a fantasy. You get the impression this guy has heard about this almost-mythical land of New Orleans all his life. Just as the Storyville he sings of is not as resort-like as he imagines, what he finds there will likely not match his vivid imagination. This is a fantasy, created by books, movies and songs about New Orleans. Like any big city, New Orleans has crime, poverty and most recently, its share of natural disasters. With this lyric, though, The Jorgensens are only adding to the mythical quality of New Orleans.
Part of the motivation for this song might also be the wish to escape the modern world. We all think there must have been ‘good old days’ once upon a time on the planet. The world of New Orleans, with its beautiful jazz music, unique history and culture and special place in American lore, sure appears to be more appealing than the internet-focused, technology-dominated modern world. The storyteller in this song is hoping to go back in time to a simpler, better place. It’s no longer there, even though New Orleans has done a good job in preserving its history. The place may be historic, but its residents are moderns, just like the people in Los Angeles and New York City. In other words, this sentimental journey can only happen in a song. With such high expectations, a contemporary trip to New Orleans is highly likely to be a disappointment. Sorry.
With that said, though, “Storyville” is one satisfying journey to the past.
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-Dan MacIntosh
