Just below the surface

of merry Mardi Gras

Louis and Sydney

crying out loud

through their

horns of heritage

speaking of the devil

watching strange fruit

and up comes Benny

kletschmer on his knee

that clarinet wails

about ages of pain

Still I'm kind of glad

that you opened your window


*Mardi Gras - New Orleans carnival
*Louis Armstrong and Sydney Bechet were both
from New Orleans. Bechet played the clarinet as well
as the saxophone. Both musicians afro-american.
*"Strange fruit" refers to the title of a Billie
Holliday recording. The title points to the corpses
of black americans hanging from trees after racist
lynchings in the south states of US.
* Benny - last name Goodman. Jewish - American
clarinet player.
* Kletscmer - Jewish folk music developed in
eastern europe.