Steamboat Natchez Calliope Plays “Free Bird”
If I leave here tomorrow, will you still remember me?
Instead of hearing the traditional calliope playlist of “The Entertainer” and “Singin in the Rain,” they were treated to a steam-powered version of the classic rock anthem “Free Bird” by Lynyrd Skynyrd.
“Well, we’d playing the classics for quite a while now,” said Captain James “Trippy” Delestinier of the Steamboat Natchez.
“And the other day I saw these long-haired kids sitting out on the Moonwalk drinking beers and smoking something. Just after I finished “The Michigan Rag,” one of them yelled out: ‘Free Bird!’”
Multimedia: Hear the Steamboat Natchez Calliope in action.
“So I thought, why not?” he added. “And it really opened my eyes.”
According to the Captain, Skynyrd is just the first of many changes coming to the unique 32-note steam pipe organ.
Future playlists for the Steamboat Natchez Calliope include such diverse selections as “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida” by Iron Butterfly, “Dr. Feelgood” by Mötley Crüe, and “Trapped in the Closet” by R. Kelly.
In fact, hip-hop is expected to be a new focus.
“From Juve to Baby Boy to Weezy, there’s just so much groundbreaking local rap being created right now,” said Captain Delestinier. “I’d be a shame not to bust out some steam-powered promotions.”
“I’m even trying to figure out a way to steam some shout-outs from the West Bank,” he added.
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July 25th, 2008 at 9:49 am
Dang bruh, me and my uncle was getting some daquiris at the riverwalk the other day and we heard them playing Stairway to Heaven with the calliope. My little cousin Timmy G got so moved he started to cry right there at the Spanish Fountain.
September 17th, 2008 at 12:55 pm
I’d like to hear the calliope play “Margaritaville.”