Les sept millions d’auditeurs de la BBC ont pu entendre, ce matin à 8 h 20, le premier blues (à notre connaissance) consacré au l’ouragan Katrina.
L’auteur en est Michael « Hawkeye » Herman (dont un CD est chroniqué dans le nouveau numéro de Soul Bag), ancien accompagnateur de Cool Papa Sadler. A l’origine, c’est une radio publique de Kansas City qui lui a demandé le 30 août de composer en deux jours un blues sur la catastrophe.
En voici les paroles, mais le morceau est à écouter intégralement sur le site de Hawkeye Herman : www.HawkeyeHerman.com

Katrina, Oh Katrina (Hurricane Blues)
Words and music by Michael « Hawkeye » Herman
©2005 M.Herman/Topaz Productions

Katrina, oh Katrina
You have such a lovely name (repeat)
But since Hurricane Katrina
Things will never be the same

You were born out on the water
But it was land that you would claim (repeat)
Katrina, oh Katrina
You have such a lovely name

Your wind it started rising
Then your mighty waters came (repeat)
Katrina, oh Katrina
You have such a lovely name

So many dead, so many homeless
It’s a sad and crying shame (repeat)
But Katrina, oh Katrina
Such a lovely, deadly name

You brought ruin to New Orleans
The land where blues rose up to fame (repeat)
But Katrina, oh Katrina
You have such a lovely name

The lesson you have taught us
There is no storm that man can tame (repeat)
Katrina, oh Katrina
You have such a lovely, deadly name

We’re going to start all over
All you’ve destroyed we will reclaim (repeat)
But we won’t forget Katrina
Such a lovely, deadly name

Katrina, oh Katrina
You have such a lovely name (repeat)
But since Hurricane Katrina
Things will never be the same