Mardi Gras Music "Carnival Time"

Recorded April 1970 Jazz City Studio ( also known as "Seas Saint") Camp Street, New Orleans, Louisiana

In the U.S. Army, on duty at his station in Fort Gordon Georgia, Young Al Johnson was phoned by his sister! Al! she said, "They're singing your song every where, you ought to see this!" It was the first word, he had gotten, that "Carnival Time", was a hit in New Orleans.

It almost didn't happen either, the producer wanted Al to change some of the lyrics to make the song more "marketable". Putting in references to Bourbon Street in the Quarter, amongst other changes. However, Al was persistent, and steadfast in keeping the original lyrics, the one he wrote and knew about. "I didn't know anything about Bourbon Street", he would later tell us. "Black people weren't even allowed in the quarter back then. The main Carnival for blacks was on Claiborne Ave. That's where we had our fun!"

Al Johnson wanted a song the locals of New Orleans could relate to on Mardi Gras Day. With lyrics such as "the Green Room is smoking" and "the Plaza's burning down," and "the All Speed ", were real places only the locals knew about. Almost everyone in New Orleans at one time has referred to Mardi Gras as "Carnival Day." The Green Room was a club, as well as the Plaza was a spot out on Claiborne Ave. The All Speed was a hole in the wall everyone went too.

Carnival Time is now a Mardi Gras favorite!