Hugh Laurie - Tipitina (The Story Behind the Song)

[phillippibeard]

I know from personal experience that tipitina is an old New Orleans slang term meaning drunk woman. It is a concatenation of "tipi" as in so drunk that she's about to tip over and "Tina" a generic female name. I have always assumed that's what Professor Longhair meant because that's what it meant to everybody else back then.

[nabooster]

Does anyone else want that dude on the left to skate into an AIDS tree?

[abzversion3]

"i didn't mean to cut you off"??!! fuck you, don't cut the man off if you didn't mean to! nobody wanted to hear you anyway!

[ndmari]

I like his album very much, especially this song. It makes me happy every time, when i listening to his album.

Somebody said it's a copy, but I like it, I like his voice.

[khnnatalya835]

Как только увидела Хауса за роялем в сериале, поняла, что Хью Лори должен Играть обалденно. а тут знаю про диск и про то, что он играет блюз! Это просто праздник! Душа отдыхает! Он просто гений!

[IndependentGeorge76]

i always thought Tipitina was a pimping song.... "hurry, hurry, Roberta

Girl, you have company waiting for you at home. Why don't you hurry little Roberta girl, hurry don't leave that boy alone" and "little Mama wants a dollar".

Hugh Laurie seems a nice guy, but really, whats the point buying a copy when you can go out and get the real thing by Fess' original, or Dr John's versions.

[IndependentGeorge76]

Laurie seems like a nice guy and can get about on the piano, but really if you want to hear the real deal check Professor Longhair or Dr John's version.

[kjulietraven]

Joe Henry is a Grammy-winning producer, not to mention an incredible singer-songwriter with more talent than Hugh Laurie could ever dream of having. Who do you think got all these musicians together for Hugh? JOE! So who cares if he monopolizes the conversation. Hugh looks terribly out of his league.

[MrsLovecooky]

@kjulietraven justin bieber is also a grammy-winner.so,what is your comment telling us?right,nothing(and sorry for my english).

[nwodog]

This seems like a classic case of " just because you can, doesn't meen you should"

Good comedy actor... awfull singer!

[jubealee]

@nwodog WTF are you sayin? You dont know anything about music D: I pity you

[nwodog]

@jubealee I dont have a problem with the music? Its the piss poor singing i was talking about?

[jubealee]

@nwodog singing is part of music dumbass, and i still feel sorry for you

[nwodog]

@jubealee Why are you calling me names? if you just want to insult me use the private message.

[jubealee]

@nwodog ehh, no. If you dont like Hugh Laurie's singing, then stop watching the videos, and better yet, stop wasting your time commenting them :D

[nwodog]

@jubealee So now your rude and telling me what to do! I am assuming that mummy didnt love you much? I am happy to discuss the great music and also the not so great singing with you...or anybody else who likes to comment on an open forum...like i said, if you want to just trade insults then PM me and stop wasting other peoples time telling me how to live and what to like.

[jubealee]

@nwodog I'm just giving you some advice, so you don't look like such a numskull on the internet ;) and we're only wasting other peoples time if they take the time to read this, which I doubt they will

[nwodog]

@jubealee I have never met anybody as righteous as you, so i am a numbskull now! Look lets get this back on point, the singing in my opinion is below par and i would go as far to say as the singing in hughs version of swanee river is even worse!!

[jubealee]

@nwodog :< poor you

[nwodog]

@jubealee Go away troll.

[phillippibeard]

@nwodog I think you have missed a significant point. Laurie is emulating Henry Roeland Byrd (Professor Longhair) in a style known as Blues Shouting. Traditionally, the shouters couldn't sing, so the "lousy" vocals became an art form in their own right. I assure you that Laurie's rendition is spot on perfect.

[nwodog]

@phillippibeard Fair point, i like the Dr john version more he is very shouty and angry sounding, mabe its laurie english accent not sitting well with it?

[phillippibeard]

@nwodog New Orleans is a city of accents - Creole French, Afro-Caribbean, Cuban/Latino and even Vietnamese. When he's singing, Laurie's patois wouldn't raise a single eyebrow in the Big Easy.

My only complaint, and it's a minor one, is that Laurie doesn't push the envelope. Dr. John, for example, doesn't limit himself to Longhair's lyrics, and when it comes to improvising on the keyboard, Matthew Ball goes further than all of the above.

[thebr0wnhornet]

On WWOZ the other day I heard from one of Professor Longhair's former acquaintances that this song was written about a weed selling hustler project chick with a peg leg. They used to drive up and Tina would tippy toe out to them on her peg leg, so they started calling her tipi-tina. Don't know if that's true but It came from a reliable source and it makes sense if you know New Orleans

[thebr0wnhornet]

also he's playing it way too slow

[Ioanlover]

LOVE HIM AT 0:11 !!!!!!! He´s so happy and having sooooo much fun!!!! Like me watching him heheh

[snoookie456]

1:16 Hugh Laurie's expression is like "Bitch, shut up, Hugh Laurie's talking"

[2weirdkids]

That other guy is annoying!

[KouklaK]

So glad I'm not the only one who has no idea what this song is about! I just know I LOVE it and can't stop listening to it. When I first heard this version, I wasn't in the greatest of moods, but by the end of it I was happy again. You guys did such a phenomenal job with the entire CD. And Patrick on accordion? Who'd a thunk it! Now that y'all are back, I can't wait to hear about a US tour.

[AlbertinaDeLaurie]

CON ESE TRALALA ME MATA!!!! ESTA PARA DARTE AMORRRR

[ClaxTB]

A.W.E.S.O.M.E..

[D3ltra]

I love this man.

[hugheras100]

esta cancion es lo masssssssssss

[Tetinha1]

first dislike lol ;D

[anillosumner]

was dying for Hugh to say at the end, "yeah...but I still don´t know what it´s about". LOVE IT!

[gabrysiar]

it's so weird to hear Laurie's English accent. ^^

[cobaltblueeyes]

Interesting comments. But yeah, Joe, quit cutting Hugh off and explaining what he's saying. Much rather hear him explain himself. With all the love in the world.

[RandomSpanishGuy]

the 'you know' guy returns xDD!

[migletoskas]

I agree with Hugh Tipitina is great song

Love to hearn how Hugh love that song.... and he did good work with it

[66fee99]

It's always good to hear him... And see him x)

[osianjones25]

everyone that watches this is watching it to hear hugh laurie.. as good as the other guy is, nobody wants to hear him!

[ReisingSun]

@osianjones25 Exactly!!!!!!

[Spitch89]

@osianjones25 Damn you 're right....But it's a pity...I mean the "other guy" is Joe "mothaf....ing" Henry....He is a G-E-N-I-U-S at producing blues...That's why the album has great amount of blues feeling and dirt even though it's polished 2011 production....!!!!But you are right...I myself wanted to hear Hugh's opinion about the songs...!!!!So thumbs up to you osianjones25 ;P

[Selitskayamari]

Joe Henry is chatterbox! ;) Great song! Love it.

[pkclaire3]

One of my favorite songs from the album and from the concert in Berlin!

Btw: he is really cute:p

[atecadi]

I can't stop moving the feet with this song :D