The Meters – “Hey Pock A Way”

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The Meters – “Hey Pock A Way”

WHO: The Meters

WHAT: “Hey Pock A Way”

WHERE: New Orleans, USA

WHY: While this funk classic may not be a traditional Mardi Gras tune, it still gets a lot of air time in New Orleans during parade season. Dr. John, in his 1994 autobiography, explains that the origin of the phrase comes from the Mardi Gras Indians:

“To keep an eye out for other tribes roaming around the city on Mardi Gras day a tribe sent out the Spy Boy as a runner. If one Spy Boy bumped into another Spy Boy from some other tribe, they’d have an exchange like so:

“ ‘Om bah way,’ the first Spy Boy might say.

“And the other Spy Boy, if everything was cool and there wasn’t going to be no confrontation, answered: ‘Tu way pocky way.’ ”

So enjoy the 70s groove and have a happy Mardi Gras!

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