Written after Noir attended a second-line parade for a musician she never met. The brass arrangement was sketched on a napkin the next morning.
Song story
Second Line
Funeral brass and torch song.
At a glance
- Release date
- March 7, 2025
- Album
- Second Line
- Label
- French Quarter Press
- Genre
- Jazz, Soul
- Language
- English
- Duration
- 4:12
- Artist
- Celeste Noir
The story
About this song
Interpretation
What the song is about
On processions for people you never met.
Close listen
Craft and analysis
The trumpet line was improvised in one take and kept exactly as played.
Licensed lyrics
Lyrics
[Verse 1]
Brass in the rain, quarter light
We walked behind a song we did not know
And kept walking after it ended
A second line for someone I never met
[Chorus]
Funeral brass and torch song
New Orleans in the quarter rain
The trumpet improvised in one take
And we played it all again
[Verse 2]
The arrangement sketched on a napkin
The next morning after the parade
Brass from the hallway playing loud
For the procession that was made
[Chorus]
Funeral brass and torch song
New Orleans in the quarter rain
The trumpet improvised in one take
And we played it all again
[Bridge]
On processions for people you never met
You walk behind anyway
The brass plays loud in the quarter light
And leads you through the day
[Chorus]
Funeral brass and torch song
New Orleans in the quarter rain
The trumpet improvised in one take
And we played it all again
[Outro]
Brass in the rain
Quarter light
Credits
Who made this record
- Label
- French Quarter Press
Licensing
Lyrics and usage
Lyrics are public domain
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