Cover Alert: Calexico – Later Alligator (Bobby Charles)

For the past two weekends the Crescent City has played host to the annual New Orlean’s Jazz & Heritage Festival. During their first-weekend set, Calexico paid tribute to one of New Orleans’ native sons – the severely under-appreciated Bobby Charles. The late singer-songwriter, who likely best known to HT readers for his appearance on The Last Waltz soundtrack, began writing and recording songs at the age of 17. While he never quite achieved success as a solo artist, Charles’ songs have been recorded by an impressive list of musicians including Ray Charles, Bo Diddley, Joe Cocker and Fats Domino – whose recording of Walking To New Orleans (a song Charles wrote specifically for Domino) sold nearly two-million copies.

Charles, who drifted in and out of music, released his highly recommended self-titled albumin 1972, which was co-produced by Rick Danko and features nearly all of The Band, as well as Dr. John. Last Sunday afternoon the Tuscon, Arizona based band treated the crowd to a version of Charles’ most recognizable tune Later Alligator. The “swamp-pop” song, which Charles originally recorded in 1955, was made famous a year later when Bill Haley & His Comets released it as the single See You Later Alligator. Let’s check it out…