The entire "soundtrack"

An Opening Theme

Theme ‘Gonzo’ by James Booker, 1960. James Booker is considered by New Orleanians to be the greatest of the New Orleans style pianists. This rare single from 1960 would have been familiar to locals and features Booker on the electric organ.

Chapter One

Canal St and the D. H. Holmes Department Store “Music for parties” from “The Sound of Super8” by Kodak. During the “Moorish revolt” at Levy Pants, Toole has Ignatius filming the results to send to Myrna to prove his superiority in organizing the proletariat. This recording was issued on vinyl in the early 1960’s to provide a soundtrack to the silent Super8 home movies. The music has an odd cinematic quality that I believe helps foreshadow the coming events in Ignatius life. Also this is possibly something that may have been bundled with the camera purchased by Ignatius. Ignatius’ consumerism brings us back to his waiting in front of the Holmes department store with his purchases from Werleins Music.

Chapter One III

“…and an elegantly dressed young man who chain-smoked Salems and drank frozen daiquiris in gulps.” Salem television ad from 1962

Chapter Two III

“Then he climbed the worn brick steps and heard through the closed shutters a booming chant. Big Girls Don’t Cry” Big Girls Don’t Cry live on American Bandstand 1962. It’s plausible that this may have been the program Ignatius was viewing as patrolman Mancuso knocked on the door.

Chapter Two III

“The music had a frantic, tribal rhythm, a chorus of falsettos sang insinuatingly about loving all night long” “All Night Long” by the Chessmen. The next song in the teenage dancing TV show.

Chapter Two V

“Then the screen glowed in bright , wide Technicolor, the lion roared, and the title of the excess flashed on the screen before his miraculous blue and yellow eyes.” MGM Lion and overture for Billy Rose’s Jumbo 1962