From … Read Full Bio ↴Vincent Poag never dreamed his story would work out like this.
From the first time he saw the story of Broadway composer George M. Cohan in the movie Yankee Doodle Dandy as a child, Poag dreamt of being a songwriter. With early music influences like Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra, Poag learned a lot about showmanship and the ability to sell a song. The Massapequa, Long Island native was captivated by the golden age of 1950’s Broadway; the songs and musical magic of George Gershwin, Cole Porter and Rodgers and Hammerstein helped shape an understanding that music could be beautiful and thought provoking at once.
As Poag’s adolescence blossomed, The Beatles came into play; then Bob Dylan. The seismic shift of the 1960’s was not lost on Vincent Poag. He was soon performing in his own acoustic trio, which made more than a little noise in Atlanta’s then burgeoning Underground scene. Fully in love with music, but unable to make a living, Poag returned to New York and found a home for his creative talents in the business world, where he spent the next three and a half decades carving out a highly successful career.
The thing about The Muse is that once it grabs you it never lets go. In 2008, Poag’s wife bought him guitar lessons as a birthday present. It’s a gift that continues to give. Poag quickly re-discovered his passion for songwriting, and hasn’t stopped since. Wanting to make a lasting record of his songs for family and friends, Poag went into the studio with the intent of cutting straight-forward tracks. Bigger things were afoot, however: in the studio alchemy occurred. With the help of producer/recording artist Aric Carroll, Poag began to flesh out his songs with grander instrumentation than he had imagined. Soon he was working with producer/arranger/composer Kathy Sommer (Daughtry, Skye Sweetnam) to add orchestration to his songs. The end result of this creative process is the album Circling Back, which reflects Poag’s long journey back to where he belongs, and offers a message of hope for all of those who might have lost sight of their dreams.
Also an outgrowth of the recording experience, Poag loves to tell the story of how he and Bahamian singer/songwriter Phil Stubbs met. Fifteen years in the past, Poag heard a song played by a Caribbean band on Long Island called “The Stress Song”. Poag re-wrote the verses for his own enjoyment; he had no plans at that time to become a songwriter or make a record. Ten years later he was working on his album, and decided he wanted to include “The Stress Song”. It took some time to find out who had written the original, and even longer to track him down. After some initial acrimony, Poag and Stubbs became fast friends. Of Stubbs, Poag states, “He’s an incredible artist who is a `national treasure. He’s my Bahamian brother… a class act raised without shoes for his feet who writes and sings about real life in a uniquely sensitive uplifting way.”
Vincent Poag creates his lyrics like a painter, crafting messages of deep meaning in lucid words and rhyme. His gently orchestrated folk and rock songs speak of melodic purity and simplicity, while blending the gravity of truth and the levity
of hope. With a philosophical writing style, and a voice that falls somewhere between early Dylan, Randy Newman and the talk/sing style of Mark Knopfler, Poag is a storyteller in abstract. He attacks each tale in a first-person narrative style that is conversational in nature, conveying a heart that is full of conviction and a yearning for truth.
In an era when celebrity is just a mouse click away for any Indie musician with the drive to make it happen, Vincent Poag is a refreshing dichotomy of purpose and talent. An intensely private man working in a highly public occupation; Poag creates music worth hearing while maintaining a largely anonymous public persona. He’s a family man who learned early in life the importance of respect and relationships; he prizes his family and friends above all other things.
So thirty-five years after Vincent Poag gave up hope of being a full-time songwriter, he’s once again living his dream. It seems novelist George Eliot was right. It really is never too late to become what you might have been.
New Orleans
Vincent Poag Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In the gulf of Mexico
Port to the middle of the country
Missouri Iowa Minnesota
Neither the heat the rain mosquito
Small pox yellow fever super natural extremes
Could ever stop the music from playing in New Orleans
Worldwide trading flourished tobacco sugar the cotton gin
Labrinth of deltas bayous levees party
Fifteen feet below the river
Mardi gras what a scene
Nothing stops the music from playing in New Orleans
Out of the womb of pirates and gamblers explorers of opportunity
Population booming city of wine cuisine song southern hospitality
The big easy cajun creole the brass bands the marching bands
New Orleans jazz dixieland
Ragtime Sidney Bechet Buddy Bolden Louis Armstrong Jelly Roll Morton and Fats Domino
Easy to be noble
When you're sunning in the breeze
Find out who's got what
When you're desperate and they're squeezing
Twice the fires burned its
Buildings
But they could not claim its soul
That mighty river's great big heart
Has no pity for its city prisoner on parole
You can drown the homes not the spirits
You can wash away the hopes and dreams Katrina
But you can't stop the music from playing
You can't stop
You just can't stop the music from playing
In New Orleans
Vincent Poag's song New Orleans celebrates the city's rich history and cultural contributions to the world. The first verse describes the physical location of the city at the mouth of the Mississippi River and its ability to serve as a gateway to the rest of the country. Despite the extreme weather conditions such as heat, rain, mosquitoes, small pox, yellow fever, and other supernatural factors, the music in New Orleans does not stop. The second verse delves into the historical significance of the Louisiana Purchase and the city's flourishing tobacco, sugar, and cotton industries. New Orleans is described as a labyrinth of deltas, bayous, and levees; a city that rises 15 feet below the river. Mardi Gras is also mentioned, highlighting the festive nature of the city.
The third verse speaks to the people who populated the city, including pirates, gamblers, and explorers. New Orleans is celebrated for its booming population, fine wine, cuisine, southern hospitality, and legendary music scene. The chorus acknowledges the two major fires that have ravaged the city but have not been able to take away its powerful spirit. The mighty Mississippi River is portrayed as having no pity for the city, like a prisoner on parole. The final lines of the song assert that the music in New Orleans cannot be stopped, not even by natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina.
Line by Line Meaning
Right in the mouth of the Mississippi
New Orleans is located at the mouth of the Mississippi River.
In the gulf of Mexico
New Orleans is a city located in the Gulf of Mexico.
Port to the middle of the country
New Orleans is a city with a major port that connects to the middle of the country.
Missouri Iowa Minnesota
New Orleans is connected to these states by the Mississippi River.
Neither the heat the rain mosquito
New Orleans is a city with challenging natural elements such as heat, rain, and mosquitoes.
Small pox yellow fever super natural extremes
New Orleans has a history of experiencing natural disasters and epidemics.
Could ever stop the music from playing in New Orleans
Despite challenges and natural disasters, the music in New Orleans has persevered.
1803 Louisiana purchased by Jefferson from napoleon
Louisiana was purchased from France by Thomas Jefferson in 1803.
Worldwide trading flourished tobacco sugar the cotton gin
New Orleans flourished due to worldwide trading of commodities such as tobacco, sugar, and cotton.
Labrinth of deltas bayous levees party
New Orleans is known for its many deltas, bayous, and levees that define its landscape and people who love to party.
Fifteen feet below the river
New Orleans is situated 15 feet below the river's surface.
Mardi gras what a scene
Mardi Gras is one of the many cultural celebrations in New Orleans.
Nothing stops the music from playing in New Orleans
The music in New Orleans is a part of its identity that will always persist.
Out of the womb of pirates and gamblers explorers of opportunity
New Orleans was founded by opportunistic individuals such as pirates and gamblers.
Population booming city of wine cuisine song southern hospitality
New Orleans is a city with a booming population, known for its wine, cuisine, music, and southern hospitality.
The big easy cajun creole the brass bands the marching bands
New Orleans is often called 'The Big Easy' and is known for its distinctive fusion of Cajun and Creole cultures, as well as its famous brass bands and marching bands.
New Orleans jazz dixieland
New Orleans is the birthplace of jazz music and was a center for the Dixieland jazz style.
Ragtime Sidney Bechet Buddy Bolden Louis Armstrong Jelly Roll Morton and Fats Domino
New Orleans is the home of many famous jazz musicians such as Sidney Bechet, Buddy Bolden, Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton, and Fats Domino.
Easy to be noble
It is easy to be moral and virtuous in times of ease and comfort.
When you're sunning in the breeze
This is a metaphor for a comfortable, carefree lifestyle.
Find out who's got what
In times of need or desperation, people reveal their true nature and priorities.
When you're desperate and they're squeezing
This is a metaphor for difficult situations where people are fighting for limited resources.
Twice the fires burned its buildings
New Orleans has experienced two major fires that destroyed many buildings.
But they could not claim its soul
Despite these fires and other natural disasters, the spirit and identity of New Orleans have never been destroyed or forgotten.
That mighty river's great big heart
The Mississippi River is very important to the city of New Orleans and its people.
Has no pity for its city prisoner on parole
This is a metaphor for the way New Orleans relies on the river for survival, but is also limited by its location and history.
You can drown the homes not the spirits
Despite natural disasters that have destroyed homes and cities, the human spirit can never be defeated or destroyed.
You can wash away the hopes and dreams Katrina
Hurricane Katrina was a devastating event that destroyed many lives, homes, and dreams in New Orleans.
But you can't stop the music from playing
Despite this and other challenges, the spirit and identity of New Orleans will always be defined by its music and culture.
You can't stop
New Orleans will always persevere and remain a vibrant, unique city that celebrates life, music, and culture.
You just can't stop the music from playing
This is a repeated refrain that reinforces the idea that New Orleans music will always persist.
Lyrics © PhyllWill Publishing
Written by: Vincent Poag
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Christina Santini
WOW--Such great music! Thank-you!