The “Story of Ike Dupree” explains why the Harley-riding fellow Ike in “That Lil’ Fice” is so tightly wound.
lyrics
The Story of Ike Dupree c. 2014 Sidney S. Whelan
I was tellin’ you the story of Ike Dupree,
How he didn’t like my dog and he didn’t like me.
What you didn’t understand, didn’t comprehend,
Was what happened to Ike: why he was in the pen.
You may recall Hustler Henry when,
He said Ike had been doin’ 5 to 10.
Well things with Henry’s none too tight,
And that’s one detail he didn’t get right.
Ike’s an Army man with a Navy wife,
But he was over to Angola doin’ 30 to life.
Over to Angola doin’ 30 to life.
When the Flood came Ike was out there boatin’,
Savin’ everything that was out there floatin’.
Came across a trio of Blackwater men,
They mashed him in the jaw and they shot him in the leg.
Said “Good thing we done found you out,
You’re an insurgent, there ain’t no doubt.
Ain’t no double ACP no CLU,
No liberal lawyer is a-gonna save you;
No liberal lawyer is a-gonna save you!”
They threw him in a cage at the Greyhound Station.
No water, no food, no sanitation.
No lawyer, no papers, no Miranda rights,
No bed, no blanket, just mud and flood lights.
Wasn’t no judge that was on duty,
Wasn’t no bailiff, wasn’t no jury.
But the sheriff sent Ike over to Angola;
Ike thought he had seen the last of NOLA.
Got in a big brawl with some roughnecks in the jail,
(Lucky for him there ain’t too many.)
At first his fight wasn’t goin’ to well;
But in the end he prevailed with the help of Sam Bell.
In the end he prevailed with the help of Sam Bell.
Don’t nobody know how Ike got out.
Just one o’ them things folks don’t talk about.
But I heard one or two of them Blackwater men,
Well they might-a gone missing, never heard from again.
Might-a gone missing, never heard from again.
Now the sheriff in the parish sellin’ stolen cars;
Dealin’ coke in the clubs and shakin’ down the bars,
Sellin’ them protection from Ike Dupree.
But that’s just a hustle ‘cause twixt you and me,
You might find ole Ike down in the Quarter,
Slingin’ cheap Po Boys and cookin’ short order.
Heatin’ microwave portions of rice and red beans,
Underneath the radar down in New Orleans.
Tatoos on his arms, his neck and his cheek,
He’s workin’ short order every day of the week.
Workin’ short order every day of the week.
Now as you can imagine Ike don’t talk much;
It ain’t a lot of people that Ike can trust.
But I saw Sam Bell over in Tremé,
And I asked him why Ike didn’t just stay away,
After how the ol’ Crescent had done him that way.
After how the ol’ Crescent had done him that way.
Sam said “Now listen here bruh you know Ike don’t run.
He won’t run from a flood he won’t run from a gun;
Won’t run from mercenaries all dressed in black.
They can send him up river but he’ll always come back.
Send him up river but he’ll always come back.
He ain’t on nobody’s radar screen.
You won’t see him on camera if you know what I mean.
No one knows where he makes his home.
But I saw him down on Frenchmen with a slide trombone.
Saw him down on Frenchmen with a slide trombone.
Saw him down on Frenchmen with a slide trombone.
credits
from The Story of Ike Dupree,
track released December 22, 2014
Vocals: Sid Whelan, Capathia Jenkins, Robbi Hall Kumalo, Darryl Tookes
Winds:
Trombone: Fred Wesley
Trumpet: Eleazar Shafer
Saxophone: Phillip Whack
Rhythm:
Drums & Clave: Richard Huntley
All other percussion: Mark Manczuck
Bass: Marco Panascia
Guitars: Sid Whelan
Sid Whelan is a veteran singer-songwriter with an unapologetically old-school vibe. He has released three solo albums on
Bandcamp. He calls his Music "Dark Blue Americana" and has studied songwriting with Chely Wright and Steve Earle. He has also studied guitar with Woody Mann & Howard Morgen....more
Ranging from feisty to wistful, Heidi is a genuine and veteran country singer who writes with the kind of authentic finesse that is sadly lacking in Nashville these days. Whelan
