Team Glory Bound

Aaron Neville Records Updated New Orleans Saints Fight Song

Tuesday, 02 February 2010 22:12

by Pat Pemberton, Spinner.com

Even before the Chicago Bears recorded their now-famous 'Super Bowl Shuffle,' the New Orleans Saints had an anthem of their own. Of course, the 1983 Saints, who went 8-8 on the season, didn't fare as well as the 1985 Super Bowl champion Bears, so 'Who Dat?' never made it out of the huddle. But now that the 2009 Saints are headed for the biggest NFL game, the club has an updated anthem -- and native son Aaron Neville is singing the Saints' praises once again.

Using the same arrangement, Carlo Nuccio -- of 'Who Dat?' fame -- has produced 'Glory Bound,' hoping this year's Saints will defeat the glory against the Indianapolis Colts this Sunday.

The original anthem was created during the 1983 season to promote enthusiasm for a team that had gone a combined 63-159 up to that point. So Nuccio, along with brothers Sal and Steve Monistere, combined 'When the Saints Go Marching In' with a chant yelled by Saints fans: "Who dat say dey gonna beat dem Saints?"

Neville, a native of New Orleans, sang the 'Saints Go Marching In' part while several Saints players recorded the chant.

Carlo Nuccio Updates Saints Song Who Dat for Super Bowl

Tuesday, 02 February 2010 13:39

AntiMusic.com

The story of the "Who Dat" phenomenon began back in 1983, when a New Orleans Saints were in need of some boosterism. Local New Orleans producer Carlo Nuccio took the unofficial theme of the team, the traditional jazz standard "When The Saints Go Marching In," and added a chant he'd heard fans yelling at games: "Who dat say dey gonna beat dem Saints?"

Local pianist David Torkanowsky brought the jazz cred, and Aaron Neville agreed to handle the vocals; a few weeks later, Howard Cosell name-checked the song on Monday Night Football, and the rest is history.

New Orleans Saints Revamp Song

Tuesday, 02 February 2010 13:35

David Burger, The Salt Lake Tribune

Saints Superbowl Songs: "Glory Bound"

Monday, 25 January 2010 00:00

By Robert Fontenot Jr, Tripvine

The story of the "Who Dat" phenomenon begins way back in 1983, when a New Orleans Saints team badly in need of some boosterism, and just a few years removed from the paper bags of the putrid "Aints" era, got a perennial anthem.

Local producer Carlo Nuccio took the unofficial theme of the team, the traditional jazz standard "When The Saints Go Marching In," and added a chant he'd heard some fans yelling at games: "Who dat say dey gonna beat dem Saints?" Local pianist David Torkanowsky brought the jazz cred, and Aaron Neville agreed to handle the vocals; a few weeks later, Howard Cosell name-checked the song on Monday Night Football, and the rest is history.

For an updated team with an actual shot at the Superbowl, an updated version was necessary. Keeping the same arrangement and many of the same performers, Nuccio added local mainstays Theresa Andersson (vocals) and Jon Cleary (piano), Aaron's son Ivan Neville on organ, and Matt Perrine on tuba and bass. Then he spun the second half of the song into a gospel-styled arrangement, renamed it "Glory Bound," and history was made once again. (You can hear and purchase the "Glory Bound" single through
teamglorybound.com.)

'Who dat?' popularized by New Orleans Saints fans when 'everybody was looking for the sign'

Wednesday, 13 January 2010 16:56

By Dave Walker, The Times-Picayune

"Who dat?" is older than us all, but its association with the New Orleans Saints first flowered in 1983.

That was the season that an intrepid former World Series hero teamed with two enterprising brothers, a Neville and several Saints players to forever cement the phrase in the New Orleans lexicon.

You ask: Who dat? Who dat? Who dat you say fostered the greater popularization of "Who dat?"

Ron Swoboda, whose diving, game-saving catch for the 1969 New York Mets remains one of the all-time World Series highlights, had come to New Orleans to replace a legend when sportscaster and master grammarian Bernard "Buddy D" Diliberto jumped from then-ABC affiliate WVUE-Channel 8 to NBC affiliate WDSU-Channel 6.

One of the jobs Swoboda got as Diliberto's impossible successor at WVUE was hosting a prime-time show - "On Sports" - that led into "Monday Night Football."

Swoboda segmented that highlights-and-high-jinks hour into time for prep football, LSU and Tulane, and of course, the Saints.

Who Did "Who Dat"?

Tuesday, 05 January 2010 15:56

by Kathleen McCann, Offbeat Magazine,

Who Dat 1983 session (L to R) Dave Waymer, Brad Edelman, Steve Monistere, Jim Hill, Carlo Nuccio, Reggie Houston, Aaron Neville, Lewis Oubre, Ron Swoboda and Art Neville

In 1983, the New Orleans Saints were facing what could be their first year in the playoffs, and Nuccio, a lifelong, hardcore, thick-and-thin Saints fan, was 22. He saw his opportunity. He and his friend Steve Monistere, a musician and producer, decided to take the “Who dat” chant, heard at the time from the St. Augustine High School marching band, and put it to a song.

More New Orleans Saints anthems hit the airwaves

Tuesday, 29 December 2009 00:00

By Molly Reid, The Times-Picyune

Kermit Ruffins: 'A Saints Christmas. The New Orleans Saints may have hit a late-season slump, but Who Dat spirit is still alive all over greater New Orleans -- and on the airwaves.

The winningest season in team history has prompted a veritable renaissance of Saints songs. The torch-bearers include established recording artists such as Aaron Neville, Kermit Ruffins and Shamarr Allen, as well as self-recorded tracks from inspired fans, aspiring rappers and ad hoc brass bands.

Black-and-gold love has lit a fire in the belly of the city's diverse music culture, and from country and Cajun to fusion and funk, all the genres that make up New Orleans music can be found in the new wave of anthems.

"It's certainly a phenomenon," said Scott Borne, music director for WWOZ FM-90.7. "What's really interesting is this usually is a time of year where we're hit with everyone's Christmas songs, but I feel like I haven't really been hit with that because people are writing Saints songs."

That New Orleanians are expressing their ardor for the Saints through song is nothing new. According to LeBron Joseph, program director for the rap and R&B station Power 102.9 FM, as well as the classic R&B station Old School 106.7 FM, "Every year, I can count on one or two Saints songs coming down the pipeline.

"We're a pretty optimistic lot. We string two or three wins together, we kind of go bonkers on it."

While past seasons saw a spurt of new anthems at the first sign of glory, this year has produced a deluge of tunes that have received more radio time than usual.

NOMC - WHO dat sittin in the NOMAF office?

Saturday, 19 December 2009 00:00

New Orleans Musicians Clinic It's none other than Carlo Nuccio– who wrote and recorded the original “Who Dat” more than 25 years ago and  has just created  “Glory Bound,” an update of the song as a benefit for the NOMC. His fantastic new song features  Aaron Neville, who sang "Who Dat" the first time around, and Theresa Andersson, along with Ivan Neville, Jon Cleary, Matt Perrine, Barry Foulon, Shamarr Allen, Joe Cabral, Ben Schenck, Jimi Burtchaell, Alex McMurray, Paul Sanchez, Derrick Freeman and Rob Schafer.  It's a great stocking stuffer.. so run over to La. Music Factory and get a copy. For more information: www.teamglorybound.com

Offbeat Magazine - A Brand New "Who Dat"

Monday, 30 November 2009 00:00

30 November 2009 — by OffBeat Staff