Mardi Gras, to say the least, presents a wild flood of sensory input. The varied sources of stimuli include garish floats, exotic and erotic costumes, over-indulgence of all sorts, rituals and ritual objects, the omnipresent “Carnival colors” of green, purple and gold, and much, much more. And amidst all this commotion, one especially rich component is music.

Live music is an integral part of the festivities, and there is also a special assortment of Mardi Gras songs which s...