The Witch Queen of New Orleans

For the album of the same name, see Message from a Drum.

For the American occultist referred to by the same name, see Mary Oneida Toups.

"The Witch Queen of New Orleans" is a 1971 song by Redbone. The single was released in May 1971 from Redbone's third album Message from a Drum,^[3] which is also titled The Witch Queen of New Orleans in its European release.^[4] The song peaked at No. 2 in the United Kingdom and No. 21 in the United States.

"The Witch Queen of New Orleans"
Single by Redbone
from the album Message from a Drum
B-side	"Chant: 13th Hour"
Released	17 May 1971[1]
Genre	Swamp rock
Length	2:45
Label	Epic
Songwriter(s)	Lolly Vegas Pat Vegas
Producer(s)	Lolly Vegas Pat Vegas[2]
Redbone singles chronology
"Light as a Feather" (1971) "The Witch Queen of New Orleans" (1971) "Niji Trance" (1972)
Official audio
"The Witch Queen of New Orleans" on YouTube

Background

"The Witch Queen of New Orleans" is about a 19th-century practitioner of voodoo from New Orleans named Marie Laveau,^[5][6] referred to in the song lyrics as "Marie la Voodoo veau".^[7] This song was written by the two Mexican-Native American brothers of the group Redbone, Lolly Vegas and Pat Vegas. It shows influences from New Orleans R&B and swamp pop.^[8]

The song was released in 1971 with "Chant: 13th Hour" as the B-side in the US. It debuted in the Billboard Hot 100 chart in November 1971 in the US where it reach a peak of No. 21 in 1972 (chart date February 19, 1972).^[9][10] The song reached No. 2 in the UK single chart in October 1971 behind Rod Stewart's "Maggie May".^[11]

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1971–1972) Peak position Australia (Kent Music Report)[12] 17 Australia (Go-Set National Top 40)[13] 14 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[14] 1 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[15] 15 France (IFOP)[16] 23 Germany (GfK)[17] 13 Ireland (IRMA)[18] 7 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[19] 7 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[20] 5 Norway (VG-lista)[21] 6 UK Singles (OCC)[11] 2 US Billboard Hot 100[9] 21 US Cash Box[22] 19

Year-end charts Chart (1971) Rank Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[23] 37 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[24] 41 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[25] 34 Chart (1972) Rank Australia (Kent Music Report)[26] 95 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[27] 96 US Billboard Hot 100[28] 81

Chantoozies version

"Witch Queen"
7" single cover
Single by Chantoozies
from the album Chantoozies
B-side	"The Chantoozie Shuffle"
Released	January 12, 1987[29]
Studio	Platinum Studios, Melbourne
Length	4:09
Label	Mushroom Records
Songwriter(s)	Lolly Vegas Pat Vegas
Producer(s)	David Courtney
Chantoozies singles chronology
"Witch Queen" (1987) "He's Gonna Step on You Again" (1987)

Australian group Chantoozies released a version of the song in 1987 as their debut single, retitled "Witch Queen". The song peaked at number 4 on the Australian Kent Music Report.^[12]

Track listings

7" single (K 208)

• Side A "Witch Queen"
• Side B "The Chantoozie Shuffle"

12" single ( X 14459)

• Side A "Witch Queen" (12" version)
• Side B1 "Witch Queen" (7" version)
• Side B2 "The Chantoozie Shuffle"

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1987)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[30]	4

Year-end charts

Chart (1987)	Position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[31]	49

Popular culture

Artist Howard Arkley produced a series of sketches in the early 1970s referencing popular songs, one of which is titled "Which Queen" as a reference to this song.^[32]

The song is commonly played during Halloween in the United States.^[33]