Today is New Orleans musician Fats Domino‘s birthday – he’s 85 today, despite rumors to the contrary that he died during Hurricane Katrina.

I’m especially happy to have him around in 2013 when everything is so dark and serious because the Fats Domino songs are full of cheerful energy and light. Even Blue Monday has a bit of a respite when we get to Saturday morning.

These tunes can lighten any mood – a handy tool to have in this week leading to the imminent sequestration debacle in Washington. It makes me want to sing.

In fact, I’m delighted to see that Fats Domino has so many memorable sequestration-friendly four syllable song titles, like Blueberry Hill, Ain’t That A Shame, Jambalaya and My Blue Heaven.

Calamity calls.
Disaster is nigh.
We’re gonna try sequestration.

We can’t raise a tax.
Too much debt on our backs.
That leads us to sequestration.

We’re gonna cut defense, the border fence, and baby’s shoes.
Let’s roll the dice. It won’t be nice. What’s left to lose?

Goodbye to your job. Don’t be such a snob.
You gotta love sequestration!

Name a song that could be adapted as a sequestration ballad.