Every week, the Milwaukee Music Premiere sponsored by Density Studios connects the city’s artists with our listening audience. If you’re an artist with a track you’d like us to debut exclusively on Radio Milwaukee, head over to our Music Submission page to learn how.
While there are a lot of songs about metaphorical royalty — “Dancing Queen,” “King of Wishful Thinking,” etc. — your search gets tougher when it comes to actual royalty.
“Henry the VIII, I Am” by Herman’s Hermits springs to mind, but the novelty track from 1966 doesn’t have too much company. Today’s premiere increases those meager ranks by one, as Milwaukee singer-songwriter Ashley Altadonna trains her sights on the curious tale of Louis Antonie, aka the Duke of Agoulême, aka Louis XIX.
While Antonie was the 19th in his line, the number that more accurately summarizes his reign is 15 — as in 15 minutes. That’s how long he was in charge before abdicating the throne in a situation that had more to do with revolutionaries being ticked off at his dad, King Charles X, who abdicated the throne just a bit earlier.
There’s some dispute among historians over whether Louis XIX ever “officially” became monarch, but what’s not in dispute is how ripe his story is for its own song. That’s the challenge bass player Mike Carey put to Altadonna in 2018, when both were part of Milwaukee band The Glacial Speed. She met the moment and penned “Louis XIX,” only to have the group break up before it could ever be recorded.
So, in an ironic twist, the song lay dormant for seven years or roughly 3.6 million minutes — 245,280 times longer than Louis XIX purported time as king of France. It was worth the wait, though, because Altadonna has crafted a jangly, punchy track that fits a moment when certain sections of the country wouldn’t mind measuring a leader’s tenure in minutes rather than months:
Louis XIX, I believe
You were a model monarch
For the centuries
'Cause you didn't rule for an hour or two
Or even the better part of an afternoon
Abdicated, and then you were through
What does it mean, Louis XIX?
I know what you’re thinking: “That’s all well and good, but considering this is a song about something that took place in 1830, is there a harpsichord solo?” You’re damn right there’s a harpsichord solo (or at least something that passes for a harpsichord, which is a notoriously tricky instrument to get your hands on).
All in all, it’s a fun track about a quirky moment in history that will do a little good in the here and now. Inspired by the “No Kings” protests being held across the United States, Altadonna has decided to donate all sales from the song to the American Civil Liberties Union. You can contribute to that cause when “Louis XIX” hits Altadonna’s Bandcamp page Sept. 21.
In the meantime, enjoy the track at your leisure using the player at the top of the page, or catch it on 88Nine throughout today (6:30 and 10:30 a.m.; 2:30 and 6:30 p.m.).
