[Dixielandjazz] "If ever I cease to love"

[David W. Littlefield]

How important, why, and most crucially, in what way, is the place of
 "If ever I cease to love" in the NO Mardi Gras tradition? 

I'm considering the tune for "DixFBv2" and want to add a note explaining
why it's there. It's on a "Dukes of Dixieland" Audio Fidelity album, one of
those Mardi Gras compilations has it, and someone sent me music for re a
gig it 20 years ago.

Thanks.
--Sheik