Allons à Lafayette
"Allons à Lafayette (Lafayette)" | |
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Single by Joe Falcon | |
A-side | "La valse qui m'a porter à ma fosse" [1] |
Recorded | April 27, 1928 |
Genre | Cajun |
Length | 2:55 |
Label | Columbia Records 15275-D, Okeh Records 90018 |
Songwriter(s) | Traditional |
"Allons à Lafayette" is the B-side of a 78rpm single recorded by Joe Falcon and Cléoma Breaux in 1928.[2][3] The song is based on an older traditional tune called "Jeunes gens campagnard".[4] While there is some mystery on the reason Okeh Records didn't release Dr. James F. Roach's songs in 1925, "Allons à Lafayette" is officially known as the first commercial Cajun song to be recorded.[5][6] It was included in the reference book "1001 Songs You Must Hear Before You Die."
Content
[edit]The song deals with a man asking his partner to go to Lafayette, Louisiana and change her name to something more scandalous, Mrs. Mischievous Comeaux. The singer is upset they are both far apart and thinks her beauty is far better than her character.[7]
Lyrics
[edit]Cajun French | English |
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Allons à Lafayette, c'est pour changer ton nom. |
Let's go to Lafayette, to change your name. |
Versions
[edit]Several musicians recorded the song. After 1957, Randy and The Rockets released the swamp pop song "Lets Do the Cajun Twist" using the same theme and melody.
In 1990, a version by Dutch band Captain Gumbo reached No. 30 in the official Dutch music singles chart.[8]
References
[edit]- ^ Neal Pomea. "Joe Falcon & Cleoma Breaux". Retrieved 2011-03-09.
- ^ Joseph F. Falcon-Allons a Lafayette (Let's Go to Lafayette). Vocal. Cajun-French Song 15275-D (146217) 16588 Columbia Phonograph Company, Inc., N.Y.
- ^ "The National Recording Registry 2007". Library of Congress. Retrieved 2011-03-09.
- ^ Brasseaux, Ryan A (2004). BAYOU BOOGIE: THE AMERICANIZATION OF CAJUN MUSIC, 1928-1950 (Ms.Arts). LSU.
- ^ Jim Bradshaw (1998-12-29). "Joe and Cléoma Falcon were first to record Cajun music". Archived from the original on 2011-07-16. Retrieved 2011-03-09.
- ^ Kevin Fontenot (2010-04-05). "Cleoma Breaux Falcon". Archived from the original on 2011-06-12. Retrieved 2011-03-09.
- ^ Brasseaux 2000, a thesis on Cajun culture by Ryan Brasseaux.
- ^ "Captain Gumbo". MegaCharts. Retrieved 26 November 2017.
- Brasseaux, Ryan (2000). Bayou Boogie: The Americanization Of Cajun Music, 1928-1950 (PDF) (M.A. thesis). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-09-29. Retrieved 2011-03-04.