Jambalaya, Apple Pie, Chante Quelque Chose Oh Yé Yaille: A History of Cajun Culture through Music from the Early 1920s to the Late 1980s

The Revival in the Second Half of the Century

By 1950, Cajun music was no longer a sub-genre of folk music played only locally in South Louisiana. With the hit success of “Jole Blon” Cajun music now competed with mainstream music on a national level. The 1950s was an era of “renaissance” for Cajun music, with its revival of traditional styles and the accordion sounds.[i] The networks of mass communication in radio, independent recording labels, and eventually television broadened and influenced the styles of Cajun musicians played. It is estimated that over one thousand independent, local recording labels emerged from 1948 to 1954 in the American music industry. 

 



 Abshire, part of the post war revival of the "old dance hall sound," recorded accordion sounds with song titles purposely incorporating the word “blues” to further his contention that he sang of Cajuns’ blues, such as his signature song"Pine Grove Blues" (1949). [ii]
LISTEN: Abshire's lyrics are about a lover asking his négresse (an affectionate term for “honey” from the blended Cajun-Creole language and not the literal translation of “black woman”), where she was all night, and he implies that she was cheating on him.  
 


FRENCH:
Hé, négresse! ayoù t'as été hier au soir, ma négresse?
(J'ai été au village)
Hé, négresse! ayoù t'as été hier au soir, ma négresse?
(J'ai été au village et je m’ai saoulé)
T'as revenue à ce matin. Le soleil était après se lever.
Ça me fait de la peine pour toi.
 
Hé, négresse! ayoù t'as passé hier au soir, ma négresse?
(J’ai passé dans la barrière)
Hé, négresse! ayoù t'as passé hier au soir, ma négresse?
(J’ai passé dans la barrier. J’étais après me sauver)
T'as revenue à ce matin. Ta robe était toute dèchirée.
Ça me fait de la peine pour toi.
 
ENGLISH:
Hey, honey! Where have you been yesterday evening, my honey?
(I was in the village)
Hey, my honey, where have you been yesterday evening, my honey?
(I went to the village and got drunk)
You came back this morning. The sun was coming up.
I feel sorry for you.
 
Hey, honey! Where did you go last night, my honey?
(I passed by the fence)
Hey, honey! Where did you go last night, my honey?
(I passed in the fence. After I saved myself.)
You came back this morning. Your robe was all torn.
I feel sorry for you.
 
 

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