Louisiana's Kingfish - Authentic Cajun Music from South Louisiana

HURRICANE CUTTER
words and music by Dave Savario and Rob Broussard
Copyright (C) 2000 Jamil Publishing BMI

I grew up east of Abbeville with a cane knife in my hand.
Worked for Mr. Forrest Roy, cutting sugar cane on his land.
The days were long, the work was hard- my body numb from pain.
There's got to be a better way- to cut this sugar cane.

Then Mr. Roy, he brought us news- talkin' bout some machine.
It cuts the cane and rolls on wheels and runs on gasoline.
Now, four good men could swing their blades and fill a cart-a-day,
but this thing they call The Hurricane makes hard work into play.

(Chorus) The Hurricane Cutter cuts the cane like butter,
'Gonna throw my cane knife down.
The Hurricane Cutter cuts the cane like butter,
from sunup 'till the sun goes down.

When the Union Pacific train rolled in, in the summer of '48,
all of New Iberia was there to celebrate.
Laughin' and singin', with the church bells ringing,
then the crowd began to cheer.
Shiny and new, a farmer's dream-come-true,
The Hurricane was finally here!

(Chorus)

My wife, Laura, had warned me..."you know what this could mean?"
"Seems to me your job might be replaced by this machine."
So then I asked my boss-man, "will my job still remain?"
And Mr. Roy, he said, "My boy, you'll drive that Hurricane!"

(Chorus)

'TIT GALOP POUR MAMOU
(Traditional)

'Tit galop, 'tit galop pour Mamou.
J'ai vendu mon 'tit wagon pour quinze sous.
J'ai achete' des candies rouges pour les petits,
Et une yard du ruban pour la vieille.

'Tit galop, 'tit galop pour Mamou.
J'ai vendu mon 'tit mulet pour quinze sous.
J'ai achete' des candies rouges pour les petits,
et du sucre et du cafe' pour les vieuxs.

(English translation)

Giddy-up, giddy-up to Mamou.
I sold my little wagon for fifteen cents.
I bought some red candies for the little ones,
and a yard of ribbon for my wife.

Giddy-up, giddy-up to Mamou.
I sold my little mule for fifteen cents.
I bought some red candies for the little ones,
and some sugar and some coffee for the old folks.

FRISCO ZYDECO
words and music by A.Lewis
La Bonne Musique BMI

My neighbors threw a party just the other night,
The Louisiana ladies, they were outtasight.
They did a dance at the fais-do-do,
They called it "Zydeco".
I said, "Hey, Baby, what is Zydeco?"
"It's a type of little dance from T-T-Thibodeaux,
and if you want to get out on the floor,
you gotta "Frisco Zydeco"...

(Chorus)
Frisco Zydeco, Frisco Zydeco, Frisco Zydeco
Do the Frisco Zydeco. Do it...Allons!

(French Verse)
Mais hier apres midi au bal de Zydeco,
A la place chez Babineaux,
C'etait la place de Zydeco, ca dansait "Saute Crapaud".
J'ai dit, "He' Bebe, comment tu fait les Zydeco?"
"C'est une belle 'tit danse de 'Tit Moreaux,
Et si tu veux danser, ma belle, c'est le 'Frisco Zydeco' "

(Chorus)

MON PAPA
words and music by Robert Bertrand
Tek Music BMI

Moi, je t'aime, mon papa.
T'es partir, il y a longtemps.
Moi, j'connait je vas m'ennuier -
T'es le seule dans le pays que moi j'peux aimer.

T'es apres m'quitter pour t'en aller,
T'en aller de dans la terre.
Moi je voudrais te voire une fois,
Et demander des pardons pour ca qu' j' t'as fait.

(English Translation)

Me, I love you, my papa.
You left not too long ago.
I know that I will miss you,
You're the only one in the world that I can love.

You left me to go away,
To go into the ground.
I would like to see you one time,
and ask your forgiveness for what I have done (to you).

ALLONS DANSER
words and music by C.Fontenot
Tradition Music BMI

J'etais au bal, il y a pas longtemps.
J'etais au bal pour avoir un bon temps.
Et la j'ai vu une belle 'tite fille, une belle 'tite fille
qui dansait pas.
Et je l'ai demander mais pour danser,
Elle a me dit qu'elle connaissait pas.
"Viens de dans mes bras, allons danser--
Allons joindre les autres, allons s'amusee'!"

(Chorus)
Allons danser, Allons danser...

(English Translation)

I went to the dance not long ago.
I went to the dance to have a good time.
And there I saw a beautiful young lady,
a beautiful young lady who wasn't dancing.
And I asked her, well, to dance.
She told me that she didn't know...
"Come into my arms, let's go dance...
let's join the others and have fun!"

Let's go dance, Let's go dance...

J'PEUX PAS M'EMPECHER
words and music by Z. Richard
Ed Du Marais Bouleur BMI

Frais vires de Baton Rouge,
(Just arrived from Baton Rouge)
Au milieu de la nuit.
(In the middle of the night)
Je revais qu'on faisait l'amour,
(I dreamed that we were making love)
J'ai bondit de mon lit.
(I jumped out of my bed)
Ca mouillait depuis quarante jours,
(It was raining for forty days)
J'ai failli me noyer,
(I almost drowned)
Nageant dans cet ocean,
(Swimming in that ocean)
Avec des vagues d'acier.
(With waves of steel)
J'arrive pas (a') m'en sortir,
(I cannot get out of it)
Depuis qu'je t'ai quitter.
(Since I left you)
Ouais, je suis toujour en amour,
(Yes, I'm still in love)
J'peux pas m'empecher.
(I can't help it)

J'entends la sonnerie sonner,
(I hear a ringing)
C'est le telephone encore.
(It's the phone again)
Je le cherche a' travers le labyrinthe
(I'm searching for it through a labyrinthe)
De ma p'tite chambre noire.
(In my little dark room)
(Je) suis oblige' de couper
(I'm obliged to cut it short)
Une voiture m'attend.
(A car is waiting for me)
Pour m'emmener (a') l'autre bord du monde,
(To bring me to the other side of the world)
Pour m'emmener loin de toi.
(To bring me far from you.)
J'aimerais pouvoir te dire
(I would like to be able to tell you)
Que je vais te pardonner,
(That I'm going to forgive you)
Ouais, je suis toujour en amour,
(Yes, I'm still in love)
J'peux pas m'empecher.
(I can't help it.)

(Bridge)
Et le vent siffle sur la prairie,
(And the wind whistles in the prairie)
Je tourne le dos au nord.
(I turn my back to the north)
J'aimerais mieux pas avoir envie,
(I would really like not to have this longing)
Mais c'est trop tard,
(But it's too late)
Beaucoup trop tard.
(Much too late)
Car, je suis toujour en amour,
(Because, I'm still in love)
J'peux pas m'empecher.
(I can't help it.)

Je vais m'en aller a' Mexico,
(I'm going to go to Mexico)
Au bout de grand desert.
(At the end of the big desert)
Coucher avec les scorpions,
(Sleep with the scorpions)
(Pis) boire mon tequila.
(Drink my tequila)
Pas loin de la teverne
(Not far from the tavern)
Avec des filles au bar,
(With the girls from the bar)
J'pourrai crier toute la nuit
(I could cry all night long)
Personne me comprendra.
(Nobody would understand me)
J'aimerais pouvoir faire croire,
(I would like to be able to make believe)
Que je suis d'etache'.
(That I'm detached)
Mais, je suis toujour en amour,
(But, I'm still in love)
J'peux pas m'empecher.
(I can't help it.)

(Repeat bridge)

TIME IS ON MY SIDE
words and music by F. Beverly
Pecle Publishing BMI

Time is on my side, yes it is.
Time is on my side.
You're always sayin', you want to be free.
But, you'll come running back, you'll come running back,
You'll come running back, to me.

Time is on my side, yes it is.
Time is on my side.
You're searching for good times,well just wait and see.
But, you'll come running back, you'll come running back,
You'll come running back, to me.

Time is on my side, yes it is.
Time is on my side.
'Cause I got the real love, the kind that you need.
And, you'll come running back, you'll come running back,
You'll come running back, to me.

Time, Time, Time is on my side, yes it is.
Time, Time, Time is on my side, yes it is.
Time, Time, Time is on my side.

LOUISIANA SKIES
words and music by Dave Savario
Copyright (C) 2000 Jamil Publishing BMI

Well, we work the fields when the sun comes up
'till the time that the sun goes down.
We need some rain, but not too much
If it floods, the crops might drown.

Well, the work is long and the work is hard,
Underneath the summertime sun.
Come night, it's a welcome sight -
Go to town, to have a little fun.

(Bridge) And this hard life we live has got so much to give,
With our hands, we're buildin' us a ilfe.
Just you and I, girl, I don't know why...
Life's so good under Louisiana Skies.

Well, the woman I love, she stayed with me.
I never have heard her complain.
She gave to me a love so sweet,
Just like the sugar from the cane.

Well, the life I live is all I know,
'gonna do it 'till the day I die.
Right down in the solid ground,
Underneath the clear blue sky.

And this hard life we live has got so much to give,
With our hands, we're buildin' us a life.
Just you and me, girl, I feel so free...
Life's so good under Louisiana Skies.

Break

(Repeat Bridge)

NO ONE TO TALK TO
words and music by G. Sherry and W. Walker
Universal Cedarwood Publishing BMI

Last night I came home,
you wasn't there.
Found all my things,
'Throw'd everywhere...
No one to talk to,
No one to talk to, but the blues.

I read your letter,
Signed "I Love You'.
But, in your letter,
(You) Said we was through...
No one to talk to,
No one to talk to, but the blues.

(Bridge) Sometimes,...(do-wah)
When we quarrel...(do-wah)
The things that are said...
Can make...(do-wah)
You feel bitter...(do-wah)
When you'd rather feel love instead.

So, come on back home,
Where you belong.
I'll admit, baby,
"Yes, I was wrong..."
No one to talk to,
No one to talk to, but the blues.

Accordion / Guitar Break

(Repeat Bridge)

(Repeat last verse)

No one to talk to,
No one to talk to, but the blues.

LIFE IN A ONE-HORSE TOWN
words and music by Dave Savario
Copyright (C) 2000 Jamil Publishing BMI

People 'round here take life kinda slow,
Got their own pace, ain't nowhere to go.
Makin' small talk, "Boy, it's sure hot today..."
Old men, laughing loud, playin' checkers in the shade...

People gossip at the corner grocery store,
Swappin' stories they've told a hundred times before.
"Don't understand about these children today...
They can't wait to grow-up, so they can move away."

(Bridge) Been this way forever,
Big city folk might put it down...
But that's why we love the way we live...
Life in a one-horse town
Life in a one-horse town.

Sittin' on my front porch, get a little evenin' air.
Wave at my neighbors goin' here, goin' there.
"Don't recognize that car, must be from out-of-town",
"They're just passin' through, they won't stop and look around..."

Night starts to fall and the day fades away.
The people go inside and they pull down their shades.
"Sunrise tomorrow gonna bring a new day..."
We'll get up and go to work on all the plans we've made.

One dream turns into another.
Marked by the seasons' change.
Passin' people, smile at each other,
It's so ordinary, ain't nothing new or strange...

(Bridge twice)

Life in a one-horse town.
Life in a one-horse town.

FIRE AWAY
words and music by Dave Savario
Copyright (C) 2000 Jamil Publishing BMI

I met a woman long ago,
but I lost her and I let her go.
Well, don't you know
I let her slip right through my hands.
Well, maybe there was a time
when I swore I'd never "walk the line..."
But now it looks like I'm gonna change my plan.

(Bridge)
I've been waitin' all my life for someone just like you.
'Cause I've been wrong, baby, once or twice -
Heartache's nothin' new, so fire away...
at my heart, baby, fire away...
at my heart, girl, fire away...

They tell me, "Look before you leap"
And that's advice I really try to keep.
So where the doubt will never cloud my mind.
They said, "Learn from the past"
"Even best-laid plans don't last"
Fallin' fast, girl you struck me blind, yeah.

(Bridge)

Some say that love's just a waste of time.
Some say that love is where the blind lead the blind.
They said a love like this could never be strong.
But, girl, I don't lie
Yeah, we'll prove them wrong, hey....

So fire away,
at my heart, baby, fire away...
at my heart, girl, fire away...
at my heart, baby, fire away...
at my heart, yeah....

PANIQUE ET LODIE
words and music by H. Castille and M. Meirs
Flat Town Music BMI

Douglas, toi, tu joue les zydeco.
Douglas, 'sus ton vieux "can" a sirop.
Douglas, allons jouer la 'tit chanson,
Joue la 'tit chanson s'appelle "Panique et Lodie."

Panique et Lodie reste la-bas dans le "cong,"
Panique a trois femmes "back" a la maison.
Une s'appelle "Laura," l'autre s'appelle "Lolie."
La femme legitime qui s'appelle "Lodie."

Panique et Lodie reste la-bas dans le "cong,"
Panique a trois femmes "back" a la maison.
Panique, il marche nu-pieds dans les rangs coton.
Panique fume la pipe "back" a la maison.

(English Translation)

Douglas, you play the zydeco.
Douglas, on your old syrup can.
Douglas, play that little song,
Play the little song called "Panique and Lodie."

Panique and Lodie stay over there in the "cong."
Panique has three women back at the house.
One is named "Laura," the other's called "Lolie,"
The legitimate wife who is called "Lodie."

Panique and Lodie stay over there in the "cong."
Panique has three women back at the house.
Panique, he walks barefoot in the cotton rows.
Panique smokes his pipe back at the house.