II. 8. FRENCH SONGS AND BALLADS FROM SOUTHWESTERN LOUISIANA
CONTENTS II. 8. French Songs and Ballads from Southwestern Louisiana
Sept Ans sur Mer...........180
Blanche Comme la Neige.........182
Je Caresserai la Belle par Amitie........184
Qu'avec-vous, Oui, Belle Blonde........187
Le Petit Mari............189
Les Clefs de la Prison..........191
Belle.............. 194
II. 8. FRENCH SONGS AND BALLADS FROM SOUTHWESTERN LOUISIANA
The towns on the east-west highway between New Orleans and the Texas border, the swamps along the coast, and the broad rice, cane, and cotton fields to the north and south of this highway have been until the last twenty years predominantly French-speaking. The people still have their own lore, their own patois, their own balladry, their own music, their own way of life, all rooted in the Norman-French culture they brought with them from Nova Scotia nearly two hundred years ago.
The tradition of folk music that this region has fostered, has received little or no attention.* As always, the townsfolk are a little ashamed of their country neighbors and their country neighbors' music. The boys and girls who come to college from the Cajun country are ashamed of being called "Cajuns." Meantime the ballad singers are still singing their ancient Norman ballads at country weddings, the fais-dodo bands creating their wild and fertile music at the rural dances. The songs in this section, the second collection of the kind, so far as we know, that has been published anywhere, will indicate, better than we can, what a rich storehouse of folk music is the Cajun country of southwestern Louisiana.
[* A notable exception to this general neglect is the work of Miss Irene Therese Whitfield, Ph.D., of Louisiana State University, whose thesis on Acadian songs is shortly to be published. We wish to extend our thanks to Miss Whitfield for her invaluable work in making the preliminary transcriptions and translations of the songs in this section. Her collection, Louisiana French Folk Songs, has been published recently by the Louisiana State University Press.]
SEPT ANS SUR MER (Seven Years at Sea)
No. 31. Julien and Elida Hofpauir, New Iberia, La., 1 34. See BaS, p. 125; Ba, p. 27.
"Perhaps no other sailor's chantey can compare with 'Seven Years at Sea' for fame and historical interest. It is one of the most extensively traveled songs of European folk repertoires. Best known on the shores of Brittany and Poitou where it seems to have originated, it has spread across France and followed the seacoast into neighboring countries, north and south. It occurs in Icelandic, Danish, Norwegian, Catalan, Portuguese, Spanish and Swiss versions. . . . Thackeray adapted it for a humorous rhyme entitled 'Little Billee.'" * [* Marius Barbeau, Folk-Songs of French Canada, p. 125.] f Repeat couplet to form each stanza.
1. On a reste six ans sur mer
Sans pouvoir border la terre.
2 Au bout de la septieme annee
On a manque de provisions.
3 On a mange souris et rats
Jusque le touvre du navire.
4 On a tire la courte paille
Pour voir lequel qui s'rait mange.
5 "En voila, p'tit Jean, s'il tombait-z-au cas,
Qa serait p'tit Jean qui serait mange.
O voila, p'tit Jean, qu'il tombe sur toi,
Qa serait p'tit Jean qui serait mange.
6 "O p'tit Jean, ga fait du mal."
II crie, "Courage, mes camarades."
7 "Je vois la terre sur toutes cotes,
Trois pigeons blancs qui s'a voltige.
8 "Je vois aussi trois filles du pere
Que se promenaient au bord du rivage.
9 "O si jamais je mets pieds sur terre
La plus jolie je l'epouserai."
1. On stormy seas we six years sailed,
And never once green land we hailed.*
2 The bitter seventh year came on,
We found our stores at last were gone.
3 We ate the mice, we ate the rats,
And through the hold we ran like cats.
4 And then at lots we took a try
To see which one of us would die.
5 "Look, little John, if chance does will,
It's you we'll take, it's you we'll kill.
Look, little John, so chance does will,
It's you we'll take, it's you we'll kill."
6 "Too bad, little John" they cried,
"Oh, courage, comrades," he replied,
7 "For I see land on every side
And three white pigeons toward us fly."
8 "And I see lovely sisters three
Come walking down all by the sea;
9 "And if I set my foot on land
I'll ask the fairest for her hand."
[* Repeat couplet to form each stanza.]
BLANCHE COMME LA NEIGE (White As Snow)
No. 3z.' Julien and Elida Hofpauir, New Iberia, La., 1934. See BaS, p. 40.
"Scholars are agreed in their estimate of 'White As Snow', the outstanding folk ballads in the French language." t as one
f Barbeau, of. cit., p. 40.
Le plus jeune des trois,
La pris par sa main blanche—
"Montez, montez, la belle,
Dessur mon cheval gris.
On logit chez mon pere,
Je vous amenerrai."
The youngest of all three took her white hand and said, "Fair damsel, mount my gray horse and I will take you to the house of my father where we will stay together."
Quand-e la belP-z~entend, Elle s'est mite a pleureze,— "Soupez, soupez, la belle, Prenez, oui, z-appetit, Aupres du capitaine Vo' passerez la nuit." When the damsel heard these words, she began to weep, and he said, "Eat, fair damsel, be of good cheer, for this night you will stay with a fine captain."
Quand-e-la belP-z-etend La belle est tombee morte, — "Sonnez, sonnez, les cloches, Tambours, violons, marchez, M'amillionette est morte J'en ai le coeur dolent."
When the damsel heard these words, she fell to the ground like one dead, and he said, "Ring the bells, play drums and violins 5 my little sweetheart is dead and I have a doleful heart."
"Et ou Penterreront-ils?"
"Dedans V jardin de son pere, Sous les trois feuilles de lys; Nous prierons Dieu, chers freres, Qu'elle aille en Paradis." And they said, "Where shall she be buried?"
"In the garden of her father beneath the three leaves of the lily. We pray to God, dear brothers, that she may fly to Paradise J?
Au bout-e de trois jours La belP frappe a la porte, "Ouvrez, ouvrez, la porte, Cher pere et bien-aime, J'ai fait la mort trois jours Pour sauver mon honneur." When three days had passed, the damsel knocked on the door of her^ father's house and said, "Open the door, dear and beloved father, for three days ago I chose death to save my honor."
JE CARESSERAI LA BELLE PAR AMITIE (I'll Give My Love a Light and Friendly Kiss)
No. 14. Elida Hofpauir, New Iberia, La., 1934. See BaS, p. 201.
1 J'ai fait une belle trois jours, trois jours, mais c'est pas longtemps.
J'irai la voir lundi, lundi pour la caresser.
Je caresserai la belle par amitie,
Je caresserai la belle par amitie.
2 Si tu viendrais me voir lundi, lundi pour me caresser,
Je me mettrais malade, malade, mais dedans mon lit.
Alors, t'auras qu'une amitie pour moi, (bis)
3 Si tu t' mettrais malade, malade, mais dedans ton lit, Je me mettrais medecin, medecin, c'est pour te guerir. Je guerirai la belle par amitie, (bis)
4 Si tu t3 mettrais medecin, medecin, c'est pour me guerir, Je me mettrais poisson, poisson dans une riviere. Alors, t'auras qu'une amitie pour moi, (bis)
5 Si tu t5 mettrais poisson, poisson dans une riviere,
Je me mettrais pecheur, pecheur, c'est pour te pecher. Je pecherai la belle par amitie, (bis)
6 Si tu tJ mettrais pecheur, pecheur, c'est pour me pecher, Je me mettrais oiseau, z-oiseau dans un grand bois. Alors, t'auras qu'une ami tie pour moi. (bis)
7 Si tu t' mettrais oiseau, z-oiseau dans un grand bois,
Je me mettrais chasseur, chasseur, c'est pour te chasser. Je chasserai la belle par amitie, (bis)
8 Si tu t' mettrais chasseur, chasseur, c'est pour me chasser, Je me mettrais une soeur, une soeur dans un couvent. Alors t'auras qu'une amitie pour moi, (bis)
9 Si tu t? mettrais une soeur, une sosur mais dans un couvent, Je me mettrais un pretre, un pretre, c'est pour te confesser. Je confesserai la belle par amitie, (bis)
10 Si tu t' mettrais un pretre, un pretre pour me conf esser, Je me mettrais mari, mari dans le purgatoire. Alors t'auras, etc.,
ii Si tu t' mettrais mari, mari dans le purgatoire,
Je me mettrais St. Pierre et St. Paul pour ouvrir les portes. JPouvrirai les portes par amitie, etc.,
12 Si tu t? mettrais St. Pierre et St. Paul pour ouvrir les portes, Je me mettrais un ange, un ange dedans le ciel,
Alors t'auras, etc.,
13 Si tu tJ mettrais un ange, un ange dedans le ciel, Je me mettrais lumiere, lumiere pour t'eclairer, J'eclairerai la belle par amitie, etc.,
i Three days ago I found my love, and it's not so long, Pll visit her on Monday, Monday to kiss her sweet. Pll give my love a light and friendly kiss, Pll give my love a light and friendly kiss.
2 If you come to see me on Monday, Monday to kiss me sweet, Pll turn into a queasy wench and I'll seek my bed.
My goodness, what a friend of mine you'll be! (2)
3 If you turn into a queasy wench and you seek your bed, Pll turn into a doctor then for to hold your hand.
Pll hold your hand in a light and friendly way. (2)
4 If you turn into a doctor then for to hold my hand, Pll turn into a silver trout and Pll swim away. My goodness, what a friend of mine you'll be! (2)
5 If you turn into a silver trout and you swim away, I'll turn into a fisherman for to fish you out.
I'll fish you out in a light and friendly way. (2)
6 If you turn into a fisherman for to fish me out, . I'll turn into a nightingale and I'll fly away.
My goodness, what a friend of mine you'll be! (2)
7 If you turn into a nightingale and you fly away, I'll turn into a hunter then, for to hunt you down, I'll hunt you down in a light and friendly way. (2)
8 If you turn into a hunter then, for to hunt me down, I'll turn myself into a nun and pray for your soul. My goodness, what a friend of mine you'll be! (2)
9 If you turn yourself into a nun and pray for my soul, I'll turn myself into a priest for to hear your sins.
, Pll hear your sins in a light and friendly way. (2)
10 If you turn yourself into a priest, a priest for to hear my sins, I'll turn myself into a husband way down in Hell, My goodness, what a friend of mine you'll be. (2)
11 If you turn yourself into a husband way down in Hell, I'll turn me into Saints Peter and Paul for to ope? the gates, Pll kiss my love in a light and friendly way. (2)
12 If you turn you into Saints Peter and Paul for to ope5 the gates, Pll turn into an angel, sir, and live in heaven,
My goodness, what a friend of mine you'll be. (2)
13 If you turn yourself into an angel and live in heaven, Pll turn myself into the sun for to make you shine, Pll make you shine in a light and friendly way. (2)
QU'AVEC-VOUS, OUI, BELLE BLONDE
(What's Wrong, Little Blonde)
£ to ab. No. 17. Jesse Stafford, Crowley, La., 1934.
This enigmatic tune, which sometimes sounds medieval and sometimes like an early blues, was sung by a Cajun-speaking lanky, blond farmer near Crowley, named Jesse Stafford. He began with "Trois jolis tambours," and before he was through had recorded "Frankie and Johnny," "Weevily Wheat," "Devilish Mary," "Pm Alone in This World," "The Roving Cowboy," and this song of rum and wickedness.
i Je m'endors, je m'endors, et j'ai soif et j'ai faim, Le soleil est couche," tu viens loin d' la maison. Qu'avez-vous, oui, belle blonde? Qu'avez-vous, oui, belle brune? C'est tout pour la blonde et c'est rien pour la brune.
2 O les gens de Crowley sont toujours dans P chemin, Sont tou jours dans P chemin-z-a chercher-z-a malfaire, Avec le jug au plombeau-z-et le ferail a la poche,
Sont tou jours dans P chemin-z-a rechercher-z-a malfaire.
3 Je m'endors, je m'endors, et j'ai soif et j'ai faim, Le soleil est couche, tu viens loin d' la maison. Bye-bye, oui, belle blonde; bye-bye, oui, belle brune. C'est tout pour la blonde et c'est rien pour la brune.
i I am sleepy, Pm tired, and Pm hungry and dry,
And the sun has gone down and you've gone far from home. What's wrong, little blonde? What's wrong, little brune? I go for the blonde, and the brune I pass by.
2 Oh, Crowley's the town where the bums hang around, Always travelin' the road, a-lookin' for fun,
With a jug in their hands and brass knucks in their pants, Always travelin' the road, a-lookin' for fun.
3 I am sleepy, Pm tired, and Pm hungry and dry,
And the sun has gone down and you've gone far from home. Bye-bye, little blonde 5 bye-bye, little brune. I go for the blonde, and the brune I pass by.
LE PETIT MARI (The Bantam Husband)
bK No. 16. 0. Dupont, Kaplan, La., 1934.
In Kaplan, a little town just west of Abbeville, Louisiana., we asked for
old songs. We were sent to old Mr.---------, who was night watchman at
a warehouse down by the depot. When we had convinced him that we were
not teasing him, he agreed to sing but asked that we bring the ---------
brothers down to help him out, and begged us not to forget "un 'tit whisky,"
for he was an old man. The---------brothers, young men in their twenties,
and the " 'tit whiskey" were both found in an hour or so. We hung up a lantern in the warehouse and set up our machine. Soon, in spite of the bats,
the mosquitoes, and the stifling Louisiana summer night, old Mr.---------
was leading the brothers through the bottle of whisky and the old wedding songs of Kaplan. Among many others, they sang that night the ballad of "The Bantam Husband," one of the subtlest and gayest ballads in any language.
I Mon pere m'a donne-t-un petit mari, O mon Dieu, quel homme et quel petit homme, Mon pere m'a donne-t-un petit mari, O mon Dieu, quel homme et quel petit homme.
2 Je Pai mis couch e dans mon grand lit,
3 Je Pai perdu dans la paillasse.
4 J'ai allume la chandelle pour le trouver.
5 La paillasse a pris feu.
6 Je Pai trouve du tout grille.
7 Je Pai expose dans une soucoupe
8 Le chat est venu, Pa pris pour un rat.
9 O chat, 6 chat, laisse mon mari.
i My father, he gave me a bantam man, Oh, my Lord, a manikin, not a man,* My father, he gave me a bantam man, Oh, my Lord, a manikin, not a man.
2 I laid him down in my corn-shuck bed, Oh, my Lord, a manikin, not a man,
I laid him down in my corn-shuck bed, Oh, my Lord, a manikin, not a man.
3 I lost him down in the quilts and sheets.
4 I lit me a candle to find him there.
5 The candle set the shucks on fire.
6 When I found him at last, he was toasted well.
7 I laid him out in a saucer of glass.
8 The cat took my manikin for a rat.
9 aO kitty," I cried, "let my husband be."
Or, "Oh, my Lord, a bantam little man."
LES CLEFS DE LA PRISON (The Keys of the Jail)
a°. No. 31. Elida Hofpauir, New Iberia, La., 1934.
So far as we know, this is an indigenous song. Its clipped, colloquial style, its syncopation, its lines from "The Boston Burglar" indicate its fairly recent origin. The precision of phrasing, the lighthearted bitterness of the lines, and the remarkably deft use of dialogue remind one of Villon. A swift and acid dialogue between a condemned man and his father and mother, it stands alone of its kind among American folk songs.
* This tune fits the first stanza only. The extra syllables in succeeding stanzas are sung, not by crowding" them into the given tune, but by inserting extra beats or measures into the tune where needed. The tonal and rhythmic patterns of these inserted portions are drawn from preceding measures or fragments of them j no new melodic material is introduced.
i The Boy: Chere mom!
On vient m' donner les clefs, Les clefs de la prison, Les clefs de la prison.
2- His Mother: Gar'-tu!
Comment dis-tu—te donne Les clefs de la prison, En quant les officiers Les a crochees dans 1' cou, Les a crochees dans 1' cou.
3 The Boy: Chere mom!
lis vont m' venir chercher, Mais a neuf heures a soir, Mais oui, c'est pou' me pend', Mais a dix heures en nuit, Mais a dix heures en nuit.
4 Chere mom!
C'est ce qui m' fait plus d' pein< C'est de savoir ma mort Aussi longtemps d'avance, Aussi longtemps d'avance.
5 (Son pere,
Mais qui s'est mis a genoux En s'arrachant les cheveux, En s'arrachant les cheveux.)
6 His Father:
Gar'-tu!
Comment j'ai pu t3 quitter
C'est pou? tytn aller
Mais dans un 'grand5 prison.
1 The Boy:
Mama, they're gonna give me the keys to this jail, yes, the keys to this old jailhouse.
2 His Mother:
What do you mean, give you the keys to this old jail, when the turnkeys have got them hung around their necks, yes, right around their necks.
3 The Boy:
Mama, I mean they're coming to get me about nine this evening, yes, and they're gonna hang me, about ten tonight, I mean, about ttn tonight.
4 Mama, what makes me so damn sorry, is to know so far ahead of time, yes, so awful far ahead of time, that I'm gonna die.
5 (Look at his old father, he's down on his knees, tearing out his old gray locks, yes, tearing them out.)
6 His Father:
Look here, now, how in the world could I leave you when you were going off to that big old prison pen!
7 The Boy: Cher pop!
Comment tu voulais j' fais Et quand les officiers Etaient autour de moi Avec les carabines, Avec les carabines?
8 Chere mom!
C'est ce qui m' fait plus d' peine C'est de savoir ma mort Aussi longtemps d'avance, Aussi longtemps d'avance.
9 O mom!
lis vont m' venir chercher Mais a neuf heures a soir, Mais oui, c'est pou' me pend', Mais a dix heures en nuit, Mais a dix heures en nuit.
io Chere mom!
Oui, c'est, c'est toi qui m'amene, Oui, oui, mon corps au terre Avec mon beau ch'val cannelle, Avec ma bell' voiture noire, Avec les quat' roues rouges, Avec les quat' roues rouges.
7 The Boy:
Dear papa, what did you want me to do when those police were standing all around, with their rifles in their hands, yes, with their rifles in their hands?
8 Dear mama, what makes me so damn sorry is to know so far ahead of time, yes, so far ahead of time, that I'm gonna die.
9 Mama, they're gonna come and get me just about nine this evening, yes, and hang me about ten tonight, I mean just about ten tonight.
io Dear mama, it's gotta be you who takes me, yes, I mean, takes my body down, with my pretty light bay horse, and my pretty black carriage, with those four red wheels, I mean, with those four red wheels.
BELLE
eb* No. ii. Mr. Bornu, Kaplan, La., 1934.
The influence of the Westerns and of jazz is plain to be seen in this modern chronicle of the Cajun country. When a man is ready to sacrifice his cow pony (named, of all things, Henry) for his true love, he is, according to the philosophy of the wild young boys of southwestern Louisiana, a completely devoted lover.
I Mais si j' une belle ici, Belle, Cest par rapport a toi, Belle, Mais si j' une belle ici, Belle, C'est par rapport a toi, Belle. 1 If I've a babe in town, Babe,
It's just when you're around,
Babe, If Pve a babe in town, Babe, It's just when you're around,
Babe.
2 J'ai pris ce char ici, Belle, Pour m'en aller au Texas, Belle, J'ai pris ce char ici, Belle Pour m'en aller au Texas, Belle.
3 Y avait just5 trois jours, Bel-Le, que j'etais la-bas, Belle, J'ai r'gu-z-une lettre de toi, Belle, Que t'etais bien malade, Belle.
2 I caught a long slow freight,
Babe, Bound out for Texas state, Babe, I caught a long slow freight,
Babe, Bound out for Texas state, Babe.
3 Three days I hung around, Babe, That lonesome Texas town, Babe, You wrote you's sick in bed, Babe, Rags wrapped all round your
head, Babe.
4 Que t'etais bien malade, Belle, En danger de mourir, Belle, J'ai pris ce char encore, Belle, Pour m'en r'venir ici, Belle.
4 Said you was sick and low, Babe, Said you was dyin' slow, Babe,
I hopped that long slow freight,
Babe, Bound for LouVana state, Babe.
5 When I got off that train, Babe, You couldn't call my name, Babe, And I turned right around, Babe, Then I was Texas bound, Babe.
6 My bronc' I had to sell, Babe, So I could get you well, Babe, Because between the two, Babe, Pd always pick on you, Babe.
5 Quand j'arrivals a toi, Belle, T'etais sans connaisance, Belle,
Je m'en ai r'tourne d'abord, Belle, Je m'en* ai r'tourne la-bas, Belle.
6 J'ai emportique mon ch'val,
Belle, Pour te sauver la vie, Belle, O si j'ai plus Henry, Belle, C'est par t'avoir aimee, Belle.
7 S'abandonner c'est dur, Belle, Mais s'oublier c'est long, Belle, S'abandonner c'est dur, Belle, Mais s'oublier c'est long, Belle.
7 It's not so hard to go, Babe, But to forget is slow, Babe, It's not so hard to go, Babe, But to forget is slow, Babe.