Jole Blon

Last updated

Jole Blon or Jolie Blonde is a traditional Cajun waltz, often called "the Cajun national anthem" because of the popularity it has in Cajun culture. The song was popularized on a nationwide scale by a series of renditions and references in late 1940s country songs. It has been the subject of occasional covers later in the 20th century by Cajun and classic country revival bands.

Contents

McNeese State University adopted "Joli Blon" as their official fight song[ clarification needed ] in 1970, having been a part of the university band's repertoire since 1951. It is played by the "Pride of McNeese" band upon scoring at athletic events. [1]

Music

Origins

The 1929 recording of "Ma blonde est partie" by the Breaux Brothers Mablondeestpartie-breauxbrothers-okeh.jpg
The 1929 recording of "Ma blonde est partié" by the Breaux Brothers

The original Cajun version is a brief address to a "pretty girlfriend", who had left the singer and moved back in with her family, and is also now in the arms of another man. The singer concludes that plenty of other pretty women are around. The fiddle-based melody dates to before the 1900s. [2] [3]

The earliest recording of the song is believed to be a 1929 version by the family trio Breaux Brothers entitled "Ma blonde est partié", recorded in Atlanta. [4] Some mystery exists to its origin. While Amedée Breaux is credited with writing the song, his sister Cleoma actually wrote the lyrics and Amedée sang the song. Dennis McGee claims the original song was written by Angelas LeJeune as "La fille de la veuve" (also "La valse de la veuve") ("The Widow's Daughter/Waltz") [5] during World War I and Cleoma rewrote the lyrics, [3] allegedly about Amedée's first wife. Lejeune and Ernest Fruge eventually recorded this song on November 19, 1929, in New Orleans (Brunswick 558, Melotone M18052). In 1934, Alan Lomax traveled to Louisiana and recorded several artists, including the Segura Brothers and their version of "La Fille de la Veuve". [6]

In January 1929, John Bertrand and Milton Pitre traveled to Chicago and recorded "La Valse de Gueydan" for Paramount Records (12748A), using the same melody. It appeared again in a 1930 recording of "La Valse de Gueydan" (Brunswick 513) by Amade Ardoin. Dennis McGee and he traveled to New Orleans and recorded this song discussing a "small young girl". This version was re-recorded with slightly different lyrics by Leo Soileau and his Three Aces. The title was "La Valse Gueydan [Jolie Fille]", recorded by Bluebird (B-2086) on January 18, 1935. [7]

The following year, the song appeared with the title "Jolie Blonde" for the first time on two records. Both the Hackberry Ramblers and J. B. Fuselier and his Merrymakers traveled to New Orleans and recorded the song on October 17, 1936, for Bluebird Records. J.B. Fuselier named the song "Te Ma Lessa Jolie Blonde" (Bluebird B-2006) [8] and the Hackberry Ramblers simplified the name to "Jolie Blonde" (Bluebird B-2003). [9]

By 1937, the melody was popular among very small regions of Louisiana. On Feb 21, the Jolly Boys of Lafayette traveled to Dallas and recorded "Jolie (Brunette)" for Decca (#17032), a similar take on the song with different lyrics. Later in the year, Happy Fats traveled to New Orleans and recorded "Nouveau Grand Gueyan" for Bluebird (B-2024).

In 1951, Amede Breaux formed the band Acadian Aces and recorded the song with the title "Jole Blonde" for J. D. "Jay" Miller's Feature Records (F-1023).

Rod Bernard recorded an English-language adaptation of the song in 1964 on the Tear Drop label.

Country popularization

During the late 1940s, as country's nationwide market had solidified, a number of country artists popularized the song "Jole Blon". The popularization began in 1946 with Harry Choates and his French version of "Jole Blon" for Gold Star Records. Unable to produce enough copies of the record with his own one-man pressing plant, studio and label owner Bill Quinn arranged a licensing agreement with Modern Records to handle the pressing, distribution, and promotion of the hit single, which was eventually be leased and reissued on other independent labels across the country, such as Modern Records (#20-511), Starday(#187), D Records (#1024) and the Deluxe label. [10] Later, Choates recorded an English version and several different versions for different labels.

"Jole Blon" (1946 recording) Listen (MP3)

As is not infrequent in country music, once a song is popularized, several other contemporaries covered it. In this case, covers commonly were not so much reproductions as they were songs in the same spirit, making use of the same subject, melody, or Cajun theme. Several of them used "Jole Blon" as the name of subject of the song, instead of using the original “Jolie blonde” meaning pretty girlfriend.

Many of the covers included self-referential humor in regard to the production context of the song. A popular rendition, first published by Moon Mullican (and Moon Mullican's first major hit), consists of a purposeful mix of unrelated English, French, and nonsense words: a joke attempt at "translation" of the original. Johnny Bond's "The Daughter of Jole Blon" exemplifies this contextual humor, describing the titular character as "so round, so firm, so fully packed" (itself the title of a popular country song at the time), and "Jole's only daughter... but she knows all the tricks that Jole taught her."

The following contemporary artists' renditions or songs make reference to "Jole Blon". Listed next to each song is if, and the year when, that version reached the Billboard 100 for country at the time (The country Billboard charts began in 1946).

Late 20th century and recent covers

Some recent covers of the song have been made by Cajun revival and popular artists, though these have not enjoyed the same widespread popularity. The following are some of the artists who have covered "Jole Blon":

In 2002, Bear Family records released Jole Blon: 23 Artists One Theme. In 2009, an unknown publisher, T. Basco, released a three-volume set called Peepin' Thru the Keyhole, which contains virtually every version of "Jolie Blonde" that has ever been recorded and popularized. In 2013, Goldenlane Records released Jole Blon and the Cajun Music Story compilation CD with many of the popular versions.

The title of the song is referenced in Mary Chapin Carpenter's 1991 song "Down at the Twist and Shout" and Adam Carroll's 2000 song "Errol's Song".

Art

In 1974, artist George Rodrigue painted several iconic portraits of his vision of what Jolie Blonde would have looked like. His paintings can be found in Jolie's Louisiana Bistro in Lafayette, Louisiana. [12] Rodrigue claims the origins of "Jolie Blonde" stem from a prisoner in Port Arthur, Texas, whose lover left him for someone else. [13] [14] [15]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Music history of the United States (1900–1940)</span>

Music in the United States underwent many shifts and developments from 1900 to 1940. The country survived both World War I and the Great Depression before entering World War II in December 1941. Americans endured great loss and hardship but found hope and encouragement in music. The genres and styles present during this period were Native American music, blues and gospel, jazz, swing, Cajun and Creole music, and country. The United States also took inspiration from other cultures and parts of the world for her own music. The music of each region differed as much as the people did. The time also produced many notable singers and musicians, including jazz figure Louis Armstrong, blues and jazz singer Mamie Smith, and country singer Jimmie Rodgers.

"Jambalaya (On the Bayou)" is a song written and recorded by American country music singer Hank Williams that was first released in July 1952. It is Williams' most recorded song. Named for a Creole and Cajun dish, jambalaya, it spawned numerous recordings and has since achieved popularity in several different music genres.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lost Bayou Ramblers</span> Cajun music band from Louisiana

Lost Bayou Ramblers is a Cajun music band from Pilette, Louisiana.

"It's a Sin to Tell a Lie" is a 1936 popular song written by Billy Mayhew, introduced early that year on records by many dance bands including Dick Robertson on the 78rpm record Champion 40106, and later popularized by Fats Waller on Victor 25342 and re-issued on Victor 20-1595. It was recorded in French by Cajun singer Cléoma Breaux in 1936 or 1937. Four further recordings of the song were made in 1936, namely by Freddy Ellis and His Orchestra (April), Victor Young and His Orchestra (April), Elton Britt (September), Roy Smeck and His Serenaders and Vera Lynn.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joe Falcon</span> American accordionist

Joseph Falcón was an accordion player from southwest Louisiana, best known for producing the first recording of a Cajun song, "Allons à Lafayette," in 1928. He and his wife Cléoma Breaux left for New Orleans to record the first Cajun record and went on to perform across southern Louisiana and Texas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dennis McGee</span> American musician

Dennis (Denus) McGee was one of the earliest recorded Cajun musicians.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of Cajun music</span>

Cajun music has its roots based in the ballads of the French-speaking Acadians of Canada, and in country music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harry Choates</span> American musician

Harry Henry Choates was an American Cajun music fiddler known as the "Fiddle King of Cajun Swing" and the "Godfather of Cajun music." The scholar Barry Jean Ancelet called Choates "undoubtedly the most popular Cajun musician of his day."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cléoma Falcon</span> American guitarist and vocalist

Cléoma Falcon was an American guitarist and vocalist who, along with her husband Joe Falcon, recorded one of the first known examples of Cajun music. The recording, "Allons à Lafayette" was released in 1928, and opened the way for other commercial releases of Cajun music. Aside from being a ground-breaking recording artist, Cléoma Breaux also was one of the few women to perform live, despite the social standards of the era. She was the first woman inducted into the Cajun Music Hall of Fame.

Ervin "Vin" Bruce was one of the first Cajun musicians to appear on the Louisiana Hayride and Grand Ole Opry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Breaux Brothers</span> Musical artist

Breaux Frères or Breaux Brothers, were Cajun musicians. They were the earliest to record the song "Jolie Blonde", under the title of "Ma Blonde Est Partie".

"New Jolie Blonde (New Pretty Blonde)" is a 1947 song by Red Foley. The song was Foley's third number one on the Folk Juke Box chart, spending two weeks at number one and a total of sixteen weeks on the chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Allons à Lafayette</span> Song performed by Joe Falcon

"Allons à Lafayette" is the B-side of a 78rpm single recorded by Joe Falcon and Cléoma Breaux in 1928. The song is based on an older traditional tune called "Jeunes gens campagnard". 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. It was included in the reference book "1001 Songs You Must Hear Before You Die."

Jean Duet "Dewey" Segura was an American folk musician. He and his brother Edier Segura formed the duo known as the "Segura Brothers". The duo created some of the earliest commercially recorded Cajun music in the late 1920s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leroy Leblanc</span> Musical artist

Leroy "Happy Fats" Leblanc was a Cajun swing musician that recorded with RCA Records in the 1930s and 1940s. He is known for his recordings with Harry Choates and his broadcasts on KVOL. Next to the Hackberry Ramblers, the Rayne-Bo Ramblers were the most popular and innovative of the Cajun string bands.

Hippy Ti Yo is a traditional melody that was first recorded as Ils La Volet Mon Trancas, sung by Cajun musician Cleoma Breaux in 1934 in San Antonio, Texas. The melody would later be adapted into many different songs throughout history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Julius Lamperez</span> Musical artist

Julius Angelle "Papa Cairo" Lamperez was a popular guitarist, steel guitarist and country string band artist in Louisiana and southeast Texas during the 1930s through the 1950s. He would later be known as the first person to write the tune "Grand Texas" which would later be popularized by Moon Mullican and Hank Williams as the song Jambalaya.

Captain Gumbo is a Dutch band formed in 1987, which plays mostly zydeco and Cajun music; that is, music in the French traditions of the U.S. state of Louisiana, based around the diatonic accordion. In 1990, their version of "Allons à Lafayette" reached No. 30 in the Dutch singles chart. The band was still active as of 2013.

The Billboard Most-Played Folk Records of 1947 is a year-end chart compiled Billboard magazine ranking the year's top folk records based on the number of times the record was played on the nation's juke boxes. In 1947, country music records were included on, and dominated, the Billboard folk records chart.

References

  1. ↑ "McNeese Athletics History". McNeese State University Athletics. McNeese State University. 2018. Retrieved March 23, 2022.
  2. ↑ Horstman, Dorothy (January 1996). Sing Your Heart Out, Country Boy. Country Music Foundation. p. 182. ISBN   978-0915608195.
  3. 1 2 Sullivan, Steve (October 4, 2013). Encyclopedia of Great Popular Song Recordings. Scarecrow Press. p. 462. ISBN   978-0810882959.
  4. 1 2 "Early Cajun Music". cajunradio.org. Archived from the original on April 20, 2012. Retrieved April 23, 2012.
  5. ↑ Horstman, Dorothy (January 1996). Sing Your Heart Out, Country Boy. Country Music Foundation. p. 171. ISBN   978-0915608195.
  6. ↑ "Segura Brothers. La Fille De La Veuve". John and Alan Lomax in Louisiana, 1934. Retrieved July 23, 2014.
  7. ↑ "Le Valse de Gueydan". KnowLA, Encyclopedia of Louisiana. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
  8. ↑ Te Ma Lessa Jolie Blonde-waltz. OCLC   82887042.
  9. ↑ Yule, Ron; Burge, Bill (October 5, 2009). Sing Your Heart Out, Country Boy. University Press of Mississippi. p. 94. ISBN   978-1604732955.
  10. ↑ Bradley, Andy; Wood, Roger (April 1, 2010). House of Hits: The Story of Houston's Gold Star/SugarHill Recording Studios. Austin, Texas, US: University of Texas Press. pp. 18–22. ISBN   978-0-292-71919-4.
  11. ↑ "Jole Blon". Brucebase Wiki. Retrieved April 29, 2020.
  12. ↑ "Jolie Blonde, 1974". Jolie's Louisiana Bistro. Archived from the original on September 3, 2014. Retrieved August 5, 2014.
  13. ↑ Rodrigue, George; McAninch, David (1999). Blue Dog Man: Chapter One: BLUE DOG'S BLUES . Harry N. Abrams. ISBN   1-55670-976-5 . Retrieved August 5, 2014.
  14. ↑ "Jolie Blonde". George Rodrigue Studios. Archived from the original on January 28, 2015. Retrieved August 5, 2014.
  15. ↑ Rodrigue Magnus, Wendy (December 16, 2009). "From Jolie Blonde to Bodies: Paintings of Women". Life & Legacy Foundation & Art Tour. Retrieved August 5, 2014.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.