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Subject:   Re: Re: Who made up Johnny Can't Dance + recording of it on revamped G Hohner
Name:   John D.
Date Posted:   May 8, 08 - 11:47 PM
IP Address:   68.110.161.241
Message:   I've been curious about the origins of this song myself in the past and have come up with the following conclusions:

Lawrence Walker did record it in the 50's but it was originally recorded under the name Jolie Can't Dance. He later recorded it under the name Johnny Can't Dance. I can't recall the name of the original record label.

Aldus Roger then took it and changed it around a little and recorded it on the Swallow label in the 60's.

I've also heard recordings of the song by Bebe and Eraste Carriere and Canray Fontenot, so there might possibly be some Creole influence going on there. *side note* get a copy of the Carriere CD, their version is awesome.

What I've read: Raymond Francois (in Ye Yaille, Chere) said that his father told him the song entered the Cajun repertoire through a children's book called The Rabbit Stole The Pumpkin.

After looking into the history behind The Rabbit Stole The Pumpkin I found out that it was originally recorded in Chicago of all places in 1929 by John Bertrand and Milton Pitre. Most people think this song sounds very similar to J'ai Ete Au Bal, which it does... but I can still hear similarities to Johnny Can't Dance. I highly doubt that the song was ever adapted from a children's book, but it wouldn't surprise me at all.

I hope some of this helps or at least wasn't that boring to read.

John
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