I had a good time learning and translating a song that starts out, "Hier après-midi, le char a tué Fido" (Yesterday, the car killed Fido). It's a juré by Jimmy Peters on the website archive of Lomax recordings:

http://www.lomax1934.com/hier-apregraves-midi-le-char-a-tueacute-fido.html

I started with the Lomax liner notes transcription of the French lyrics and made only a few minor changes to the French transcription based on listening to the digitally-slowed audio, but I retranslated the verses from scratch. If y'all have different thoughts on what is being sung or how to translate it, please post with feedback and corrections.

Two things to note about the vocabulary: (1) "lui" (him, it) is pronounced "li" in most instances below until the last verse.

(2) The rhythm and sound of the expression, "Mais si c'est pas li c'est caille pareille" (literally, "Well if it's not him, it's one hell of a songbird / field lark") is similar to another expression that you can find in the Dictionary of Louisiana French ("si c’est pas les maringouins, c’est les chouboulures" - literally, if it's not mosquitos, it's heat rash!). Colloquially, it means "if it's not one thing, it's another!"


Hier après-midi, le char a tué Fido,
Mais si c'est pas li c'est une caille pareille.
Hier après-midi, le char a tué Fido,
Mais si c'est pas li c'est une caille pareille.
Gardez-donc, mais, cher Fido,
Mais viens mais dans les bras de ton nègre.
'près-midi, le char a tué Fido,
Mais si c'est pas li c'est caille pareille.

[Yesterday afternoon, the car killed Fido,
If it’s not one thing, it’s another! (literally, “But if it’s not him, it’s a hell of a field lark!”
Yesterday afternoon, the car killed Fido,
Well, if it’s not him, it’s one hell of a field lark!
So look, now, dear Fido,
Well come into the arms of your dear man.
…afternoon, the car killed Fido.
If it’s not one thing, it’s another!]


Mais O mes nègres mais gardez donc,
Mais gardez donc, mais t'as fait.
Les filles après m'quitter.
J'suis comme un pauvre, mais, misérable.
o yé yaïlle, mais gardez donc.
Mais, chères 'tites filles, mais, quand mon j'vas.
Mais ça, mes chères mignonnes.
Mais t'es après mais donc me quitter.

[But oh my dears, well, look now,
But, look, now, at what you did.
The girls are leaving me,
I am like a poor, well, a wretch.
Oh man, well, now look at that.
But dear little girls, well, when I go.
But that, my dear cute little things,
But so you are, well, leaving me.]


Hier après-midi, le char a tué Fido,
Mais si c'est pas li c'est une caille pareille.
(2x)

[Yesterday, the car killed Fido,
If it’s not one thing, it’s another! (2x)]


Gardez donc mes chères amies,
Mais quoi c'est donc les filles m'a fait.
Elles sont tout, après m'quitter.
Mais comme un, comme un pauvre misérable.

[So look, my dear lady friends,
Well, so, what it is the girls did to me.
They are all leaving me.
Well, like a, like a poor wretch.]


Yé yaïlle mes chères mignonnes.
Mais comment donc mais mon j'vas faire.
Hier après-midi, le char a tué Fido,
Mais si c'est pas li c'est une caille pareille.
Mais hier après-midi, le char a tué Fido,
Mais si c'est pas li c'est une caille pareille.
Mes nègres, mais gardez donc,
Mais comment donc mais mon j'vas faire?

[Oh, man, my dear little cute things,
Well, how am I going to make it.
Yesterday afternoon, the car killed Fido.
If it’s not one thing, it’s another!
My good old boys, well, so look,
Well, so how am I going to make it?]

O yé yaïlle yé yaïlle,
mais comment donc mais mon j'vas faire?
Tous les jour mais toutes les nuits
Mais dans les manches mais mon tout seul.
Chaque jour mais toutes les nuits
Mais dans les manches mais mon tout seul.
Hier après-midi, le char a tué Fido,
Mais si c'est pas lui (sic) c'est une caille pareille.
(2x)
Gardez donc mes chères amoureuses,
Mais comment donc mais mon j'vas faire.

[Oh man, well, so how am I going to make it?
Every day, well, every night,
Well, in the country paths, well, all alone.
Yesterday, the car killed Fido,
If it’s not one thing, it’s another!
But if it’s not him it’s one hell of a field lark. (2x)
So look, my dear sweethearts, but so how am I going to make it?]

It should be "le chat", the cat killed Fido, not the car. Supposed to be a paradox or irony.

That's interesting, thanks!