A short time ago there was a thread sbout the lyrics of Jolie Blonde. Yesterday we played the song and in the second verse we didn't know for sure what we have to sing. We do a version that is also played in that way by The Balfa Brothers.

Jolie Blonde mourir ca c'est pas rien
C’est rester dedans la terre
Si longtemps ce sans espoir bebe
N’est pas ca a vien t’attend dans la Louisiana

The problem is the third "Si longtemps ce sans espoir bebe"

Is it right what we doing there ?

I actually say, "si longtemps sans te revoir, bebe", but whatever works.

Hey Nick B, I think as long as someone is trying to sing the song correctly we should promote that and not pass it off. Just last week we had a thread about playing fake, I am more concerned about singing fake. I listen to some of these guys play and sing and some are pretty good musicians and then they sing and all I hear are repetative pharses and sounds that are meaningless. I think that since more people are paying attention to the music and more people taking french we should sing the songs to the best of our ability. The accordion saved the language once but, it won't do it again.
Le Piquant

Hey Le Piquant,

I definitely get what you're saying. Since I speak French myself, I don't worry about it too much. I've actually come up with lyrics on my own a few times - words that refer to more personal things. Obviously that's a rare exception.

But I agree that repeating the same line of gibberish is not the way to go, even if 99% of people can't tell the difference.

I think Zydeco is the worst offender here. I've sat through shows where the singer basically repeated in French "don't do that", and "he toi". In any other setting, it sounded like a children's song, only with more crotch-grabbing.

Hi Ron,

Here is the second verse (CD “Balfa Bros. The New York Concerts Plus”)

Jolie Blonde mourir ça c'est pas rien
C’est de rester dedans la terre
Si longtemps sans jamais te voir
Fait pas ça vient t’en donc dans la Louisiane.

Marc.

Marc, could you please send me a link to some information on CD “Balfa Bros. The New York Concerts Plus". I have a Swallow lp The New York Concerts, but I don't find this Balfa cd on Amazon. Are there more songs than there are on the lp?

Merci beaucoup!

Neal

Sorry Neal, I didn't find link. I bought this CD in France, long ago. It's one of my favorites.
This CD (Ace Records CDCHD 338), made in U.K., contains 21 titles.

Marc.

Thanks! "On the plus side" I found a Web site (link below) with the song list. I have a Swallow 45 with Couer Criminelle (La Valse Criminelle) and Texas Two Step that feature Nathan Abshire with the Balfas. My Old Wagon and Cowboy Waltz were also Swallow singles. Some of the other "plus" songs look like they were on Nathan Abshire's Good Times Killing Me (Swallow lp).

Sometimes Ace had a lease for a limited amount of time, so when the time or the print run was over, these re-releases disappeared or became hard to find.

Would that be the same cd that was for sale at Cracker barrel restaurant a few years ago. It's the only time I've heard the Balfa brothers play Jolie Blonde, with Nonc Allie on accordion.

no no!

The Swallow lp New York Concerts had Hadley Fontenot on Side 1 (ain't that quaint?) and some Allie Young on Side 2. Dick Richard played fiddle number 2. The Cracker Barrel cd has only 1 side (a shiny one, cheap *******s!) with Will on fiddle number 2, and Allie Young but no Hadley Fontenot. It was the same New York but different trips different years, and not even the same as the Field Recorders Collective cd that came out last year with Nathan Abshire and the brothers.

Then the extras that made this out of print Ace CD come to be called NY Concerts Plus seem to mostly come from some Swallow 45s with Nathan Abshire on them. My Old Wagon, though, was without accordion. Good vocal by Will.

If it is I have 2 of them that hasn't been opened yet. When they were closing them out I bought 4 of them. I would sell them if someone is interested. It is a good cd. e-mail me for info.
Le Piquant