Allons à Lafayette

"Allons à Lafayette" is the B-side of a 78rpm single recorded by Joe Falcon and Cléoma Breaux in 1928.[2][3] The song is based on an older traditional tune called "Jeunes gens campagnard".[4] 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.[5][6]

"Allons à Lafayette (Lafayette)"
Single by Joe Falcon
A-side	"La valse qui m'a porter à ma fosse" [1]
Recorded	April 27, 1928
Genre	Cajun
Length	2:55
Label	Columbia Records 15275-D, Okeh Records 90018
Songwriter(s)	Traditional

Columbia Records. "Lafayette (Allon a Luafette)"

Content

The song deals with a man asking his partner to go to Lafayette, Louisiana and change her name to something more scandalous, Mrs. Mischievous Comeaux. The singer is upset they are both far apart and thinks her beauty is far better than her character.[7]

Lyrics

Cajun French

English

Allons à Lafayette, c'est pour changer ton nom. On va t’appeler Madame, Madame Canaille Comeaux. Petite, t’es trop mignonne pour faire ta criminelle. Comment tu crois que moi, je peux faire comme ça tout seul. Mais toi, mon joli Coeur, regarde donc ce que t’as fait. Je suis si loin de toi, mais ça, ça m' fait pitié Petite, t’es trop mignonne pour faire ta criminelle. Observe moi bien mignonne, tu vas voir par toi même. Que moi je n'mérite pas c'que t'es en train d' faire. Pourquoi tu fais tout ça, c'est bien pour m'faire fâcher!

Let's go to Lafayette, to change your name. We will call you Mrs. Mischievous Comeaux. Honey, you're too pretty to act like a tramp. How do you think I am going to manage without you? But you, my pretty heart, look at what you've done. We are so far apart and that is pitiful. Honey, you're too pretty to act like a tramp. Look at me honey, you will see yourself that I do not deserve what you are trying to do. Because you are doing all this, it's enough to make me angry.

Versions

Several musicians recorded the song. After 1957, Randy and The Rockets released the swamp pop song "Lets Do the Cajun Twist" using the same theme and melody.

In 1990, a version by Dutch band Captain Gumbo reached No. 30 in the official Dutch music singles chart.[8]

References

1. Neal Pomea. "Joe Falcon & Cleoma Breaux". Retrieved 2011-03-09.
2. Joseph F. Falcon-Allons a Lafayette (Let's Go to Lafayette). Vocal. Cajun-French Song 15275-D (146217) 16588 Columbia Phonograph Company, Inc., N.Y.
3. "The National Recording Registry 2007". Retrieved 2011-03-09.
4. Brasseaux, Ryan A (2004). BAYOU BOOGIE: THE AMERICANIZATION OF CAJUN MUSIC, 1928-1950 (Ms.Arts). LSU.
5. Jim Bradshaw (1998-12-29). "Joe and Cléoma Falcon were first to record Cajun music". Archived from the original on 2011-07-16. Retrieved 2011-03-09.
6. Kevin Fontenot (2010-04-05). "Cleoma Breaux Falcon". Archived from the original on 2011-06-12. Retrieved 2011-03-09.
7. Brasseaux 2000, a thesis on Cajun culture by Ryan Brasseaux.
8. "Captain Gumbo". MegaCharts. Retrieved 26 November 2017.

• Brasseaux, Ryan (2000). Bayou Boogie: The Americanization Of Cajun Music, 1928-1950 (PDF) (M.A. thesis). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-09-29. Retrieved 2011-03-04.