Jolie Blonde

also known as Jolie Blon, Jole Blon or Joli Blon
- the traditional Cajun waltz, often referred to as
"the Cajun National Anthem"

Lyrics
Song History
Cajun Music Links
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Joli Blon by The Rosinators (from the album "The Rosinators")

Joli Blon trad. arr.The Rosinators
from the album "The Rosinators" [PDC Music CD0503]
Fliss Premru, fiddle/vocals; Will Sneyd, fiddle/vocals
Paul Castle, guitar/vocals; Leigh Gordon, bass;
Clare Gilliam, triangle
  pause : play 'Joli Blon' by The Rosinators

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Lyrics/Song history research on other recordings by The Rosinators

Old Joe Clark
Orange Blossom Special
One Kind Favour
I Saw the Light (Hank Williams)
In My Time of Dyin'
Blue Ridge Mountain Blues
Cindy's Breakdown (aka Get Along Home Cindy)
Little Sadie
Looking for the Stone (aka Daniel Saw The Stone)

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"I am sent many CDs for review but only a few make me
want to play them again and again. This is one of the few."
Cajun Life & Times Magazine
The Rosinators at Bridgnorth Folk Festival, 2004

"When American roots music deejays rave about bluegrass passion, Cajun verve
and country-gospel authenticity, you know that The Rosinators are the real deal.
From deep in the heart of Balham Alligator territory, the London-based trio have
added their own stamp to the American old time tradition so convincingly that most
of their radio airplay comes from US stations. Formed in 2001, they blazed out of
the traps with dynamic three-part vocal harmonies and fiery twin-fiddle attacks
driven by crackin' guitar picking."
[Acoustic Music Centre - Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Aug 2005]

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Lyrics

(as sung by The Rosinators)

1. Joli Blon, ma chere 'tit fille
    Gardez donc quoi t'aprés faire
    Joli Blon, tu croyais
    Il avait juste toi dedans le pays

2. Eh a ha! Eh a ha!
    Joli Blon ma 'tit fille criminelle
    Joli Blon, tu m'as laisse moi tout seul


Lyrics for "Ma Blonde Est Partie"
French with English translation [from Clarence's Info on Cajun &
Zydeco Music and Culture website @ www.cajunradio.org]

Digital Tradition Mirror
Lyrics/Score for 'Jolie Blonde' - French with English translation


COUNTRY MUSIC LYRICS - links to Bluegrass,
Cajun, Country Blues and Gospel Country song lyrics

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Song History

Breaux Freres

On April 18, 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia Breaux Freres -
Amédée Breaux on accordion with his brother Ophé on
guitar and Cléopha on the fiddle along with their sister,
Cleoma Breaux on guitar and vocals - recorded "Ma blonde
est partie," which is thought to be the earliest recording of
the cajun standard "Jolie Blonde".
Download full MP3 here

Cajun Dance Party: Fais Do-Do

Clarence's Cajunradio.org website includes the lyrics to
this original version in both French and English and notes
that the recording is included on the CD "Cajun Dance Party:
Fais Do-Do" (Columbia CK-46784) available from Amazon

Clarence's Jole Blon page also includes the English lyrics of
both Roy Acuff's and Bruce Springsteen's version of the song

The Hackberry Ramblers

In 1935 The Hackberry Ramblers began recording for RCA-
Bluebird. Their output included the first version of the Cajun
classic "Jolie Blonde" under that title.

Jolie Blonde by The Hackberry Ramblers

"Jolie Blonde" by Luderin Darbone's Hackberry Ramblers

Listen to 30 sec clip Windows Media Player  RealOne Player

"This enduring Louisiana string ensemble was formed by fiddler
Luderin Darbone and his accordion-playing Hackberry neighbor
Edwin Duhon. The pair played their first dance in 1933, had a
regional hit two years later with "Jolie Blonde," and continued to
lead the off-again, on-again combo well into the 1990s. Luderin
supplied the band with hillbilly songs he'd learned in Texas,
while Duhon grew up immersed in French music. Recorded
mid-career, in 1963 and 1965, this album's 26 tracks capture the
band in fine, fun form. The songs often combine English and
French verses and walk a fine line between Cajun and Western
swing rhythms. The result is a beautiful evocation of the sort of
music one might hear throughout mid century oil-field communities:
a lilting, unadulterated dance music with an emphasis on Saturday-
night waltzes, stomps, and two-steps."
[Richard Gehr, Amazon.com essential recording]

Harry Choates (1922-1951)

Jole Blon by Harry Choates

According to this biography of the renowned Cajun fiddler
Harry Choates on the Handbook of Texas Online site -

"Around 1946 he organized a band that he called the Melody Boys.
Perhaps in honor of his daughter, Linda, he rewrote an old Cajun
waltz, "Jolie Blonde" (Pretty Blonde) and renamed it "Jole Blon."
He recorded the song in 1946 for the Gold Star label, owned by
Bill Quinn of Houston. "Jole Blon" became a favorite in the field
of country and western music and a standard number in Texas and
Louisiana clubs and dance halls. A year after Choates's recording,
Aubrey "Moon" Mullican, a Texas-born singer and piano player,
made an even bigger hit with the song. "Jole Blon," which Choates
performed in the key of A instead of the traditional G, featured
slurred fiddle notes and has been sung with both Cajun French
and English romantic lyrics as well as nonsense lyrics with
references to the "dirty rice" and "filé gumbo" of Cajun cuisine.
Choates, who suffered from chronic alcoholism, sold "Jole Blon"
for $100 and a bottle of whiskey."

"Jole Blon - the original Cajun Fiddle of Harry Choates"
CD available from Amazon.com
Vinyl import available from Amazon.co.uk

Jole Blon (various artists)
Bear Family (Audio CD)

Jole Blon (various artists

available from Bear Family Records
Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk

"This release includes most of the early versions, including
the original. But what it adds is something you could not get
without collecting "umpteen other releases." The bands in East
Texas and SW Louisiana were all influenced by the "country/
hillbilly" and "western swing" styles of music in the 40s.
These "take-outs" on the original story -- invent new stories
about JB in many different situations. This collection is great
fun. It spans the period from the original recording to a 1958
cover by the 21-year old Waylon Jennings, sung in French
and accompanied by Buddy Holly on guitar."
Dale Johnson - see full review here

Track Listing:

1. Harry Choates: Jole Blon (Pretty Blond)
2. Leo Soileau: Le Valse De Gueydan
3. Moon Mullican: New Pretty Blonde (New Jole Blon)
4. Red Foley: New Jolie Blonde (New Pretty Blonde)
5. Amédée Breaux: Ma Blonde Est Partié (My Blonde Went And Left Me)
6. Amidie Breaux: Jole Blonde
7. Luderin Darbone & The Hackberry Ramblers: Jole Blon
8. Eddie Shuler: Jolie Blonde
9. Happy Doc and the Boys: New Jolie Blond
10. Bud Messner: Slippin' Around With Jole Blon
11. Roy Acuff: (Our Own) Jole Blon
12. Johnny Bond: The Daughter Of Jole Blon
13. Jesse James: When Jole Blon And Kilroy Got Married
14. Dickie Jones: Jole Blon Like The Boogie
15. Hank Snow: When Mexican Joe Met Jole Blon
16. Wayne Raney: Jole Blon's Ghost
17. Jack Rivers: Shame, Shame On Jolie
18. Bob Wills: Jolie Blond Likes The Boogie
19. Moon Mullican: Jole Blon's Sister
20. Tommy Thompson: Dinner With Jole Blon
21. Sheb Wooley: Peeping Through The Key Hole (Watching Jole Blon)
22. Cliffie Stone: Peepin' Thru The Keyhole (Watching Jole Blon)
23. Moon Mullican: Jole Blon Is Gone, Amen
24. Betty Amos: Jole John
25. Waylon Jennings: Jole Blon
26. Charles Lee: Rock And Roll Jolie Blonde

Listen to samples of each track here

Folk Music Index

Jolie Blon/Blonde
At - Pretty Blonde of the Bayou

1. Alleman, Tony and Rufis. Cajun Songs from Louisiana,
Folkways FE 4438, LP (1957/?), cut#B.01

2. Balfa Brothers. New York Concerts, Swallow LP 6037, LP (1980/?), cut# 1

3. Balfa, Dewey; & Friends. Fait A La Main (Homemade), Swallow CAS 6063,
Cas (1986/reis), cut# 3

4. Balfa, Dewey; Marc Savoy and D. L. Menard. Louisiana Cajun Music.
Underneath the Green Oak Tree, Arhoolie 5019, LP (1977), cut#A.01 (Jolie Blon de Bayou)

5. Breaux, Amedee (Amidie). Acadian Two Step.
Vol. 2, Flyright Fly 610, LP (1989/reis), cut#A.01

6. Bruce, Dix. Mandolin Magazine, Mandolin Magazine, Ser (1999-), 1/4, p53

7. Choates, Harry. Original Cajun Fiddle of Harry Choates,
D D-7000, LP (196?/reis), cut# 1

8. Clark, Octa; and Hector Duhon. Old Time Cajun Music,
Arhoolie 5026, LP (1982/?), cut#B.01

9. Harmony Sisters. Harmony Pie, Flying Fish FF-248, LP (1981), cut# 13b


"Jolie Blonde"

Jolie Blonde by George Rodrigue

by the renowned Cajun Artist,
George Rodrigue

According to this page on his website:
A prisoner in Port Arthur wrote a song based on the legend
"Jolie Blonde" in the 1920s. It tells the story of a pretty
blonde woman who left her Cajun lover for someone else.

Reflections of Jolie Blonde    Jolie Blonde Beer    Jolie Blonde in the Garden

[Click on image to enlarge]

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Cajun Music Links


The ZydE-Magic - Cajun/Zydeco Music & Dance
http://users.erols.com/ghayman/
Gary Hayman's comprehensive site for Cajun
and Zydeco enthusiasts with extensive online
music files and free ZydE-Zine subscription

Cajun Life & Times
http://www.cajunlifeandtimes.com
UK online magazine edited by Laraine Bridges with
music news, reviews, UK & USA gig listings, recipes,
artist biographies, previous edition archives, etc

Clarence's Info on Cajun & Zydeco Music and Culture/
Clarence's Baton Rouge Information
http://www.cajunradio.org/
Extensive site compiled by Baton Rouge radio DJ, Clarence.

Louisiana Folk Roots
http://www.lafolkroots.org/
A non-profit organization, founded by Christine Balfa,
to foster, encourage, share and preserve traditional
expressions of Louisiana folk culture, with an emphasis
on Cajun and Creole heritage, through performances and
other types of related educational activities.

Cajun/Zydeco Music & Dance
http://www.bme.jhu.edu/~jrice/cz.html
Another site devoted to Cajun & Zydeco Music and Dance
throughout the world.

The Patsy Report
http://users.erols.com/ghayman/thepatsyreport.htm
Lafayette and New Orleans area Cajun
and Zydeco schedule and venue information,
updated (several times a week!) by Patsy Hebert

Cajun UK
http://www.cajunuk.co.uk
Provides a definitive, up-to-date, list
of all Cajun and Zydeco gigs in the UK

Forums/newsgroups/discussion lists etc

cajunzydecodance
http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/cajunzydecodance/
Mailing list dedicated to Cajun and Zydeco dance and music

cajun-fiddlers
http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/cajun-fiddlers/

Cajun Accordian Discussion Group
http://pub21.bravenet.com/forum/show.php?usernum=1722942123

Playing The Cajun Accordion Discussion Page
http://pub50.bravenet.com/forum/show.php?usernum=4254394652

rubboard
http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/rubboard/
for players of washboards, rubboards, frottoirs, stainless steel shirts, and corrugated abs

Zydeco Message Board
http://p210.ezboard.com/bzydeco

CZUnmod
http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/czunmod/
Cajun Zydeco Unmoderated

Cajun UK Message Board
http://members3.boardhost.com/cajunuk/

Note: If you have any comments about this page or can suggest additional
links or stories to add to this research, please write to Paul Castle

Tell a friend about this page


Lyrics/Song history research on other recordings by The Rosinators

Old Joe Clark
Orange Blossom Special
One Kind Favour
I Saw the Light (Hank Williams)
In My Time of Dyin'
Blue Ridge Mountain Blues
Cindy's Breakdown (aka Get Along Home Cindy)
Little Sadie
Looking for the Stone (aka Daniel Saw The Stone)

Stay Connected - Join the mailing list
Choose a **Free Download** by The Rosinators

Email Address:

Your email address will be for the exclusive use of The Rosinators and will not be
sold, rented, or disclosed to others without your consent (see our Privacy Policy)
Download a free high quality (192kbps) MP3 of 'Joli Blon' by The
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