The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #19615   Message #200950
Posted By: simon-pierre
24-Mar-00 - 05:59 PM
Thread Name: Origins: Jambalaya (Hank Williams)
Subject: ADD: Jambalaya
JAMBALAYA (in French)

Au revoir Joe, je dois partir, me oh my oh
Il faut que descende le bayou sur cette pirogue
Ma Yvonne, la plus douce, me oh my oh
[Son of a gun] on va bien s'amuser sur le bayou

Jambalaya, paté d'écrevisse et filet gumbo
Car ce soir je vais voir ma chère amie-o
Prend la guitare, sert-nous à boire et sois gai-o
[Son of a gun], on va bien s'amuser sur le bayou

Thibodeaux, Fontaineaux, la place s'anime
Kinfolk vient voir Yvonne à travers la foule
Bien mis, il fait le fou, me oh my oh
[Son of a gun] on va bien s'amuser ce soir sur le bayou


Here's a new translation made with your help. I kept the second line as it was, cause I don't know how to improve it (but I undertstood what you meant), and doesn't alterate the meaning. The third chorus line sounds better like this. «Machez à mi-o» - I changed, with bert's suggestion, «ma chère à moi» for «ma chère amie». Also for a better sound, the last line could be like this: «Son of a gun, on aura du fun sur le bayou», wich is more «vernacular» french. The word «fun» is very often used in Québec, and may be in Louisiana.

Simon-Pierre