Lyr Req: Bon Temps Roulle / Bon Ton Roullie

Subject: Bon Temps Roulle / Bon Ton Roullie
From: Yo
Date: 05 Jul 00 - 08:54 AM

I believe this is a Cajun kinda song. It's written by Clifton Chenier. Anyone got the lyrics? Or knows where I can find them? TIA Yo!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bon Temps Roulle / Bon Ton Roullie
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 05 Jul 00 - 08:01 PM

According to The Encyclopedia of Cajun Culture the correct French spelling of the familiar phrase is "Laissez les bons temps rouler!" ("Let the good times roll!"), but there have been song titles spelled "Bon Ton Roula" (aka "Bon Ton Roule") by Clarence Garlow, 1949, and "Bon Ton Rouley" by Lawrence Walker, ca. 1958. So far I have not been able to find lyrics to either of them, but maybe someone else will take up the search.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bon Temps Roulle / Bon Ton Roullie
From: GUEST,celticblues5
Date: 07 Jul 00 - 07:44 AM

Hi, guys, sorry, I'm on my way to work & don't have time to listen & transcribe the words right now, but Katie Webster does this song - you might try seeing if there is a website of her stuff with lyrics. If not, I'll try to post later tonight or tomorrow.

Subject: Lyr Add: BON TEMPS ROULER
From: Wolfgang
Date: 07 Jul 00 - 07:56 AM

I don't think this is what you want (though the title is a good match), but just in case, here is it.

Wolfgang

BON TEMPS ROULER
Paroles: Claude Lemesle, Musique: Michel Fugain


Dans la ville, vieille ville, Nouvelle-Orléans
Les corps se mélangent à chaque pas.
Tambours libres, tempo libre, libre accouplement,
La belle cuisine que voilà

Ce que ça dit là, c'est pas du bla-bla.
Ce que ça fait là, c'est pas voodoo mais y a de ça.

Groovez,groovez la-las,
Groovez jumbos, gumbos et ya-yas
Et 1,2,3,4, bon temps rouler là !
Groovez, groovez la-las,
Jacomo finane finit pas
Et 1,2,3,4, bon temps rouler là !

Dans la ville des Neville, Nouvelle-Orléans,
La musique en noir et blanc, c'est là.
Tout se tisse, tout métisse et frotte tout le temps,
La belle cuisine que voilà.

Ce que ça dit là, c'est pas du bla-bla.
Ce que ça fait là, c'est pas voodoo mais y a de ça.

Groovez,groovez la-las,
Groovez jumbos, gumbos et ya-yas
Et 1,2,3,4, bon temps rouler là !
Groovez, groovez la-las,
Jacomo finane finit pas
Et 1,2,3,4, bon temps rouler là !

Sous la lune, jaune lune, béni soit tout ça,
De l'Afrique chante encore la voix.
Vent créole, même Éole a jamais soufflé ça,
C'est musique et magique à la fois.

Ce que ça dit là, c'est pas du bla-bla.
Ce que ça fait là, c'est pas voodoo mais y a de ça.

Groovez,groovez la-las,
Groovez jumbos, gumbos et ya-yas
Et 1,2,3,4, bon temps rouler là !
Groovez, groovez la-las,
Jacomo finane finit pas
Et 1,2,3,4, bon temps rouler là !

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bon Temps Roulle / Bon Ton Roullie
From: Yo
Date: 07 Jul 00 - 06:14 PM

Sorry Wolfgang, that's not it. Thanks for the work you did though! The song I mean, and the version I know is sang by David Lindley..It's in English.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bon Temps Roulle / Bon Ton Roullie
From: bbelle
Date: 07 Jul 00 - 07:37 PM

REF

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bon Temps Roulle / Bon Ton Roullie
From: celticblues5
Date: 07 Jul 00 - 11:02 PM

Katie Webster's version - (really terrific, with lots of background chatter by the band)

Aye-yi-yi-yi-yi-yi-yi

See me there, I ain't no fool
One smart Frenchman, never been to school
Wanna get somewhere in Creole town
Stop & let me show you your way around

Let the Bon Ton Roulez
Let the [?moule boule?] (sounds like moulay-boulay)
Dontcha be no fool-ay
Let the Bon Ton Roulez

Wanna have yourselves some real fine fun
Go down in Loo-zee-anna & get you one
Find 'em cuttin' cane all down the line
I got a cotton-picker & he's really fine

(cho)

At the church bazaar or baseball game
French la-la, well it's all the same
Wanna have fun, you gotta go
Way out in the country to the zydeco

(cho)

Well, if you wanna know what "Bon Ton Roulez" really means
Just good time rollin' like you've never seen
Grab your gal and get in the groove
& when the feelin' hits you, all you do is move

(cho, rpt, etc)

Aye-yi-yi-yi-yi-yi-yi

HTML line breaks added. --JoeClone, 28-Nov-02.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bon Temps Roulle / Bon Ton Roullie
From: celticblues5
Date: 07 Jul 00 - 11:10 PM

ok, that didn't work too well. sorry it didn't come out in lines. the chorus is the part that begins "Let the Bon Ton Roulez." obviously, "(sounds like moulay-boulay)" was meant to be an insert. hope you can decipher my scratches. ;-)

I'm pretty sure I remember the Bon Ton Soul Accordian Band (from KC) doing this (one would hope so, with that name!), so if you have any of their stuff lying around, check it for the tune if you don't have Katie's.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bon Temps Roulle / Bon Ton Roullie
From: Yo
Date: 10 Jul 00 - 11:07 AM

Well, it's a realy good start celticblues5 !!! Lindley is hard to understand when he sings. So far so good, I'll fill in the blanks with improvising. I'll look a bit further, but thanks man!! (or girl!) Yo.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bon Temps Roulle / Bon Ton Roullie
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 28 Nov 02 - 09:12 AM

It looks like Chenier's version is called "Bon Ton Roulet" (Click the link to see CDNOW's list of titles, and follow the links to find sound samples.)

(I guess music publishers don't like to bother with correct French spelling.)

Unfortunately, my French isn't good enough to allow me to transcribe the sound samples.

I notice there are also versions spelled "Bon Ton Roula" "Bon Ton Roulie" -- and Ray Stevens has one called "Bon Temps Roulette" -- probably a deliberate pun.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bon Temps Roulle / Bon Ton Roullie
From: Mr Red
Date: 28 Nov 02 - 09:33 AM

I would bet on Rees Wesson being able to help. And very approachable.

He IS www.melodeons.com and fronts "Joe le Taxi" cajun band but he used to front the band "Bon Ton Roullee" cajun band. He can sell you a fine Castagnari Melodeon too...............

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bon Temps Roulle / Bon Ton Roullie
From: Dead Horse
Date: 28 Nov 02 - 03:01 PM

Sites for some Cajun lyrics,
http://www.brucedaigrepont.com/lyrics.htm

http://membres.lycos.fr/breric/cajun.htm

Subject: Lyr Add: LAISSE LE BON TEMPS ROULER (C. Chenier)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 30 Nov 02 - 11:54 AM

Click here to see the .gif file that contains both music and lyrics.

LAISSE LE BON TEMPS ROULER
Clifton Chesnier (sic - surely a mistake for Chenier?)

Hé, hé, vous-autr', on va s'amuser,
On va just' chercher un coin où laisser l'bon temps rouler.

R: Laiss' le bon temps rouler. Laiss' le bon temps rouler.
Y'a rien d'autr' a fair' qu'à laisser le bon temps rouler.

Mais rest' pas là, en travers d'la rout',
Viens donc t'amuser et laisser rouler l'bon temps.

[Here's my more literal than singable translation:]

Hey, hey, y'all, we're going to have fun.
We're gonna just find a corner and let the good times roll.

CHORUS: Let the good times roll. Let the good times roll.
There's nothing else to do but let the good times roll.

But don't stop there, in the middle of the road.
Come have some fun and let the good times roll.