The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #6604   Message #1243670
Posted By: Nerd
09-Aug-04 - 08:44 PM
Thread Name: Lyr Req: Lakes of Ponchartrain (from Sam Henry)
Subject: RE: Sam Henry's 'Lakes Of Ponchartrain'
Actually, historically the word "Creole" is hard to pin down. It also simply meant American-born French descendants who were white, especially around New Orleans. "Creole food" usually refers to food from this group, for example. So there is no real evidence in most versions of the song whether the girl is black or white, although in the above text her hair is yellow which (in those days) almost certainly meant white.