The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #220   Message #3656834
Posted By: Joe Offer
04-Sep-14 - 04:55 AM
Thread Name: Lyr Req: Jole Blon / Jolie Blonde / Jolie Blon
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jole Blon / Jolie Blonde / Jolie Blon
Here's the Traditional Ballad Index entry on this song. It cites only one example, from Page 351 of Norm Cohen's American Folk Songs: A Regional Encyclopedia. The version in the Digital Tradition is a near-exact transcription of the version in Cohen. Cohen's notes say the song was first recorded in 1929 by Amedee Breaux, supposedly about one of his wives, but his stepson stated it was his sister and accompanist Cleoma Breaux who actually wrote the words.

Here are the Digital Tradition lyrics:

JOLIE BLONDE

Pretty blonde, look at what you've done
You left me to go
To go with another than me
What hope and what future can I have?

Pretty blonde, you left me all alone
To go back to your family
If you hadn't listened to the advice of the others
You'd be here with me today.

Pretty blonde, you thought you were the only one
You're not the only one in the world for me to love
I will find another pretty blonde
God knows, that I love so much.

Pretty blonde, to die would be nothing
It's just staying in the ground for a long time
I don't know what I'll do if you don't come back, baby
Come back to me in Louisiana.


JOLIE BLONDE
Traditional

Jolie Blonde, 'gardez donc, quoi t'as fait
Tu m'as quitte' pour t'en aller
Pour t'en aller avec un autre, oui, que moi
Quel espoir et quel av'nir mais moi je peux avoir?

Jolie blonde, tu m'as laisse' moi tout seul
Pour t'en aller chez ta famille
Si t'aurais pas ecoute' tous les conseils de les autres
Tu serais ici avec moi aujourd'hui.

Jolie blonde, tu croyais il y avait juste toi
Il y'a pas juste toi dans le pays pour moi aimer
Je va's trouver juste une autre jolie blonde
Bon Dieu sait, moi, j'aime tant.

Jolie blonde, mourir, ca serait pas rien
C'est de rester dans la terre aussi longtemps
Moi j'vois pas quoi faire si tu reviens pas, be'be'
T'en revenir avec moi dans la Louisiane.

@Cajun
filename[ JOLIBLON
TUNE FILE: JOLIBLON
CLICK TO PLAY
GG
apr97



And here's the Traditional Ballad Index entry:

Jolie Blonde

DESCRIPTION: Cajun French. "Jolie Blonde, 'gardez donc, quoi t'as fait...." The singer accuses his "pretty blonde" of running off with someone else, and asks what future he can have. He declares that he will find another pretty blonde -- then asks her to come back
AUTHOR: Amadee and/or Cleoma Breaux
EARLIEST DATE: 1929 (recording, Amadee Breaux et al)
KEYWORDS: foreignlanguage love separation
FOUND IN: US
REFERENCES (1 citation):
Cohen-AFS1, p. 351, "Ma Blonde Est Partie (Jolie Blonde)" (1 text)
File: CAFS1351

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