Lyr Req: Pa Janvier (Dennis McGee)

Subject: Lyr Req: Pa Janvier (Dennis McGee)
From: Áine
Date: 27 Dec 02 - 09:33 AM

I'm looking for the original lyrics for Pa Janvier by Dennis McGee. I've got the 'new' lyrics written by Ann Savoy for the version performed by Patty Griffin on Evangeline Made - A Tribute to Cajun Music. The only other recording I could find was a live performance by Beau Soleil, which I've ordered but haven't received yet.

I've also posted a lyrics request on the Cajun French Music Association's Forum as well -- which is a wonderful place to pay a visit to, if you're at all interested in the Cajun songs.

Merci beaucoup en advance, Áine

Subject: Lyr Add: PA JANVIER (Dennis McGee)
From: Steve Benbows protege
Date: 27 Dec 02 - 11:24 AM

Here goes. These are the words off The Balfa Toujours album called "La Pointe." Dennis McGee was a very close friend to the Balfa clan.

PA JANVIER

Oh, Pa Janvier, donne-moi Pauline
Oh no, Pauline est trop jeune.
Oh, Pa Janvier c'est la seule que moi je l'aime.
Quais, c'est la seule que moi je l'aime dans tout le pays.
Oh, Pa Janvier, donne-moi Pauline
Tu vas me faire mourir si tu me la donnes pas,
Parce que je l'aime trop, je l'aime trop Pauline.
Oh, Pauline, ma chere petite Pauline
Que moi, j'aime autant.

Oh Pa Janvier, tu me fais trop du mai
Quand tu me refuses, tu me refuses, mais, Pauline,
Oh, Pa Janvier, tu me creves la coer*
Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye pour toujours.

N.B * The "O" and "E" are written into each other.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Pa Janvier (Dennis McGee)
From: Áine
Date: 27 Dec 02 - 11:31 AM

Thank you so much, SB'sp!! I really didn't think I'd get the lyrics so quickly -- shame on an 'old' 'Catter like me suspending my belief like that *BG*

All the best, Áine

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Pa Janvier (Dennis McGee)
From: Steve Benbows protege
Date: 27 Dec 02 - 11:32 AM

Oh, sorry I forgot to add this to last message. There are two very good books: 1) "Cajun Music A Reflection Of A People" by Ann Savoy. the ISBN is 0-930169-00-x.
2) " Ye Yaille, Chere" by Raymond E Francois. ISNB 0-9625542-0-0.
These are the Cajun bibles. They contain all the songs, chords and a history of the artists. The second book can be ordered off of amazon.

Subject: Lyr Add: PA JANVIER
From: masato sakurai
Date: 27 Dec 02 - 12:01 PM

This is the McGee version:

               PA JANVIER

1. O, Pa Janvier, donne-moi Pauline,
    Ô, Pauline, Pauline est trop jeune.
    O, Pa Janvier, donne-moi Pauline, moi,
    je va's la soigner bien, donne-moi Pauline.
    Oh, Pa Janvier, c'est la seule que moi,
    j'peux aimer, c'est Pauline,
    Pa Janvier, donne-moi Pauline.
    Oh y yaïe, si tu m'la donnes pas,
    ça va m'faire du mal,
    Pa Janvier, donne-moi Pauline.

2. Oh, elle n'est pas si vielle
    Mais je peux finir l'élever
    Oh, Pa Janvier, donne-moi Pauline.
    Oh, y yaïe, je peux pas te la donner,
    Elle est trop jeune pour moi te la donner en mariage
    Elle est trop jeune
    Oh, Pa Janvier, je va's finir de l'élever,
    Là, je va's marier, donne-moi Pauline.
    Oh, Pa Janvier, mon coeur est si gros,
    De désir de la Pauline, donne-moi Pauline.

(Lyrics transcribed by Anne Savoy and William Spires, from singing of Dennis McGee; 1st verse collected from Dennis by Will Spires; 2nd verse from live recording of Dennis, home of Anne Savoy)

SOURCE: Anne Allen Savoy, Cajun Music: A Reflection of a People, vol. 1 (Bluebird, 1984, pp. 59-60)

~Masato

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Pa Janvier (Dennis McGee)
From: masato sakurai
Date: 27 Dec 02 - 12:03 PM

Correction: Ann (Allen) Savoy

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Pa Janvier (Dennis McGee)
From: Áine
Date: 27 Dec 02 - 12:07 PM

Thank you too, Masato ;-)

And thank you both very, very much for the information on the resource materials!

All the best, Áine

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Pa Janvier (Dennis McGee)
From: Áine
Date: 28 Dec 02 - 01:47 PM

I have some additional information on this song in re BeauSoleil - I found another live recording (not the one I have on order) they'd done early in their career of this song, which they call by the name Pauline, and Michael Doucet introduces the song as Dennis McGee's.

However, the lyrics don't scan to either the Balfa Toujours version or the version provided by masato from Cajun Music: A Reflection of a People, vol. 1. This is becoming curiouser and curiouser. And yes, I do have enough Cajun left to know when the words I'm hearing don't jive with the words I'm reading *BG*

Like any good folk song writer worth his salt, apparently Msr. McGee changed the words when the mood struck him, depending on the audience he was singing to. The version by BeauSoleil that I have refers to Pauline as being only 'qatorze ans' (14 years old) - which definitely would make her too young to marry!

If anyone is interested, I'm going to try and find out when/where this recording was made. Ah heck, I might end up Msr. Doucet myself (who knows, we might even be related - don't laugh, it could happen *BG*)

All the best, Áine

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Pa Janvier (Dennis McGee)
From: Áine
Date: 28 Dec 02 - 01:53 PM

Here we go-- this is an 'editorial review' from amazon.com about the recording release, Vintage BeauSoleil that I was referring to in my posts above:

"Beausoleil's triumph as the world's finest Cajun band and one of America's most popular dance bands seems obvious now, but it wasn't so apparent in 1986. Back then Cajun music, like Cajun cuisine, was still an obscure oddity, and almost no Cajuns made a fulltime living at music. That was the year the five members of Beausoleil took the plunge by quitting their day jobs and hitting the road hard to carry the Cajun message to the rest of the world. Thirteen songs from 1986 and '87 shows have now been collected into an album called Vintage Beausoleil. Since Beausoleil thrives in a room full of sweaty dancers, this is an invaluable document of the band during its transition from hometown heroes in Lafayette, Louisiana, to international roots-music legends. --Geoffrey Himes"

-- Áine

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Pa Janvier (Dennis McGee)
From: Stewie
Date: 28 Dec 02 - 07:42 PM

Although it does not include 'Pa Janvier', there is a fine collection of 26 early McGee sides available on CD: Dennis McGee 'The Complete Early Recordings 1929-1930' Yazoo 2012. Its informative booklet consists mainly of an essay on McGee by Ann Savoy.

--Stewie.