Lyr Add: I Woke Up One Morning in May

Subject: transcription: I Woke Up One Morning
From:
Date: 17 Mar 05 - 12:50 AM

I've made an attempt at transcribing the lyrics to Didier Hebert's "I Woke Up One Morning in May" (on the Harry Smith Anthology vol. 3). I'm no sort of expert in Louisiana French (which is very different from the French you learn in classes!), but I feel confident that I got at least four fifths of it right. Does anyone out there know of other transcriptions of this song, or would like to check my interpretation themself? If you have any suggestions for corrections, please let me know! Here's what I got, followed by a translation that's not totally literal. (Note: The Savoy-Doucet Cajun Band recorded a different version of this song under the name "Baby and the Gambler" on their album "Home Music with Spirits".)

Je me suis réveillé un matin de mai,
Mais bien de beau matin;
C'était pour passer
Mais un beau jour dans ma vie.

Oh j'ai trouvé mon père après pleurer,
Ma mère qui pleurait dans ses bras.
C'est adieu pour longtemps,
Je me donnes à un jeune garçon.

Oh moi je l'aimais beaucoup,
Beaucoup plus que ma vie.
Il m'avait fait une promesse,
C'est une promesse j'étais sa femme.

Oh j'ons ferait des enfants,
Il m'a quitté dès un an pourtant;
Moi bien malade dans mon lit,
Et mes enfants après crêve faim.

Et mon mari en la taverne après gambler,
Et moi je ne souhaît que la mort;
C'est tous ces jeunes bébés, grand Dieu,
Dans les jambes de moi

Oh mettez-vous tous vous autres à méfier
De tous ces jeunes garçons;
Ça, ça conte autant de menteries
Qu'en a d'étoiles dans le ciel.

Oh quand je fus à l'age de quatorze ans,
J'après m'y serais avec toi,
Et dès de jour en jour
Mais moi je m'en vas dans l'abandon.

Oh moi je connais je m'en vas dans ces grands chemins,
M'y serai moi toute seule,
Et dès je suis une délaissée
Mais que fassons une veuve de moi.

---------

I woke up one morning in May, very early;
It was to spend a fine day of my life.

Oh I found my father crying, my mother crying in his arms.
Farewell for a long time, I'm giving myself to a young man.

Oh I loved him very much, much more than my life.
He made me a promise that I was his wife.

Oh we had children, he left me a year ago nevertheless.
Me sick in bed, and my children dying of hunger;

And my husband in the tavern gambling, and I just wish I was dead;
It's all those young babies, great God, around my legs.

All you girls, don't trust those young men --
They tell as many lies as there are stars in the sky.

When I was fourteen years old, I was always with you;
Since then, from day to day I'm left more alone.

Oh I know I'm going on the highways, I'll be there all alone,
And since I'm a deserted wife, I wish someone would make me a widow.

Subject: RE: transcription: I Woke Up One Morning
From: Joe Offer
Date: 17 Mar 05 - 05:55 AM

I don't know that we have anybody who could do a better transcription, but it sure is an interesting song. Might you be willing to post the Savoy-Doucet version?
-Joe Offer-

Subject: Lyr Add: Baby and the Gambler
From:
Date: 17 Mar 05 - 01:06 PM

With regard to "Baby and the Gambler", here's the lyrics and translation the Savoy-Doucet Cajun Band themselves provided in the liner notes to "Home Music with Spirits":

Mon bébé est malade couché dans le lit
Mon mari au gamblage ce soir surement.
Il m'a dit des menteries autant qu'(il y a d)es étoiles. (2x)

Juste avant j'suis mariée
Mes joues étaient roses
Et après j'suis mariée
(Ils) sont plus vertes que des choux
Ma maman m'a dit, "Quo' faire fu me quittes
Ma chère 'tite fille pour te marier?"
J'ai répondu, "Ouais, ma chère maman,
Mais tu connais, donc, que je l'aime trop gros."

Mais surement, si j'aurais connu tout ça,
Mais j'aurais écouté ma chère maman.
Mon bébé est malade, il pleur dans le lit,
Il appelle pour toi mais tu viens pas à lui.

---------

My baby is sick, bedded down in his bed
My husband is out gambling, surely.
He told me more lies than there are stars. (2x)

Just before I got married my cheeks were pink
And since I'm married they are greener than cabbage
My mama said to me, "Why are you leaving me,
My dear little girl, to get married?"
I answered, "Dear mama,
But you know that I love him too much."

Surely if I had known all this
I would have listened to my dear mother.
My baby is sick, he is crying in the bed,
He's crying for you but you won't come to see him.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: I Woke Up One Morning in May
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 17 Mar 05 - 02:23 PM

A vivid, expressive song!
Marc Savoy learned accordion (his grandfather was a fiddler) from musicians in the neighborhood of the rice farm where he was raised. He went to university and earned a degree in Chemical Engineering, but wished to stay in Louisiana, and keep up his interest in music and accordions. He opened up a music store, and built accordions full-time, using quality materials to re-inforce his art. The instruments were relatively expensive, so it was some time before their superiority was recognized.
From B. J. Ancelet, 1984, "The Makers of Cajun Music, Musiciens cadiens et créoles," Univ. Texas Press.

Nothing found on Didier Hebert in that volume.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: I Woke Up One Morning in May
From: GUEST,Liz
Date: 13 Jan 09 - 03:19 PM

Looks good to me!
I'm on a hunt to find the guitar chords!!!! X.X
Anyone know them?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: I Woke Up One Morning in May
From: GUEST,mathias
Date: 14 Dec 09 - 09:40 AM

This song is actually amazing and it hypnotized me a long time ago. Being French, I tried to check the transcription. Here are a few corrections I suggest, but aren't any Cajun people around to check that?

Je me suis levé matin dans Mai
Mais bien de bon matin
C'était pour passer
Mais un beau jour dans ma vie.

Oh j'ai trouvé mon père en train de pleurer,
Ma mère qui pleurait dans ses bras.
C'est adieu pour longtemps,
Je me donnes à un jeune garçon.

Oh moi je l'aimais beaucoup,
Beaucoup plus que ma vie.
Il m'avait fait une promesse,
Et cette promesse c'est d'être sa femme

Oh j'ons ferait des enfants,
Il m'a quitté d'un abandon;
Moi bien malade dans mon lit,
Et mes enfants là crèvent de faim

Et mon mari à la table après gambler,
Et moi je ne souhaît que la mort;
C'est tous ces jeunes bébés, grand Dieu,
Dans les jambes de moi

Oh mettez pas tout votre amitié
Dessus ces jeunes garçons;
Ça raconte autant de menteries
Qu'on a d'étoiles dans le ciel.

Oh depuis dans l'âge de quatorze ans
J'après m'y serais avec toi,
Et dès de jour en jour
Mais moi je m'en vas dans l'abandon.

Oh moi je connais je m'en vas dans ces grands chemins,
M'y serai moi toute seule,
Et dès je suis une délaissée
Mais que personne en veut de moi.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: I Woke Up One Morning in May
From: GUEST
Date: 21 Feb 11 - 06:38 PM

I think the first translation is correct in the first line of the second stanza. We would say "apres pleurer," not "en train de pleurer" here (Louisiana).

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: I Woke Up One Morning in May
From: GUEST
Date: 18 Dec 14 - 11:00 AM

Anyone interested in the Babe and the Gambleur that is discussed here should check out the Blind Uncle Gaspard and Delma Lachney recording that predates Savoy's version.
I'm so happy to find both of these transcriptions here-- nicely done and thank you for sharing.
cheers

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: I Woke Up One Morning in May
From: Levana Taylor
Date: 14 Jul 19 - 12:00 AM

Original poster, here. Since people on this thread and elsewhere have corrected my French, I'll amend my English translation.

Je me suis levé un matin dans mai / Mais bien de bon matin
I got up one morning in May / very early
C'était pour passer / Mais un beau jour dans ma vie.
It was to pass / a fine day in my life.

Oh j'ai trouvé mon père après pleurer, / Ma mère qui pleurait dans ses bras.
Oh I found my father crying, / My mother crying in his arms
C'est adieu pour longtemps, / Je me donne à un jeune garçon.
It's farewell for a long time, / I'm giving myself to a young man.

Oh moi je l'aimais beaucoup, / Beaucoup plus que ma vie.
Oh, I loved him very much, / Much more than my life.
Il m'avait fait une promesse, / Et cette promesse c'est d'être sa femme
He made me a promise, / And that promise was to be his wife.

Oh j'ons fait(?) des enfants, / Il m'a quitté d'un abandon;
We had children, / He left me abandoned;
Moi bien malade dans mon lit, / Et mes enfants là crèvent de faim.
I'm sick in bed, / And my children are dying of hunger.

Et mon mari à la table après gambler, / Et moi je ne souhaît que la mort;
And my husband at the table gambling, / And I just wish I was dead;
C'est tous ces jeunes bébés, / Grand Dieu, dans les jambes de moi
It's all these young babies, / Great God, around my legs.

Oh mettez pas tout votre amitié / Dessus ces jeunes garçons;
Oh don't entrust all your love / To those boys;
Ça raconte autant de menteries / Qu'on a d'étoiles dans le ciel.
They tell as many lies / As there are stars in the sky.

Oh depuis dans l'âge de quatorze ans / J'après miséré avec toi,
Since the age of fourteen years / I'm living in misery [poverty] with you
Et dès de jour en jour / Mais moi je m'en vas dans l'abandon.
And since then from day to day / I'm more and more abandoned (?).

Oh moi je connais je m'en vas dans ces grands chemins, / M'y serai moi toute seule,
Oh I know that I'm going on the highways, / I'll be there all alone;
Et dès je suis une délaissée / Mais que personne en veut de moi.
And that since I've become a deserted wife / No one wants me.

-------------

Apropos of the very last line, which I originally misheard as the startling statement "I wish someone would make me a widow," I'm delighted beyond measure to find that when the French-American group Moriarty and the Swiss-Cajun group Mama Rosin perform this song, they use my line, even though as French speakers they must know it's not the original ... It wouldn't be the first time that an interesting variant was introduced to the folk process by a mishearing.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: I Woke Up One Morning in May
From: Levana Taylor
Date: 14 Jul 19 - 11:38 AM

OK, 2 more small corrections. Spelling, next-to-last verse, line 2: "J'après misérer avec toi." Interpretation: line 2 of the last verse could be "Misérée moi toute seule" in which case the translation would be "... on the highways, poor, all alone."