In 1969, Ray Benson and Lucky Oceans (Reuben Gosfield) co-founded Asleep at the Wheel in Paw Paw, West Virginia, and soon after they found themselves opening for Alice Cooper and Hot Tuna in Washington, DC.[1] A year later, they moved to East Oakland, California at the invitation of Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen. After being mentioned in Rolling Stone magazine by Van Morrison, they landed a record deal with United Artists. In 1973, their debut album, Comin' Right At Ya was released by United Artists. At the request of Willie Nelson, they left Oakland for Austin in 1974.
Ray Benson and Asleep at the Wheel have been presented numerous awards throughout their career. Most recently, the 16th Annual Midsouth Regional Emmy Award for the making of "A Ride With Bob", recognition by Mayor Kirk Watson of Austin, Texas, and the Darrel K. Royal Music Patron Award by The Texas Heritage Songwriters' Association. In 2007, The Austin Chronicle recognized Asleep at the Wheel for Band of the Year, Best Country Band, and into their Hall of Fame. Benson was inducted into the Austin Music Hall of Fame in 2002, was given The Texas Music Association Lifetime Achievement Award in 1996, and recognized as an Outstanding Producer by the National Academy of Recording Arts in 1988. He has also been given numerous Citations of Achievement by Broadcast Music, Inc. for his work in the country music field. Ray Benson and Asleep at the Wheel have been one of the strongest names in Country Music for the last forty years.
Jambalaya
Asleep at the Wheel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Me gotta go pole the pirogue down the bayou.
My Yvonne, the sweetest one, me oh my oh
Son of a gun, we'll have big fun on the bayou.
[Chorus]
Jambalaya and a crawfish pie and fillet gumbo
'Cause tonight I'm gonna see my ma cher amio
Son of a gun, we'll have big fun on the bayou.
Thibodaux, Fontaineaux, the place is buzzin'
Kinfolk come to see Yvonne by the dozen
Dress in style and go hog wild, me oh my oh
Son of a gun, we'll have big fun on the bayou.
[Chorus]
Settle down far from town, get me a pirogue
And I'll catch all the fish in the bayou
Swap my mon to buy Yvonne what she need-o
Son of a gun, we'll have big fun on the bayou.
[Chorus]
The lyrics to Asleep at the Wheel's song "Jambalaya" tell the story of a man who has to leave his city and lover, Yvonne, to go down to the bayou. He's sad to be saying goodbye to Joe, but he has to go pole his pirogue (a type of small canoe) down the bayou. Yvonne is described as the sweetest one, and together they will have big fun on the bayou with a crawfish pie, fillet gumbo, and jambalaya. The chorus is a joyous celebration of music and food, with the singer planning to pick guitar, fill fruit jars, and be gay.
The second verse describes the town of Thibodaux, where Yvonne is from. The place is described as buzzing with kinfolk coming to see her by the dozen. The people there dress in style, and things get wild. The chorus repeats the celebration of food and music, along with the promise of big fun on the bayou. The final verse talks about settling down far from town and getting a pirogue to catch all the fish in the bayou. The singer will swap his money to buy Yvonne what she needs, and together they'll have big fun on the bayou.
Overall, the song paints a vivid picture of life in Louisiana, with its celebration of the food and music of the region. It's an upbeat, joyful tune that captures the essence of Cajun culture.
Line by Line Meaning
Good-bye, Joe, me gotta go, me oh my oh
Farewell, Joe, I must leave now, oh dear
Me gotta go pole the pirogue down the bayou.
I need to row my boat down the river.
My Yvonne, the sweetest one, me oh my oh
My beloved Yvonne, the sweetest person I've ever met.
Son of a gun, we'll have big fun on the bayou.
Wow! We're going to have a lot of fun on the river!
Jambalaya and a crawfish pie and fillet gumbo
We'll be eating delicious food like Jambalaya, crawfish pie, and gumbo.
'Cause tonight I'm gonna see my ma cher amio
Because tonight I'm going to see my 'my dear friend'
Pick guitar, fill fruit jar and be gay-o
Play some music, fill up a jar with fruit and be joyful.
Thibodaux, Fontaineaux, the place is buzzin'
Thibodaux, Fontaineaux, it's a lively place.
Kinfolk come to see Yvonne by the dozen
Family members come to see Yvonne in large numbers.
Dress in style and go hog wild, me oh my oh
Wear fancy clothes and party hard!
Settle down far from town, get me a pirogue
Find a peaceful spot far away from the city, and get a boat.
And I'll catch all the fish in the bayou
I'll catch all the fish swimming in the river.
Swap my mon to buy Yvonne what she need-o
Exchange my money, to purchase needed things for Yvonne.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ben - Moderator
The issue with search on Firefox is now resolved.
Ben - Moderator
Sorry about that Eddie - we will resolve this very soon. In the meantime you should still be able to paste a search into the search box. I'll update you here.
Eddie
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