The band was formed in Nashville by co-leads Gary Bennett and Chuck Mead. Their music, referred to as alternative country or neotraditional, contains elements of western swing and rockabilly. They eschew modern Top 40 pop-country for a more raw, honky-tonk sound, with songs about 50s pin-up/dominatrix Bettie Page and The Ramones. They took their name from a telephone number regularly used in a Junior Samples sketch on the television show Hee Haw.
BR549 toured with Bob Dylan, the Mavericks, Junior Brown, the Black Crowes, and Brian Setzer. Whike on hiatus, multi-Instrumentalist Don Herron is touring with Bob Dylan, and lead vocalist Chuck Mead is performing with the honky-tonk country supergroup The Hillbilly All-Stars, along with Robert Reynolds and Paul Deakin of the Mavericks and solo recording artist/actor Mark Collie. Former co-lead vocalist, and co-founder, Gary Bennett released his solo debut, Human Condition, in February of 2006, and former bassist Geoff Firebaugh is a member of the Nashville based rockabilly outfit Hillbilly Casino. Despite shows in Europe in 2007 it's unclear if the band will return to its capacity as a full-time touring band.
The group disbanded, and Chuck, Shaw and Donnie returned to Lower Broadway to play weekly gigs with musical collective The Hillbilly All-Stars. The three were soon revitalized to again play music within an unpredictable scene, leading them to reform BR549 in 2004 with bassist Geoff Firebaugh and singer/guitarist Chris Scruggs for their Dualtone debut Tangled In The Pines. But following victorious tours of the U.S. and Europe (marred only by two separate thefts of their instruments and gear), BR549 was faced with their ultimate challenge when Donnie Herron was invited by Bob Dylan to become the new fiddle and steel guitar player in his band.
“It was a real test of our abilities as a family,” admits Mead. “Donnie went on the road with Dylan. Shaw moved to Arizona. I’d moved on to other projects. But for us, BR549 had always been something that needs to be respected and nothing we could ever take lightly.” Following months of heart-to-heart phone calls, plate-spinning scheduling and the addition of new bassist Mark Miller, the band finally convened in Athens to record in a way they never had before. “In the past, we’d always made a record coming off the road, with songs we’d been played for weeks and sometimes months on tour,” Chuck remembers “But this time, we were all coming in fresh, making the record then and there. It’s an album that’s truly in the moment.”
BR549 released six albums and two EPs, including three albums on Arista Nashville and two on Dualtone Records. The band's self-titled debut album produced three singles on the Billboard country charts in 1996. The band was nominated three times for the Grammy Award for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.
Cajun Persuasion
BR5-49 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Got me a cajun persuasion, you know she'd do me good
I wanna jump in my pirogue that's waitin' for me
Got me a cajun persuasion, I wanna go see my she
Follow all the highway signs
There's a sweet little brown-eyed woman down there
And I'm a-gonna make her mine
I ain't gonna let a little swamp stop me
Oh, nothin's gonna get in my way
I wanna let that bayou swallow me up
And listen to the fiddle play
I'm gonna listen to the fiddle play
Got me a cajun persuasion way back in the woods
Got me a cajun persuasion, you know she'd do me good
I wanna jump in my pirogue that's waitin' for me
Got me a cajun persuasion, I wanna go see my she
Well, she told me where her Mama and her Daddy lived
Way South of big K, oh, if you hit Lake Charles
You've gone too far, turn back at Evangeline
Well, I've been all around this great big world
But nothin' can compare
To the cajun feel of Jimmy C and sweet Mon Chere
Yeah, sweet, sweet Mon Chere
Oh, sweet, sweet Mon Chere
Got me a cajun persuasion way back in the woods
Got me a cajun persuasion you know she'd do me good
I wanna jump in my pirogue that's waitin' for me
Got me a cajun persuasion, I wanna go see my she
The lyrics to BR5-49's song Cajun Persuasion tell the story of the singer's desire to travel down to the Louisiana backwoods to see his beloved, who has a Cajun persuasion that he finds impossible to resist. He longs to jump in his pirogue and head down South to the Mississippi River to reach her, even if it means dealing with the swamp or getting lost along the way. The song's upbeat tempo and upbeat instrumental accompaniment help to bring the sense of adventure out of the lyrics.
It's worth noting that the song isn't about a specific person or place, but rather a love song to Cajun culture, the sounds, the spirit, the atmosphere of Louisiana, and the sense of romantic adventure that one can find there. In a sense, the Cajun persuasion mentioned in the title is a metaphor for the region's powerful mix of French, African, and Native American cultures.
The overall upbeat tone of the song fuels the lyrics with a sense of wanderlust and romance, making it an uplifting and entertaining tune to listen to. The song's lyrics encourage the listener to set aside any fears or misgivings they may have about visiting a new place or experiencing something new and different.
Line by Line Meaning
Got me a cajun persuasion way back in the woods
I have found myself attracted to the Cajun lifestyle and culture that exists deep in the woods.
Got me a cajun persuasion, you know she'd do me good
There is a woman who embodies the essence of the Cajun lifestyle and she would be good for me.
I wanna jump in my pirogue that's waitin' for me
I am eager to board my Cajun-style boat and set out on my adventure to see the woman.
Got me a cajun persuasion, I wanna go see my she
My attraction to the Cajun culture has led me to want to visit the woman who embodies it.
Head down South to the Mississippi River
I am traveling to the southern part of the United States where the Mississippi River flows.
Follow all the highway signs
I am paying attention to the signs that guide me on my journey to the woman.
There's a sweet little brown-eyed woman down there
The woman I am searching for is sweet and has brown eyes.
And I'm a-gonna make her mine
I am determined to win her heart and make her mine.
I ain't gonna let a little swamp stop me
I will not be deterred by any obstacle, including the swampy landscape that surrounds me.
Oh, nothin's gonna get in my way
Nothing will prevent me from reaching my destination.
I wanna let that bayou swallow me up
I desire to immerse myself in the beauty and mystery of the bayou.
And listen to the fiddle play
I want to be enveloped by the music of the Cajun-style fiddle.
I'm gonna listen to the fiddle play
I am intent on hearing the music that defines the Cajun culture.
Well, she told me where her Mama and her Daddy lived
The woman has given me information about the whereabouts of her parents.
Way South of big K, oh, if you hit Lake Charles
Her parents' home is located far to the south, well past a big town called 'K,' and just before Lake Charles.
You've gone too far, turn back at Evangeline
If I reach Evangeline, I have gone too far and should turn back to find the woman's parents' home.
Well, I've been all around this great big world
I have traveled extensively throughout the world.
But nothin' can compare
Despite my world travels, there is no experience that can compare to the unique culture and feel of the Cajun lifestyle.
To the cajun feel of Jimmy C and sweet Mon Chere
The essence of the Cajun culture is embodied in a person named Jimmy C and the woman I seek, 'sweet Mon Chere.'
Yeah, sweet, sweet Mon Chere
I am filled with affection for the woman I seek, 'sweet Mon Chere.'
Got me a cajun persuasion way back in the woods
My interest in the Cajun culture and lifestyle was sparked deep in the woods.
Got me a cajun persuasion you know she'd do me good
The woman who embodies the Cajun culture would be good for me and I am drawn to her.
I wanna jump in my pirogue that's waitin' for me
I am eager to board my Cajun-style boat and continue my journey to see the woman who has captured my heart.
Got me a cajun persuasion, I wanna go see my she
My interest in the Cajun culture and lifestyle has led me to want to visit the woman who embodies it.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Chuck Mead, Don Herron
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind