The New York Times said,: “Stanley ‘Buckwheat’ Dural leads one of the best bands in America. A down-home and high-powered celebration, meaty and muscular with a fine-tuned sense of dynamics…propulsive rhythms, incendiary performances.” USA Today called him “a zydeco trailblazer.” Buckwheat Zydeco performed with a large number of famous musicians from Eric Clapton (with whom he also recorded) and U2 to the Boston Pops. The band performed at the closing ceremonies of the 1996 Summer Olympics to a worldwide audience of three billion people. Buckwheat performed for President Clinton twice, celebrating both of his inaugurations. The band appeared on the Late Show with David Letterman, CNN, The Today Show, MTV, NBC News, CBS Morning News, National Public Radio’s Weekend Edition.
Dural was born in Lafayette, Louisiana. He acquired his nickname as a youth, because, with his braided hair, he looked like the character Buckwheat from Our Gang/The Little Rascals movies. His father, a farmer, was an accomplished amateur traditional Creole accordion player, but young Dural preferred listening to and playing rhythm and blues.
Dural became proficient at the organ, and by the late 1950s he was backing Joe Tex, Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown and many others.
In 1971, he founded Buckwheat & the Hitchhikers, a funk band that he led for five years before switching to zydeco. They were a local sensation and found success with the single, “It’s Hard To Get,” recorded for a local Louisiana-based label.
He began backing Clifton Chenier, one of the most legendary zydeco performers. Though not a traditional zydeco fan when growing up, Buckwheat accepted an invitation in 1976 to join Clifton Chenier’s Red Hot Louisiana Band as organist. He quickly discovered the popularity of zydeco music, and marveled at the effect the music had on the audience. “Everywhere, people young and old just loved zydeco music,” Dural says. “I had so much fun playing that first night with Clifton. We played for four hours and I wasn’t ready to quit.”
Dural's relationship with the legendary Chenier led him to take up the accordion in 1978. After practicing for a year, he felt ready to start his own band under the name Buckwheat Zydeco. They debuted with One for the Road in 1979 on the Blues Unlimited label and then recorded for New Orleans’ Black Top label. In 1983, they were nominated for a Grammy Award for Turning Point and in 1985 for Waitin’ For My Ya Ya after switching to the Rounder Records label. The band then signed to Island Records, becoming the first zydeco act on a major label, and released On a Night Like This, a critically acclaimed album that was nominated for a Grammy as well. The band appeared in the movie The Big Easy in 1987.
In 1988, Eric Clapton invited the band to open his North American tour as well as his 12-night stand at London’s Royal Albert Hall. As even more doors opened, Buckwheat found himself sharing stages and/or recording with Keith Richards, Robert Plant, Willie Nelson, Mavis Staples, David Hidalgo, Dwight Yoakam, Paul Simon, Ry Cooder, the Cherry Poppin' Daddies and many others, including indie music stalwarts Yo La Tengo on the soundtrack to the Bob Dylan bio-pic, I'm Not There. His music has been featured in films including The Waterboy, The Big Easy, Fletch Lives and Hard Target. BET’s show Comic View, used his live version of “What You Gonna Do?” as theme music for the program’s 10th anniversary “Pardi Gras” season. He also wrote and performed the theme music for the PBS television series Pierre Franey’s Cooking In America. Buckwheat won an Emmy for his music in the CBS TV movie, Pistol Pete: The Life And Times Of Pete Maravich.
Buckwheat Zydeco has played many major music festivals, including the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (numerous times), Newport Folk Festival, Summerfest, San Diego Street Scene, Bumbershoot, Montreux Jazz Festival, the Voodoo Experience, and countless others.
During the 1990s and early 2000s Buckwheat recorded for his own Tomorrow Recordings label and maintained an extensive touring schedule. Buckwheat Zydeco's latest album, Lay Your Burden Down, was released on May 5, 2009 on the Alligator Records label. It was produced by Steve Berlin of Los Lobos and included guest appearances by guitarists Warren Haynes and Sonny Landreth, Trombone Shorty, JJ Grey and Berlin himself. The album was nominated for a Grammy Award. Sonicboomers.com says, “The CD is a vastly entertaining and appealingly diverse package. Bandleader Dural remains an ever-engaging vocalist and a whiz on any keyboard he touches. So, for Buckwheat Zydeco fans, Lay Your Burden Down finds the maestro and his group near the top of their form. For listeners with less interest in the ol' accordion get-down, the collection supplies enough interesting wrinkles to get the good times rolling."
Buckwheat’s especially powerful and haunting version of the classic "Cryin' in the Streets" appears on the benefit album for Hurricane Katrina recovery, Our New Orleans: A Benefit Album for the Gulf Coast.
Buckwheat's version of Memphis Minnie and Kansas Joe McCoy's "When the Levee Breaks" appeared on 2011's Alligator Records 40th Anniversary Collection. It originally appeared on the 2009 Buckwheat Zydeco album Lay Your Burden Down.
Stanley “Buckwheat” Dural Jr. died on September 24, 2016, at Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center. Dural, who had lung cancer, was 68.
Hey Joe
Buckwheat Zydeco Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hey Joe, I said where you goin' with that gun in your hand, oh
I'm goin' down to shoot my old lady
You know I caught her messin' 'round with another man
Yeah, I'm goin' down to shoot my old lady
You know I caught her messin' 'round with another man
Huh! and that ain't cool
Huh hey hoe, I heard you shot your mama down
Hey Joe, I heard you shot your lady down
You shot her down in the ground yeah!
Yeah!
Yes, I did, I shot her
You know I caught her messin' round messin' round town
Huh, yes I did I shot her
You know I caught my old lady messin' 'round town
And I gave her the gun
And I shot her
Alright
Shoot her one more time again baby!
Yeah!
Oh dig it
Oh alright
Hey Joe,
Where you gonna run to now where you gonna go
Hey Joe, I said
Where you gonna run to now where you gonna go
I'm goin' way down south
Way down to Mexico way
Alright
I'm goin' way down south
Way down where I can be free
Ain't no one gonna find me
Ain't no hang-man gonna
He ain't gonna put a rope around me
You better believe it right now
I gotta go now
Hey, Joe
You better run on down
Goodbye everybody
Hey hey Joe
The lyrics of Buckwheat Zydeco's song "Hey Joe" tells the story of a man who is going to shoot his old lady for cheating on him with another man. The song starts with "Hey Joe, where you goin' with that gun of your hand?" which essentially sets the stage for the rest of the song. It is as if the singer is asking the man where he is going with the gun he is wielding on his hand. The man's response is "I'm going down to shoot my old lady, You know I caught her messing 'round with another man" and from there, the song picks up the pace.
The chorus of the song is very intriguing as it goes, "Hey Joe, I heard you shot your lady down, you shot her down to the ground, yeah!" And the man's response is "Yes, I did, I shot her, you know I caught her messin' round messin' round town." He adds, "And I gave her the gun and I shot her," implying that he gave her the gun to protect herself, but she possibly used it against him, which prompted him to retaliate. The song ultimately ends with Joe running down to Mexico to escape punishment for his actions.
It is important to note that the song's lyrics do not promote violence or killing of one's partner but instead tell the story and consequences of such actions. The song is thought-provoking and is an indication of the consequences of infidelity.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey Joe, where you goin' with that gun of your hand
Joe, where are you going with that gun you are holding?
I'm goin' down to shoot my old lady, You know I caught her messin' 'round with another man
I am going to shoot my partner because I caught them cheating.
Hey Joe, I heard you shot your lady down, You shot her down in the ground yeah!
Joe, I heard that you shot your partner and she is now dead and buried.
Where you gonna run to now where you gonna go
Where do you plan to run away to now?
I'm goin' way down south, Way down to Mexico way
I plan to escape to Mexico where no one can find me.
Ain't no one gonna find me, Ain't no hang-man gonna, he ain't gonna put a rope around me
No one will be able to find me or execute me by the death penalty.
Hey, Joe You better run on down, Goodbye everybody Hey hey Joe
Joe, you should hurry along and say goodbye because you have committed a serious crime.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Billy Roberts
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Dirty South TV
Rest In Peace...thank you eternally for sharing your music with us.
Aloise Mason
A legend of music and song..phenomenal..a great musician,plays to the fans and excites them
Musicman46
Buckwheat Zydeco is in a squeezebox dream of his own. Great performer to watch AUTHENTIC BLUES that won't let you go! Grabs you like no other music played in history of mankind! RIP
Rafiki Webster
I was fortunate, to have opportunity to sing this song on stage, with Buckwheat Zydeco at the Sierra Nevada Brewery in 2006
Colerain Fan
I have loved this song since the first time I heard it on Are You Experienced. Dozens have covered it, but Stanley's is better than anybody. My all time favorite.
gep015
I'm not saying it is better than Jimmy's version. But I enjoy it more. My taste...
Brandoch Garage
Love Buckwheat Zydeco. Saw him live once, and it was great. Horn section, washboard dude and all. Excellent fun. The place was jumping from first note to last.
maynardmoleman
RIP Buckwheat....your spirit lives on in us all that knew you
mark501w
The best version of "Hey Joe" ever done!
The Grambs Official
Agree 100% since the first time I heard it some 15 years ago...