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.
Tutti Frutti
Buckwheat Zydeco Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Wop bop a loom a blop bam boom
Wop bop a loom a blop bam boom
Wop bop a loom a blop bam boom
Tutti frutti, oh rudy, tutti frutti, oh rudy
Tutti frutti, oh rudy, tutti frutti, oh rudy
Tutti frutti, oh rudy
Got a gal named Daisy
She almost drive me crazy
Got a gal named Daisy
She almost drive me crazy
Yes, she said she loves me, yes indeed
That little girl no good for me
Tutti frutti, oh rudy, tutti frutti, oh rudy
Tutti frutti, oh rudy
Wop bop a loom a blop bam boom
Got a gal named Sue
She don't know what to do
Got a gal named Sue
She don't know what to do
Now she said she loves me, yes indeed
That little girl no good for me
Tutti frutti, oh rudy, tutti frutti, oh rudy
Tutti frutti, oh rudy
Wop bop a loom a blop bam boom
Wop bop a loom a blop bam boom
Wop bop a loom a blop bam boom
Wop bop a loom a blop bam boom
Wop bop a loom a blop bam boom
Wop bop a loom a blop bam boom
Wop bop a loom a blop bam boom
Wop bop a loom a blop bam boom
Got a gal named Daisy
She almost drives me crazy
Got a gal named Daisy
She almost drives me crazy
Now she said she loves me, yes, indeed
That little girl no good for me
Tutti frutti, oh rudy, tutti frutti, oh rudy, ooh
Tutti frutti, oh rudy
Wop bop a loom a blop bam boom
Wop bop a loom a blop bam boom
Wop bop a loom a blop bam boom
Wop bop a loom a blop bam boom
The lyrics to Buckwheat Zydeco Ils Sont Partis Band's song "Tutti Frutti" seem to be a simple, repetitive combination of nonsensical syllables and the phrase "Tutti Frutti, oh rudy." However, there is more depth to these lyrics than meets the eye. The phrase "Tutti Frutti" is actually Italian for "all fruits," suggesting a combination or mixture of different elements. This concept is echoed throughout the song in the various names and actions of the girls mentioned.
The repetition of "Wop bop a loom a blop bam boom" serves not only as a catchy hook but also as an onomatopoeic representation of the excitement and energy of the music itself. As a zydeco band, Buckwheat Zydeco Ils Sont Partis Band specializes in upbeat, danceable music, and the lyrics reflect this with their repetitive, driving rhythm.
The lyrics also explore the themes of love and attraction, with the singer mentioning two different girls, Daisy and Sue, who both drive him crazy but are ultimately "no good for me." The repetition of these names and lines reinforces the idea of different elements coming together to form a whole, and the singer's frustration with the situation adds an emotional layer to an otherwise lighthearted song.
Line by Line Meaning
Wop bop a loom a blop bam boom
Expresses excitement and joy
Tutti frutti, oh rudy, tutti frutti, oh rudy
Refrain that adds a playful, nonsensical touch to the song
Tutti frutti, oh rudy, tutti frutti, oh rudy
Repetition of the refrain
Tutti frutti, oh rudy
Refrain that adds a playful, nonsensical touch to the song
Got a gal named Daisy
Introducing a character important to the song
She almost drive me crazy
Expressing the strong effect the character has on the singer
Got a gal named Daisy
Repetition of the introduction of the character
She almost drive me crazy
Repetition of the expression of the strong effect of the character on the artist
Yes, she said she loves me, yes indeed
Stating an important plot point
That little girl no good for me
Conveying the artist's conflict over the character
Tutti frutti, oh rudy, tutti frutti, oh rudy
Repetition of the refrain
Tutti frutti, oh rudy
Refrain that adds a playful, nonsensical touch to the song
Wop bop a loom a blop bam boom
Repeating the refrain from the beginning of the song
Got a gal named Sue
Introducing a second character important to the song
She don't know what to do
Describing the character's confusion or indecision
Got a gal named Sue
Repetition of the introduction of the character
She don't know what to do
Repetition of the description of the character's confusion or indecision
Now she said she loves me, yes indeed
Stating an important plot point
That little girl no good for me
Conveying the singer's conflict over the character
Tutti frutti, oh rudy, tutti frutti, oh rudy
Repetition of the refrain
Tutti frutti, oh rudy
Refrain that adds a playful, nonsensical touch to the song
Wop bop a loom a blop bam boom
Repeating the refrain from the beginning of the song
Wop bop a loom a blop bam boom
Repeating the refrain from the beginning of the song
Wop bop a loom a blop bam boom
Repeating the refrain from the beginning of the song
Wop bop a loom a blop bam boom
Repeating the refrain from the beginning of the song
Wop bop a loom a blop bam boom
Repeating the refrain from the beginning of the song
Got a gal named Daisy
Repetition of the introduction of the first character
She almost drives me crazy
Repetition of the expression of the strong effect of the character on the artist
Got a gal named Daisy
Repetition of the introduction of the first character
She almost drives me crazy
Repetition of the expression of the strong effect of the character on the singer
Now she said she loves me, yes, indeed
Stating an important plot point
That little girl no good for me
Conveying the artist's final judgment on the character
Tutti frutti, oh rudy, tutti frutti, oh rudy, ooh
Final repetition of the refrain
Tutti frutti, oh rudy
Final refrain that adds a playful, nonsensical touch to the song
Wop bop a loom a blop bam boom
Repeating the refrain from the beginning of the song
Wop bop a loom a blop bam boom
Repeating the refrain from the beginning of the song
Wop bop a loom a blop bam boom
Repeating the refrain from the beginning of the song
Wop bop a loom a blop bam boom
Repeating the refrain from the beginning of the song
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Dorothy Labostrie, Joe Lubin, Richard Penniman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Zenobia Chaney
on Mon Papa
I've always loved the Music in this Cajun Waltz-I Loved my grandpapas. I spent a lot of time with my grandparents and their generation.