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.
Ya Ya
Buckwheat Zydeco Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Waiting for my ya ya
Uh huh, uh huh
I'm sittin' here, la, la
Waiting for my ya ya
Uh huh, uh huh
It may sound funny
But I don't believe she's comin'
Baby hurry don't make me worry
Uh huh, uh huh
Yeah, baby hurry don't make me worry
Uh huh, uh huh
You know that I love you
Oh, how I love you
Uh huh, uh huh
I'm sittin' here, la, la
Waiting for my ya ya
Uh huh, uh huh
I'm sittin' here, la, la
Waiting for my ya ya
Uh huh, uh huh
It may sound funny
But I don't believe she's comin'
Uh huh, uh huh
Baby hurry don't make me worry
Uh huh, uh huh
Yeah, baby hurry don't make me worry
Uh huh, uh huh
You know how I love you
Oh, how I love you
Uh huh, uh huh
I'm sittin' here, la, la
Waiting for my ya ya
Uh huh, uh huh
I'm sittin' here, la, la
Waiting for my ya ya
Uh huh, uh huh
It may sound funny
But I don't believe she's comin'
Uh huh, uh huh
Baby hurry don't make me worry
Uh huh
Yeah, baby hurry don't make me worry
Uh huh, uh huh
The Buckwheat Zydeco song "Ya Ya" is a bluesy song about a man waiting for his significant other to arrive. The repetition of the phrase "I'm sittin' here, la, la, waiting for my ya ya, uh huh, uh huh" evokes an intense anticipation and longing for the arrival of his loved one. However, there is a sense of doubt and uncertainty in the lyrics, as he confesses, "It may sound funny, but I don't believe she's comin', uh huh, uh huh." This speaks to a fear of abandonment or betrayal, and the repeating lyrics of "Baby hurry don't make me worry, uh huh, uh huh, yeah, baby hurry don't make me worry, uh huh, uh huh" further emphasize this fear.
The song is more than just a simple love song, as it has deeper layers of emotion and complicated relationships beneath the surface. The use of repetition and simple lyrics help to create a sense of urgency and desperation in the singer's tone, while the use of blues stylings in the music evoke a sense of sadness and pain. Overall, "Ya Ya" is a song about love, fear, and uncertainty, and the complicated emotions that come with them.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, well, I'm sittin' here, la, la
I am patiently waiting here.
Waiting for my ya ya
I am waiting for my loved one to arrive.
Uh huh, uh huh
Affirming that I am waiting.
It may sound funny
This situation may seem unusual.
But I don't believe she's comin'
But I have doubts that my loved one will come.
Baby hurry don't make me worry
Please hurry, I am concerned.
Yeah, baby hurry don't make me worry
Repeat of the importance to hurry.
You know that I love you
I want my loved one to know I care deeply.
Oh, how I love you
Reiterating my strong feelings of love.
I'm sittin' here, la, la
I remain waiting patiently.
It may sound funny
Again acknowledging the unusual situation.
But I don't believe she's comin'
I am still feeling doubtful that my loved one will come.
Baby hurry don't make me worry
I am still waiting and concerned.
Yeah, baby hurry don't make me worry
Repeating the plea to hurry.
You know how I love you
My feelings of love have not changed.
Oh, how I love you
I still have strong feelings for my loved one.
I'm sittin' here, la, la
I am still waiting patiently.
It may sound funny
The situation remains unusual.
But I don't believe she's comin'
My doubts about my loved one's arrival persist.
Baby hurry don't make me worry
I am still eagerly waiting and getting more anxious.
Uh huh
Still affirming my patient persistence.
Yeah, baby hurry don't make me worry
Repeating my growing concern and urgency for my loved one to arrive.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Clarence L Lewis, Lee Dorsey, Morris Levy
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Stormy TheSpook
There are 'dislikes'! How can that be? How can anyone not feel their spirit lifted by this song? I can listen to it over and over again and can't stop grinning from ear to ear. Fab-u-lous.
raphael rousso
ooooo yyeeessss !
jdoe1988
I didn't bother disliking the song, even though I don't care for this version. I won't bother speaking for anyone else, but for me, this is just too different from Lee Dorsey's version to enjoy. To each his/her own.
cocobann Kidd
some folks were born without a spirit
TV MAX
Música linda!!! adoro esse grande artista!!!, OBRIGADO por postar!!!
Cheri's - Video Snippets
So glad I got to hear him and see him play this live!
Michelle Sedtal
Cheri's - Video Snippets tytedx,added lyre to be
Todd Haff
I played with buckwheat a few times on my harmonica on stage. The first place was in Lebanon opera house in New Hampshire, then again in Burlington VT. Being a follower of his music for many years, brought me pleasure to be able to play with him. I knew back then he had medical issues. Being respective, I will not share that information, that is up to the family to do so. I miss my dear friend badly. the world wont be the same without him. But he is still here. In our hearts, our minds, and is playing for god in heaven. God bless you Stanley.......From My heart......Todd
Troy Richard
danceanshowoff
Stephanie Gaspard
Todd Haff hello and thank u Soo much on behalf of us his family! I'm miss my dad so much as well