His song Dark and Deep was selected for inclusion on Songs Inspired By Literature, Chapter One, a benefit CD to raise money for adult literacy campaigns. Other artists on that CD include Suzanne Vega, Aimee Mann, Grace Slick and Bruce Springsteen.
David has performed on the main stage of the internationally known Kerrville Folk Festival, and he was featured as the headline act at the 2004 Auckland Folk Festival. While there he was awarded lifetime membership in the Guitar Association of New Zealand, only the third international performer to be given that honor in the history of the organization.
David is the co-founder and director of Proyecto para las Escuelas Guatemaltecas, a non-profit organization that funds projects to improve schools in Guatemala. For more info, check the web site: www.pegpartners.org.
In the last year LaMotte has published a children's book based on his award-winning children's song S.S. Bathtub, a live concert DVD and a retrospective collection of Peace and Justice songs from his previous records, as well as his latest CD, Change, a collaborative project with cellist Stephanie Winters.
Dans La Louisiane
David LaMotte Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It blows down in the autumn and it washes out to sea
It dances on the waves there like a distant memory
Dans la Louisiane
I had played my songs and packed my gear and still I felt all right
So I parked down by the water and I wandered through the night
Where the streetsigns all speak Friench beneath the shimmering streetlights
And the moon it shone so brightly I couldn't find a star
And the music flowed like sunshine from the fiddle and guitar
But the light that glowed within us was the warmest light by far
Je dois dire que je vous aime bien
So I'm writing down this simple song with nothing much to say
Except I'm thankful for the music and the privilege to play
But most of all I'm grateful just to get to spend this day
Dans la Louisiane
And the moon it shone so brightly I couldn't find a star
And the music flowed like sunshine from the fiddle and guitar
But the light that glowed within us was the warmest light by far
Je dois dire que je vous aime bien
Dans la Louisiane
Dans la Louisiane
The song “Dans La Louisiane” by David LaMotte is an ode to the vibrant culture and music of south Louisiana. In the first verse, the moonlight is personified as something that is alive and growing on trees. It is as if the moonlight is a tangible thing that can be touched and felt. The second line mentions how this moonlight “washes out to sea”, which is a metaphor for how the culture and music of Louisiana spread and touch people everywhere. The moonlight dancing on the waves like a distant memory hints at how the past is still alive in Louisiana's culture and remains an ever-present influence.
The second verse talks about the author stumbling upon French street names that act as a reminder of the deep history and unique identity of Louisiana. It is here where the author is drawn towards the music emanating from the streets. The line “the moon it shone so brightly I couldn't find a star” reinforces the theme of how the moon and its light are used as a symbol of the prominent force of Louisiana's music. The warm light glowing within them is the warmth of the music and the joy it brings to all. The author ends the song by expressing that he is grateful just to be able to experience Louisiana, its culture, and its music.
Line by Line Meaning
Down in south Louisiana the moonlight grows on trees
The moonlight in south Louisiana is so beautiful that it appears to grow on the trees
It blows down in the autumn and it washes out to sea
The moonlight in south Louisiana disappears as the autumn passes and it feels like it is being washed away to the sea
It dances on the waves there like a distant memory
The moonlight in south Louisiana dances on the waves like a memory that is far away in time
I had played my songs and packed my gear and still I felt all right
Even though the performer played their music and is ready to leave, they still feel happy and content
So I parked down by the water and I wandered through the night
The performer parks by the water and aimlessly roams around in the night
Where the streetsigns all speak Friench beneath the shimmering streetlights
The street signs are in French and they shimmer under the streetlights, enhancing the beauty of the place
And the moon it shone so brightly I couldn't find a star
The moon was so bright that the performer couldn't see any other star in the sky
And the music flowed like sunshine from the fiddle and guitar
The music from the fiddle and guitar was as cheerful and glowing as sunshine
But the light that glowed within us was the warmest light by far
The happiness and warmth inside the gathering was the best thing of all that night
Je dois dire que je vous aime bien
I must say that I like you a lot
So I'm writing down this simple song with nothing much to say
The performer is writing a simple song with nothing important to say, but the simplicity of the song is beautiful by itself
Except I'm thankful for the music and the privilege to play
The performer is grateful not only for the music but also for the privilege to share and perform it
But most of all I'm grateful just to get to spend this day
Most of all, the performer is grateful just to be able to experience this day fully
Dans la Louisiane
In Louisiana
Contributed by Aaliyah K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.