Heavily influenced by American rock & roll, Mitchell (who went solo in 1963) has often recorded outside France, at first in London, but later in Memphis and Nashville, Tennessee. Guitarist Jimmy Page and drummer Bob Graham were among the British session musicians who regularly supported him in London.
Jambalaya
Eddy Mitchell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He gotta go -- pole the pirogue down the bayou
My Yvonne, the sweetest one, me oh my oh
Son of a gun, we'll have big fun on the bayou
Refrain:
Jambalaya and a crawfish pie and fillet gumbo
'Cause tonight I'm gonna see my ma cher a mi-o
Son of a gun, we'll have big fun on the bayou
Thibadaux, Fountaineaux the place is buzzin'
Kin-folk come, to see Yvonne, by the dozen
Dressed in style, they go hog wild, me oh my oh
Son of a gun we'll have big fun on the bayou
Jambalaya and a crawfish pie and fillet gumbo
'Cause tonight I'm gonna see my ma cher a mi-o
Pick guitar, fill fruit jar and be gay-o
Son of a gun, we'll have big fun on the bayou
Settle down far from town get him a pirogue
And he'll catch all the fish on the bayou
Swap his mon to buy Yvonne what she need-o
Son of a gun we'll have big fun on the bayou
Jambalaya and a crawfish pie and fillet gumbo
'Cause tonight I'm gonna see my ma cher a mi-o
Pick guitar, fill fruit jar and be gay-o
Son of a gun, we'll have big fun on the bayou
X2
Eddy Mitchell's song "Jambalaya" is a tribute to the Cajun people and their way of life. The song tells the story of a man named Joe who has to leave his sweetheart Yvonne behind to pole his pirogue (a type of flat-bottomed boat) down the bayou. The singer sings about his love for Yvonne and his excitement to see her again. The refrain of the song mentions the delicious Cajun dishes jambalaya, crawfish pie, and fillet gumbo, and the joy to be had by picking a guitar, filling a mason jar with fruit, and being carefree and happy.
The song is an upbeat celebration of the Cajun lifestyle, full of energy and positivity. The verses describe a lively gathering of kin-folk who come from all around to see Yvonne and have a good time, dressed in style and going "hog wild". The singer sings about settling down with Yvonne in a pirogue where they can catch all the fish they need and swapping what they have to buy what they need to live. The refrain is repeated twice, driving home the message that life on the bayou can be full of joy and good times, especially when surrounded by loved ones and good food.
Line by Line Meaning
Goodbye Joe, he gotta go, me oh my oh
Joe is leaving and the singer is expressing their emotions about it
He gotta go -- pole the pirogue down the bayou
Joe is leaving in a boat through the bayou
My Yvonne, the sweetest one, me oh my oh
The singer is proclaiming Yvonne to be the sweetest person they know
Son of a gun, we'll have big fun on the bayou
The artist is excited to have fun on the bayou
Refrain:
The repeated chorus section of the song
Jambalaya and a crawfish pie and fillet gumbo
These are traditional Cajun dishes that the singer will be enjoying
'Cause tonight I'm gonna see my ma cher a mi-o
The singer is excited to see their beloved tonight
Pick guitar, fill fruit jar and be gay-o
The artist will be playing music and drinking
Thibadaux, Fountaineaux the place is buzzin'
The town is lively and buzzing with excitement
Kin-folk come, to see Yvonne, by the dozen
Yvonne's family and relatives are visiting in large numbers
Dressed in style, they go hog wild, me oh my oh
The visitors are dressed stylishly and are having a great time
Settle down far from town get him a pirogue
Joe will be settling away from the city and getting a boat
And he'll catch all the fish on the bayou
Joe will be catching fish in the bayou
Swap his mon to buy Yvonne what she need-o
Joe will exchange money to buy what Yvonne needs
X2
The song will be repeated from the beginning
Contributed by Makayla W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.