In 1959, Fender recorded the blues ballad "Wasted Days and Wasted Nights." The song became popular in 1959, but he was beset by legal troubles after he and a band member were arrested for possession of marijuana. After a two years in Louisiana's Angola prison farm, he was released through the intercession of Gov. Jimmie Davis, also a songwriter and musician. Davis requested that Fender stay away from music while on probation as a condition of his release. By the end of the 1960s, Fender was back in Texas working as a mechanic, and attending a local junior college, while only playing music on the weekends.
Number One Pop and Country
In 1974, Fender recorded "Before The Next Teardrop Falls." The single was selected for national distribution, and became a number one hit on the Billboard Country and Pop charts. His next four singles, including a remake of "Wasted Days", all hit the number one spot on the Billboard Country charts. During the next few years, Fender had several major country hits, including the No. 1 hits "Secret Love" (1975) and "You'll Lose a Good Thing" (1976).
Texas Tornados
In the 1990s, Fender teamed up with fellow Tex-Mex musicians Doug Sahm, Flaco Jimenez and Augie Myers to form the Tex-Mex supergroup the Texas Tornados, whose work was widely acclaimed. Following the death of Sahm, the production of the Tornadoes slowed.
Los Super Seven
Freddy Fender continued to still be on top with a groundbreaking collaboration with several musical legends to produce another supergroup, Los Super Seven which consisted of David Hidalgo (vocals, guitar, drums, bass, percussion, requinto, hidalguera); Rick Trevino, Joe Ely (vocals, guitar); Flaco Jimenez (vocals, accordion); Cesar Rosas (vocals, six-string bass, guitar, guitarron, jarana); Freddy Fender (vocals, acoustic bass); Ruben Ramos (vocals). This Super Seven effort won a Grammy in 1999.
On February 4, 1999, Freddy's star was installed on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
In 2004, the Texas Folklife Resources produced a widely acclaimed sell-out show at the Paramount in Austin, Texas " Fifty Years of Freddy Fender", where Freddy was honored and then performed to a packed house. Also in 2004, Freddy's hometown of San Benito Texas honored Freddy with his likeness emblazoned on their new watertower with "Hometown of Freddy Fender". Freddy would later say that this honor meant more to him than any other accolade he had ever won.
Freddy Fender's Masterpiece...
La Musica De Baldemar Huerta
Freddy delves deeply into the music of his forefathers: the boleros and rancheras that would have played in the ghettos of his native San Benito, Texas, and that he sang as a youth in border-town cantinas. Especially gorgeous are "Adios Muchachos," a melancholy meditation on final farewells, and the delicate opener, "Rayito de Luna." El Be Bop Kid isn't just back; he sounds reborn. Freddy won his last Grammy for this album.
Freddy Fender underwent a kidney transplant in 2002 donated by his daughter and a transplant of the liver in 2004. Nonetheless, his condition continued to worsen. He was suffering from an "incurable cancer" in which he had tumors on his lungs. On December 31, 2005, Fender performed his last concert and resumed chemotherapy.
Fender has Passed on...
Rest in Peace, Vaya Con Dios
Freddy Fender passed away on Saturday, October 14, 2006, after a long battle with lung cancer. He is buried in his Hometown of San Benito, Texas.
Plans are underway for a Freddy Fender Museum to be located in his beloved hometown, San Benito, Texas. Check back at: www.freddyfendermuseum.org or
www.freddyfender.com
Jambalaya
FREDDY FENDER Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
we 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
People go on Fountaineaux the place is buzzin'
People come to see Yvonne by the dozen
Dress in style the dog on wild, me oh my oh
Jambalaya and a crawfish pie and filé gumbo
For tonight, I'm a-gonna see my my-my cher amio
Pick guitar, fill fruit jar and be gay-o
Son of a gun, we'll have big fun on the bayou
Everything is going to be all right now get me a piroque
I'm gonna get me all the fish in the bayou
My Yvonne the sweetest one, me oh my oh
Son of a gun, well have big fun on the bayou
The song Jambalaya by Freddy Fender is a lively and upbeat song that tells the story of a group of people getting ready for a party on the bayou. The song starts with the singer saying goodbye to Joe and indicating that they need to go down the bayou. The singer is accompanied by a woman named Yvonne, who is apparently his sweetheart. The song mentions that they will have big fun on the bayou, and the chorus repeats this sentiment.
As the song progresses, the singer talks about how popular Yvonne is and how people come from far and wide to see her. This is evidenced by the people who come to the Fountaineaux, which is a location mentioned in the song. The singer also talks about how everyone is dressed in style and how much fun they are having.
The chorus of the song mentions the different types of food and drink that they will have at the party, including jambalaya, crawfish pie, and filé gumbo. The singer also mentions that he will play the guitar and enjoy some fruit drinks. The song ends with the singer expressing his excitement for the party and the fact that everything will be alright.
Line by Line Meaning
Good-bye Joe, we gotta go, me oh my oh
We are saying goodbye to Joe and leaving now
we gotta go-pole the pirogue down the bayou
We will navigate the pirogue down the bayou using poles
My Yvonne the sweetest one, me oh my oh
My Yvonne is the sweetest one
Son of a gun, we'll have big fun on the bayou
We will have great fun on the bayou
People go on Fountaineaux the place is buzzin'
People are heading to Fountaineaux and the place is busy
People come to see Yvonne by the dozen
People come in large numbers to see Yvonne
Dress in style the dog on wild, me oh my oh
Dress in style, the dog is acting crazy
Jambalaya and a crawfish pie and filé gumbo
We will have Jambalaya, crawfish pie, and filé gumbo
For tonight, I'm a-gonna see my my-my cher amio
Tonight, I will see my dear friend
Pick guitar, fill fruit jar and be gay-o
Play guitar, fill glasses with alcohol, and have fun
Everything is going to be all right now get me a piroque
Things will now be okay, let's get a pirogue
I'm gonna get me all the fish in the bayou
I will catch all the fish in the bayou
My Yvonne the sweetest one, me oh my oh
My Yvonne is still the sweetest one
Son of a gun, well have big fun on the bayou
We will continue to have great fun on the bayou
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Hank Williams, Sr.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind