During 1960, Horton had two other successes with "North to Alaska" for John Wayne's movie, North to Alaska, and "Sink the Bismarck". Horton is a member of the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.
Johnny Horton had several top ten songs in the late 50's and early 60's and was on the verge of becoming one of the top stars of the 60's when he met with tragedy.
He was born John Gale Horton in Los Angeles in 1925. He was raised in Tyler, Texas. Horton worked in the fishing industry in Alaska and California, and attended Seattle University. He worked for a while as a carpenter, and played basketball at Baylor University. He worked at a local radio station in East Texas and at the Hometown Jamboree in California. He did some recording with little success for the Abbott, Mercury, and Dot labels and picked up the nickname the Singing Fisherman. Horton became a regular on the Louisiana Hayride.
Johnny married Billie Jean Jones, the widow of country music legend Hank Williams. He sang country songs and signed a recording contract with Columbia, where he would achieve his greatest success. Some of his first hits included Honky Tonk Man, I'm A One-Woman Man in 1956, Coming Home in 1957 and All Grown Up in 1958. He topped the country charts in 1959 with When It's Springtime In Alaska.
Johnny Horton then began to record a series of saga songs that crossed over to the pop charts. He covered Jimmy Driftwood's The Battle Of New Orleans in 1959. The song topped the country charts and it reached number one on the pop charts, where it remained for a solid six weeks. The song was a tribute to the final battle of the War of 1812. He also recorded Sink The Bismarck in 1960, a song that was suggested by the film of the same title; it went top ten country and pop. Johnny Horton was a star. He sang the title song for the John Wayne movie North To Alaska and it too made the top ten in both charts during the same year.
On November 5, 1960, while North To Alaska was still climbing the charts, Horton was killed in an automobile accident in Milano, Texas following an appearance at the Skyline Club in Austin. He is buried in Hillcrest Cemetary in Haughton, LA.
Following Horton's death some of his earlier hit songs made the charts once again. Albums of his recordings were compiled and issued in the 50's, 60's, 70's and 80's, and they are still selling.
His biography was published in 1983 under the title Your Singing Fisherman.
Jambalaya
Johnny Horton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This is our third in a new series, Saturday series of programmes
And we haven't even begun to tap the tremendous source of talent
On the Louisiana Hayride
Now you take Johnny Horton, the singing fisherman
Here's a guy that's just loaded with talent
But we just can't get him away from the ol' fishin' hole
He just barely makes it in every Saturday night
Goodbye Joe me gotta go me oh my oh
Me 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
Jambalaya and a crawfish pie and filé gumbo
Cause tonight I'm gonna see my ma cher amio
Pick guitar fill fruit jar and be gay-o
Son of a gun we'll have big fun on the bayou
Thibodaux Fontaineaux the place is buzzin'
Kinfolk come to see Yvonne by the dozen
Dress in style and 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 filé gumbo
Cause tonight I'm gonna see my ma cher amio
Pick guitar fill fruit jar and be gay-o
Son of a gun we'll have big fun on the bayou
Jambalaya and a crawfish pie and filé gumbo
Cause tonight I'm gonna see my ma cher amio
Pick guitar fill fruit jar and be gay-o
Son of a gun we'll have big fun on the bayou
Well, you see what I mean haha
You can get the fisherman away from the lake
But you can't keep him from thinkin' about it, can you huh
"Jambalaya" is a classic Cajun song that tells a story about a man named Joe who has to leave his love, Yvonne, to go fishing in the bayou. The lyrics are playful and upbeat, and they paint a vivid picture of life in Louisiana. From poling the pirogue down the bayou to picking guitar and filling up the fruit jar, there is a sense of joy and community that runs throughout the song.
The chorus mentions three iconic Cajun dishes: jambalaya, crawfish pie, and filé gumbo. These are staple dishes in Louisiana cuisine and represent the rich and diverse culture of the state. The phrase "ma cher amio" is Cajun French for "my dear friend" or "my beloved".
"Jambalaya" was released in 1952 and quickly became a hit for country singer Hank Williams. Johnny Horton's 1959 cover also achieved great success, reaching number one on the country charts and number sixteen on the pop charts. The song has been covered by countless artists over the years, including Fats Domino and The Carpenters.
Line by Line Meaning
Goodbye Joe me gotta go me oh my oh
I must say goodbye to Joe and leave quickly
Me gotta go pole the pirogue down the bayou
I have to travel by canoe in the bayou
My Yvonne the sweetest one me oh my oh
My Yvonne is the sweetest girl I know
Son of a gun we'll have big fun on the bayou
We will have a great time on the bayou
Jambalaya and a crawfish pie and filé gumbo
I will have a delicious meal of creole dishes
Cause tonight I'm gonna see my ma cher amio
Tonight I will see my beloved friend
Pick guitar fill fruit jar and be gay-o
I will play guitar, drink and have fun
Thibodaux Fontaineaux the place is buzzin'
Thibodaux Fontaineaux is a lively place
Kinfolk come to see Yvonne by the dozen
My relatives come to see Yvonne in large numbers
Dress in style and go hog wild me oh my oh
Dress nicely and have a great time
Well, you see what I mean haha
Do you understand what I'm saying?
You can get the fisherman away from the lake
You can take a fisherman away from his hobby
But you can't keep him from thinkin' about it, can you huh
But you can't stop him from thinking about it, can you?
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Hank Williams, Sr.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Sanguis
on I Hate Niggers
John Gale "Johnny" Horton did NOT write or sing the song "I Hate Niggers". That song was by Johnny Rebel and not written or released for some years after Johnny Horton died.