Jambalaya
Roy Clark & Joe Pass Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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 fillet gumbo
'Cause tonight I'm gonna see my ma cher amio
Pick guitar, fill fruit jar and be gay-o
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 fillet 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.
Settle down far from town, get me a pirogue
And I'll catch all the fish in the bayou
Swap my 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 amio
Pick guitar, fill fruit jar and be gay-o
Son of a gun, we'll have big fun on the bayou.
"Jambalaya" by Roy Clark & Joe Pass is a lively song about a man saying goodbye to his friend Joe and heading down the bayou to see his sweetheart Yvonne. The lyrics are full of references to Cajun cuisine and culture. The song uses a combination of Cajun French and English language. The song expresses the excitement of the singer for the good times that he and Yvonne will have together. The song has a lively beat that makes it perfect for dancing.
The opening lines say that the singer has to leave and pole his boat down the bayou. His thoughts are about his beautiful sweetheart Yvonne with whom he is going to have lots of fun. The next verse explains that the singer is looking forward to the traditional Cajun dishes he will have, like Jambalaya, Crawfish pie, and Fillet Gumbo. He plans to play his guitar, fill his fruit jar, and have a good time; he could not be happier. The third verse refers to the noisy atmosphere created by the kinfolk of Yvonne that come to see her in style, dressed up to the nines, and ready to hog wild. Finally, the fourth verse talks about settling down and catching fish, buying things for Yvonne, and having a big party.
In summary, this is a song that celebrates Cajun culture and the thrill of good times with good company.
Line by Line Meaning
Good-bye, Joe, me gotta go, me oh my oh
I am bidding farewell to Joe because it is time for me to leave
Me gotta go pole the pirogue down the bayou.
I need to propel the boat down the river by pushing it with a long pole
My Yvonne, the sweetest one, me oh my oh
Yvonne, my beloved, is the most charming and attractive person I know
Son of a gun, we'll have big fun on the bayou.
We are going to have a great time on the river
Jambalaya and a crawfish pie and fillet gumbo
We are going to eat delicious Cajun dishes such as jambalaya, crawfish pie, and fillet gumbo
'Cause tonight I'm gonna see my ma cher amio
Because tonight I am going to see my dear beloved
Pick guitar, fill fruit jar and be gay-o
I will play music on my guitar, fill a jar with fruit, and have fun
Thibodaux, Fontaineaux, the place is buzzin'
Thibodaux and Fontaineaux are bustling places full of activity and excitement
Kinfolk come to see Yvonne by the dozen
Yvonne's family members are coming in large numbers to visit her
Dress in style and go hog wild, me oh my oh
We are going to dress up and have an amazing time
Settle down far from town, get me a pirogue
I want to live far away from the city and own a boat
And I'll catch all the fish in the bayou
I will catch all kinds of fish in the river
Swap my mon to buy Yvonne what she need-o
I will trade my money to get everything Yvonne wants and needs
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@texydanl5239
When you're lucky enough to hear something this good for free, you're lucky, ain't we?
@WhiteCranK
I'm 7 yrs late but i have to agree with you! Totally!
@Jointlock
Joe Pass is a jazz icon and legend, and greatly missed. But Roy Clarke is an Americn treasure. He is one of the most under rated players in our country's history. And he is still going strong! Throw in his banjo, voice, acting, singing and comedy and you have some combo. All we get now is Spears, Bieber and their auto tuned clap trap.
@thestoryplease
Joe comping all over the frets and around Roy's notes ...beautiful magic Gonna listen to more - soon as I get my breath Thank you!
@rlb3255
I've seen Roy Clark play live several times. When he dropped the sort of "Hee Haw cornball" routine and just started playing I found he was one of the best players I've seen, and I've seen most of the greats.
@Modes9
I give Roy a lot of credit for taking a foray into Joe's world. There's something magical about the feel and sound of late swing/ early bebop.
@RedDirtRules
In my opinion this session was some of Roy's best work. Joe was pushing him to open up, and he did. Great stuff.
@LessLethal
He's pretty underrated as a picker, probably because most people (who are old enough) tend to think of him as the "Hee Haw Guy" but really, he's a superb player. Check out his guest appearance on the "Odd Couple" when he plays Malaguena, which has become somewhat of a signature piece for him. It's impressive.
@taildragger53
Joe Pass is beyond words. A real musician. He was so seriously ill here and yet you'd never know it. I was luck to've met him in London in 1977. What a gentleman he was.
@fatherkarl9291
Define a real musician