Known as "Van the Man" by his fans, Morrison first rose to prominence as the lead singer of the Northern Irish band Them, writing their 1964 hit "Gloria". A few years later, Morrison left the band for a successful solo career, starting with the album Astral Weeks.
Morrison has pursued an idiosyncratic musical path. Much of his music is tightly structured around the conventions of American soul and R&B, such as the popular singles "Brown Eyed Girl", "Moondance", "Domino", and "Wild Night". An equal part of his catalogue consists of lengthy, loosely connected, spiritually inspired musical journeys that show the influence of Celtic tradition, jazz, and stream-of-consciousness narrative, such as his classic album Astral Weeks and lesser known works such as Veedon Fleece and Common One. The two strains together are sometimes referred to as "Celtic Soul," and Morrison rejects the characterization of his genre of music as Rock, citing Elvis Presley as a non-influence.
He continues to perform regularly and achieved his highest U.S. chart position (number ten on the Billboard 200) with his 2008 album, Keep It Simple.
Jambalaya
Van Morrison Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Me gotta go, pole the pirogue down the bayou
My yvonne, sweetest one, me oh my oh
Son of a gun, we gonna have big fun on the bayou
Well, jambalaya an' a crawfish pie an' a fil'e gumbo
'cause tonight I'm gonna see my ma cher amio
Pick guitar, fill fruit jar an' be gay-o
Thibodaux, fontaineaux, the place is buzzin'
Hey, an' the kinfolk come to see yvonne by the dozen
Well, and-a dress in style, go hog wild an' be gay-o
Son of a gun, we gonna have big fun on the bayou
Well, jambalaya an' a crawfish pie, an' a fil'e gumbo
'cause tonight I'm gonna see my ma cher amio
Well a pick guitar, fill fruit jar an' be gay-o
Son of a gun, we gonna have a big fun on the bayou
Wanna settle down, far from town, get me a pirogue
Gonna catch all the fish in the bayou
Gonna swap my mon, to buy yvonne, what she need-o
Son of a gun, we gonna have a big fun on the bayou
Well, jambalaya, an' a crawfish pie, an' a fil'e gumbo
'cause, tonight I'm gonna see my ma cher amio
Pick guitar, fill fruit jar an' be gay-o
Son of a gun, we're gonna have big fun on the bayou
The lyrics to Van Morrison's song Jambalaya are all about the joys of life in the bayou. The song opens with the singer saying goodbye to Joe and setting out on a journey down the bayou, poling his pirogue along the way. His destination is his sweetheart Yvonne, whom he refers to as "my yvonne, sweetest one, me oh my oh." The two of them are going to have "big fun on the bayou," taking in all that the area has to offer.
The song goes on to describe some of the pleasures of life in the bayou, including Jambalaya, crawfish pie, and fil'e gumbo. The singer is excited to see his "ma cher amio," which means "my dear friend" in Cajun French. He plans to pick his guitar and fill his fruit jar, all while having a good time with Yvonne.
The final verse of the song describes the singer's desire to settle down in the bayou with Yvonne. He plans to catch all the fish in the bayou and trade them for what Yvonne needs. The song ends with a repeated chorus of "jambalaya an' a crawfish pie, an' a fil'e gumbo," emphasizing the joy and excitement of life in the bayou.
Line by Line Meaning
Goodbye joe, me gotta go down the bayou
I am leaving Joe and heading down to the bayou
Me gotta go, pole the pirogue down the bayou
I must go and use a long pole to navigate my small flat-bottomed boat down the bayou
My yvonne, sweetest one, me oh my oh
Yvonne is the sweetest person I know
Son of a gun, we gonna have big fun on the bayou
We are going to have a lot of fun down in the bayou
Well, jambalaya an' a crawfish pie an' a fil'e gumbo
I am going to enjoy some traditional Louisiana dishes such as jambalaya, crawfish pie, and filé gumbo
'cause tonight I'm gonna see my ma cher amio
Tonight, I will see my dear friend, Ma Cher Amio
Pick guitar, fill fruit jar an' be gay-o
I will play my guitar, drink some fruit juice, and have a good time
Thibodaux, fontaineaux, the place is buzzin'
Thibodaux and Fontaineaux are lively places with lots of activity going on
Hey, an' the kinfolk come to see yvonne by the dozen
Many of Yvonne's relatives have come to see her
Well, and-a dress in style, go hog wild an' be gay-o
We will dress nicely, go crazy, and have lots of fun
Wanna settle down, far from town, get me a pirogue
I would like to find a quiet place away from the city and get myself a pirogue
Gonna catch all the fish in the bayou
I plan on catching all the fish in the bayou
Gonna swap my mon, to buy yvonne, what she need-o
I will trade my money in order to buy Yvonne whatever she needs
Son of a gun, we gonna have a big fun on the bayou
We are going to have a lot of fun down in the bayou
Well, jambalaya, an' a crawfish pie, an' a fil'e gumbo
I am going to enjoy some traditional Louisiana dishes such as jambalaya, crawfish pie, and filé gumbo
'cause, tonight I'm gonna see my ma cher amio
Tonight, I will see my dear friend, Ma Cher Amio
Pick guitar, fill fruit jar an' be gay-o
I will play my guitar, drink some fruit juice, and have a good time
Son of a gun, we're gonna have big fun on the bayou
We are going to have a lot of fun down on the bayou
Contributed by Jayden I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.