King of the Bayous

by Clifton Chenier

Overview

After gaining initial notoriety in the '50s and '60s on Specialty Records and a variety of small Texas and Louisiana labels, Zydeco King Clifton Chenier brought the blues-fueled Cajun music he practically invented to Chris Strachwitz's roots label Arhoolie, subsequently recording a series of fine albums including 1970's King of the Bayous. Featuring brother and longtime partner Cleveland Chenier on rubboard, Robert St. Judy on drums, Joe Morris on bass and Antoine Victor on guitar, King of the Bayous includes Chenier's standard blend of zydeco two-step, waltzes and blues, and provides an excellent taste of what the band no doubt played on countless one-niters along the Louisiana-Texas Gulf Coast. Zydeco-brand blues predominates with Chenier originals "Hard to Love Someone," "Who Can Your Good Man Be" and "I Am Coming Home," in addition to a cover of the honky-tonk weeper "Release Me." Offering a contrast to the blues and something for the dancers, the band lays down a lively two-step beat on "Tu Le Ton Son Ton," "Josephine Par Se Ma Femme" and "Zodico Two Step." Throughout the varied set, Chenier's irrepressible vocals and accordion playing stand out. A nice sample of bayou zydeco by one of its finest and most original practitioners. ~ Stephen Cook

Product Details

Release Date:	12/01/1993
Label:	Arhoolie
UPC:	0096297033920
Rank:	74932

Tracks

1. Tu le Ton Son Ton (Every Now and Then)
2. Hard to Love Someone
3. Who Can Your Good Man Be (Brown Skin Woman)
4. Zydeco Two-Step (French Two-Step)
5. Going la Maison
6. I Believe I'll Go Back Home
7. Release Me
8. Grand Mamou (Big Mamou)
9. Ton Na Na (Aunt Na Na)
10. I'm Coming Home (To See My Mother)
11. Jos¿¿phine Par Se Ma Femme (Josephine Is Not My Wife)
12. It's Christmas Time
13. Coming Home Tomorrow
14. Me and My Chauffeur
15. Mo Veux Connaitre (Where She Slept)
16. Tired of Crying Over You
17. Clifton's Blues
18. Let's Rock a While

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Clifton Chenier   Primary Artist,Vocals,Accordion
Robert St. Julien   Drums
Antoine Victor   Guitar
Cleveland Keyes   Guitar
Cleveland Chenier   Rub,Rubboard
Joe Morris   Bass
Elmore Nixon   Piano
Fulton Antoine   Bass
Robert Peter   Drums

Technical Credits

Wayne Pope   Design
Clifton Chenier   Composer
Chris Strachwitz   Editing,Producer,Photography