o: Harry Choates (1946) - Hummingbird
> Replaced Don Guidry in Happy Fats' Rayne-Bo Ramblers. The Hank Williams of cajun, including booze abuse and infidelity. It all went wrong following his hit Jole Blon (see: Ma blonde est partie). Also a French side as Gran Mamou.
c: Link Davis (1952) author; ex Harry Choates; he's also the sax in the Big Bopper's Chantilly Lace and in Johnny Preston's Running Bear (war hoops and all), Dolores Gray (1953) , Smiley Lewis (1953) on a different tune, still credited to Link Davis, Pete Hanley (1953) , Ella Mae Morse (1954) , Everly Brothers (1961) as Gran Mamou, Jimmy C. Newman (1961) , Waylon Jennings (1961) , Fiddlin' Frenchie Bourque (1974) , Commander Cody (1976) , Eddie Blazonczyk (1980s) polka version as Mary Lou, Barrence Whitfield (1985) copies Smiley Lewis' version, Balham Alligators (1988) , Doug Sahm & Queen Ida (1989) Doug's voice is a blueprint of Link's, Clarence Gatemouth Brown (1994) , Mighty Blue Kings (1998) , Bluebirds (2004) , Roomful Of Blues (2007) ,
> Mamou is a small town in French speaking Louisiana, known for its Cajun Mardi Gras. There's another Gran Mamou song by Leo Soileau ('35).
Here's a great example of the conversion of a great piece of ethnic music into white bread, ready-for-the-masses pop. The original song was written by Link Davis (yeah, the same rockabilly singer on Starday!), back in the early '50s. It was such an ethnic favorite that it was immediately covered by Pete Hanley on Okeh, and by Rusty Draper on Mercury.
Over the years this bit of Cajun pop has also been recorded by Clarence 'Gatemouth' Brown, Fiddlin' Frenchie Burke, Clifton Chenier, Commander Cody & The Lost Planet Airmen, Barrence Whitfield, Waylon Jennings, Smiley Lewis, Jimmy 'C' Newman and Hank Williams, Jr.
This original 1953 45rpm is flipped with "Should You Change Your Mind."