Swamp pop musician Jivin' Gene, circa 1959.

Swamp pop is a musical genre indigenous to the Acadiana region of south Louisiana and an adjoining section of southeast Texas. Created in the 1950s and early 1960s by teenaged Cajuns and black Creoles, it combines New Orleans-style rhythm and blues, country and western, and traditional French Louisiana musical influences. Although a fairly obscure genre, swamp pop maintains a large audience in its south Louisiana and southeast Texas homeland, and it has acquired a small but passionate cult following in the United Kingdom, northern Europe, and Japan. Image File history File linksMetadata JGsmall. ... Image File history File linksMetadata JGsmall. ... Map of Acadiana Region with the Cajun Heartland USA subregion highlighted in dark red. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Southeast Texas is a region in the southeast corner of the U.S. state of Texas. ... This article is about an ethnic culture. ... The term Louisiana Creole refers to people of any race or mixture thereof who are descended from settlers in colonial Louisiana before it became part of the USA in 1803 with the Louisiana Purchase, or to the culture and Creole cuisine typical of these people. ... New Orleans is the largest city in the state of Louisiana, United States of America. ... Rhythm and blues (aka R&B or RnB) is a popular music genre combining jazz, gospel, and blues influences — first performed by African American artists. ... Country music, once known as Country and Western music, is a popular musical form developed in the southern United States, with roots in traditional folk music, spirituals, and the blues. ... Louisiana sold in 1803 by Napoléon to USA, which was a portion of the historical extent of French Louisiana Louisiana (French language: La Louisiane) was the name of an administrative district of New France in the 17th and 18th centuries. ...

The sound

The swamp pop sound is typified by highly emotional lyrics, tripleting honky-tonk pianos, undulating bass lines, bellowing horn sections, a strong rhythm and blues backbeat, and mournful, lovelorn lyrics. It is exemplified by slow ballads like Cookie and the Cupcakes’ “Mathilda” (recorded 1958), considered by many the unofficial swamp pop “anthem.” But the genre has also produced many upbeat compositions, such as Bobby Charles’ “Later Alligator” (1955), popularly covered (re-recorded) by Bill Haley and the Comets. A vintage belt buckle from Gilleys, a large honky tonk featured in the movie Urban Cowboy. ... The original members of Bill Haley and His Comets, c. ...

During the genre’s heyday (1958-1964), several swamp pop songs appeared on national U.S. record charts. These included Jimmy Clanton’s “Just A Dream” (1958), Warren Storm’s “Prisoner’s Song” (1958), Phil Phillips’ “Sea Of Love” (1959), Rod Bernard’s “This Should Go On Forever” (1959), Joe Barry’s “I’m A Fool To Care” (1960), and Dale and Grace’s “I’m Leaving It Up To You” (1963).^[1] Jimmy Clanton , known as the swamp pop R&B teenage idol[1] and his band recorded a hit song Jut a Dream with Clanton had written in 1958 on the Ace Records label. ... Rod Bernard, ca. ...

In swamp pop’s south Louisiana-southeast Texas birthplace, however, fans nonetheless regarded as classics many songs that never became national hits. These include Johnnie Allan’s “Lonely Days, Lonely Nights” (1958), Buck Rogers’ “Crazy Baby” (1959), Randy and the Rockets’ “Let’s Do The Cajun Twist” (1962), T. K. Hulin’s “I’m Not A Fool Anymore” (1963), and Clint West’s “Big Blue Diamonds” (1965), among numerous others.

Roots & early history

As children, swamp pop musicians listened to and even performed traditional Cajun music and black Creole (zydeco) music, as well popular country and western (hillbilly) songs by musicians like Hank Williams, Sr. In the mid-1950s, however, they like other American youths discovered the alluring new sounds of rock and roll and rhythm and blues artists like Elvis Presley and Fats Domino. As a result, these teenaged Cajuns and black Creoles stopped playing Louisiana French folk compositions like “Jolie blonde,” “Allons à Lafayette,” and “Les flammes d’enfer” and instead began to sing rock and roll and rhythm and blues compositions in English. At the same time, they switched from folk instruments like the accordion, fiddle, and iron triangle to modern instruments, such as the electric guitar and bass, upright piano, saxophone, and drumming trap set.^[2] Cajun music, an emblematic music of Louisiana, is rooted in the ballads of the French-speaking Catholics of Canada. ... Zydeco is a form of folk music, originated in the beginning of the 20th century among the Francophone Creole peoples of south-west Louisiana and influenced by the music of the French-speaking Cajuns. ... Hillbilly is a term referring to people who dwell in remote, rural, mountainous areas. ... For other persons named Hank Williams, see Hank Williams (disambiguation). ... Rock and roll (also spelled Rock n Roll, especially in its first decade), also called rock, is a form of popular music, usually featuring vocals (often with vocal harmony), electric guitars and a strong back beat; other instruments, such as the saxophone, are common in some styles. ... Rhythm and blues (aka R&B or RnB) is a popular music genre combining jazz, gospel, and blues influences — first performed by African American artists. ... Elvis Aron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), often known simply as Elvis and also called The King of Rock n Roll or simply The King, was an American singer, musician and actor. ... Fats Domino Antoine Dominique Fats Domino (born February 26, 1928 or possibly May 10, 1929 in New Orleans, Louisiana), is a classic R&B and rock and roll singer, songwriter and pianist. ...

Swamp pop duo Dale & Grace, circa 1963.

By the late 1950s swamp pop musicians had developed their own distinct sound and repertoires. They performed to receptive crowds in local dancehalls like the Southern Club in Opelousas, Landry’s Palladium in Lafayette, and the Green Lantern in Lawtell. In addition, they released recordings on local record labels, such as Floyd Soileau’s Jin label of Ville Platte, Eddie Shuler’s Goldband of Lake Charles, Carol Rachou’s La Louisianne of Lafayette, Huey Meaux’s Crazy Cajun label of Houston, and a number of labels owned by J. D. Miller of Crowley (who also recorded swamp pop tunes for larger national labels, such as Ernie Young’s Excello Records label of Nashville). Image File history File linksMetadata D&Gsmall. ... Image File history File linksMetadata D&Gsmall. ... Opelousas is a city located in St. ... Lafayette, LaFayette, or La Fayette may refer to: // Gilbert du Motier, marquis de La Fayette (Marquis de Lafayette), French hero of the American Revolution (sometimes referred to as the Marquis de la Fayette) Marie-Madeleine Pioche de la Vergne, comtesse de la Fayette (Madame de Lafayette), French author. ... James Floyd Soileau is an American record producer. ... Ville Platte is a city located in Evangeline Parish, Louisiana. ... Lake Charles is a city located in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana, USA. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 71,757. ... Lafayette, LaFayette, or La Fayette may refer to: // Gilbert du Motier, marquis de La Fayette (Marquis de Lafayette), French hero of the American Revolution (sometimes referred to as the Marquis de la Fayette) Marie-Madeleine Pioche de la Vergne, comtesse de la Fayette (Madame de Lafayette), French author. ... Houston redirects here. ... Crowley can refer to: Aleister Crowley, the 20th century occultist Mr. ... Excello Records was started by Ernie Young in Nashville in 1953 as a subsidiary of Nashboro, a gospel label. ... For other cities named Nashville, see Nashville (disambiguation). ...

Swamp pop musicians often adopted Anglo-American stage names that masked their Cajun and black Creole surnames. John Allen Guillot, for example, became Johnnie Allan; Robert Charles Guidry became Bobby Charles; Joe Barrios became Joe Barry; Elwood Dugas became Bobby Page; and Terry Gene DeRouen became Gene Terry. Some of these musicians changed their names because they were ashamed of their rural French heritage — a feeling shared at the time by a segment of the entire Cajun and black Creole populations. But economics motivated most swamp pop musicians: They wanted to sell records not only in south Louisiana and southeast Texas, but beyond, where the pronunciation of ethnic surnames like Guillot, Barrios, and DeRouen eluded promoters, deejays, and consumers.^[3]

Despite its obvious rock and roll and rhythm and blues influences, swamp pop was not devoid of folk characteristics. For example, Bobby Page and the Riff Raffs recorded “Hippy-Ti-Yo,” a bilingual rock ‘n’ roll version of the traditional Cajun French song “Hip et taïaut,” and Rod Bernard did the same with “Allons danser Colinda,” another important folk composition. Joe Barry re-recorded his swamp pop hit “I’m A Fool To Care” in French under the title “Je suis bêt pour t’aimer.” And Randy and the Rockets issued “Let’s Do The Cajun Twist,” an English remake of the Cajun French favorite “Allons à Lafayette.”^[4] Rod Bernard, ca. ...

Swamp pop's legacy

Since the genre’s origin in the mid-1950s, over twenty swamp pop songs have appeared in the Billboard Hot 100. Five of these songs broke into the Top 10, and three of them reached number one. While swamp pop drew heavily on New Orleans rhythm and blues, it reciprocated by making a detectible impact on songs like Lloyd Price’s “Just Because,” Earl King’s “Those Lonely Lonely Nights,” Little Richard’s “Can’t Believe You Want To Leave” and “Send Me Some Lovin’,” and Clarence "Frogman" Henry's “I Don’t Know Why But I Do” and “On Bended Knee” (both Bobby Charles compositions). Swamp pop also left its imprint on the related but distinct genre known as “swamp blues,” including Slim Harpo’s classic “Rainin’ In My Heart.” Billboard can refer to: Billboard magazine Billboard (advertising) Billboard antenna In 3D computer graphics, to billboard is to rotate an object so that it faces the viewer. ... Lloyd Price (born March 9, 1933 in Kenner, Louisiana) was an early rock and roll musician. ... Earl King (February 7, 1934 - April 17, 2003) was a singer, guitarist, and songwriter, most active in rhythm & blues music. ... Little Richard (born Richard Wayne Penniman, December 5, 1932 in Macon, Georgia) is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. ... Clarence Henry (born January 19, 1937 in Algiers, LA) Fats Domino and Professor Longhair were young Clarence Henrys main influences while growing up. ... The swamp blues is a form of blues music that is highly evolved and specialized. ... Slim Harpo, born James Moore (11 January 1924, Lobdel, Louisiana, USA, died 31 January 1970) was a blues musician. ...

Swamp pop’s impact on popular music is heard in the Rolling Stones’ cover of Barbara Lynn’s “You’ll Lose A Good Thing” and “Oh Baby (We Got A Good Thing Goin’)”, the Honeydrippers’ rendition of Phil Phillips’ “Sea Of Love,” Elvis Presley’s remake of Johnny Ace’s “Pledging My Love,” and The Beatles’ swamp-inspired “Oh! Darling,” and in the work of Creedence Clearwater Revival. Swamp pop also influenced Tex-Mex music, particularly the recordings of Freddy Fender (real name Baldemar Huerta), whose early 1970s swampy songs like “Before The Next Teardrop Falls” and “Wasted Days And Wasted Nights.” (South Louisiana and southeast Texas audiences generally consider Fender a full-fledged swamp pop musician.)^[5] This article is about the rock band. ... Barbara Lynn (born Barbara Lynn Ozen, later Barbara Lynn Cumby 16 January 1942 in Beaumont, Texas) is an American rhythm and blues guitarist and singer. ... Elvis Aron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), often known simply as Elvis and also called The King of Rock n Roll or simply The King, was an American singer, musician and actor. ... Johnny Ace (June 9, 1929 – December 24, 1954), born John Marshall Alexander, Jr. ... The Beatles were a highly influential English rock band from Liverpool, Merseyside, England. ... Creedence Clearwater Revival, commonly referred to by their initials CCR or simply Creedence, was an American swamp rock band, fronted by John Fogerty. ... Tejano[1] (Spanish for Texan) or Tex-Mex[2] music is the name given to various forms of folk and popular music originating among the Mexican-descended Tejanos of Central and South Texas. ... Freddy Fender Freddy Fender (June 4, 1937 – October 14, 2006), born Baldemar Huerta in San Benito, Texas, USA, was a Mexican-American Tejano, country, and rock and roll musician, known for his work as a solo artist and in the groups Los Super Seven and the Texas Tornados. ...

Although the genre began a slow decline with the onslaught of the British Invasion, swamp pop music continues to draw devoted fans to south Louisiana and southeast Texas festivals and nightclubs. Only a few younger swamp pop musicians, such as Don Rich, are replacing the original generation of swamp pop pioneers, most now in their sixties. Some younger non-swamp musicians, such as Cajun musician Zachary Richard and rockers Marc Broussard and C. C. Adcock, have acknowledged a strong swamp pop influence. A sizeable catalog of swamp pop recordings, both vintage and new, are on compact disk, guaranteeing that future audiences will be able to enjoy this distinctive American sound. The appearance of The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show, February 9, 1964, accelerated the burgeoning British Invasion. ... Zachary Richard is a Louisiana singer, songwriter, and poet who works in both French and English. ... Marc Broussards major label debut Carencro (2004). ...

Selected discography

Johnnie Allan, Promised Land, Ace 380, 1992 [UK].
Johnnie Allan, Swamp Pop Legend: Johnnie Allan – The Essential Collection, Jin 9044, 1995.
Rod Bernard, Swamp Pop Legend: Rod Bernard – The Essential Collection, Jin 9056, 1998.
Rod Bernard, Swamp Rock 'n' Roller, Ace 488, 1994 [UK].
The Boogie Kings, Swamp Boogie Blues, Jin 9045, 1995.
Van Broussard, The Early Years, CSP 1007, 1993.
Cookie & The Cupcakes, By Request, Jin 9037, 1993.
Charles Mann, Swamp Pop Legend: Charles Mann – The Essential Collection, Jin 9060, 1998.
Randy & The Rockets, A Blast From the Past – The Essential Collection, Jin 9059, 1998.
Warren Storm, Night After Night, Jin 9039, 1995.
Tommy McLain, Swamp Pop Legend: Tommy McLain – The Essential Collection, Jin 9054, 1997.
Various Artists, Eddie’s House of Hits: The Story of Goldband Records, Ace 424, 1992 [UK].
Various Artists, Louisiana Saturday Night, Ace 490, 1993 [UK].
Various Artists, Sea of Love: Louisiana Bayou Hits, 1950s to 1960s, Blues Interactions, 1990 [Japan].
Various Artists, Swamp Gold, Vol. 1, Jin 106, 1991; Vol. 2, Jin 107, 1991; Vol. 3, Jin 108, 1994; Vol. 4, Jin 109, 1994; Vol. 5, Jin 9053, 1997; Vol. 6, Jin 9064, 2005; Vol. 7, Jin 9073, 2002; Vol. 8, Jin 9081, 2006.
Clint West, Swamp Pop Legend: Clint West – The Essential Collection, Jin 9055, 1997.

Footnotes

References

• Shane K. Bernard, Swamp Pop: Cajun and Creole Rhythm and Blues (Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 1996).
• John Broven, South to Louisiana: The Music of the Cajun Bayous (Gretna, La.: Pelican, 1983).