What is the French influence on the Cajun music?

French, Germans, Spanish, Scotch-Irish, Anglo-American, Creole, Indian and of course, the Acadians themselves. The most important stylistic influence (according to the authors of Cajun Country) was from the Black Creoles (especially Amede` Ardoin) and most of the influences on the Cajun instrumental repertoire seems to be related to Irish and Anglo-American sources. Some music we have lost, ’cause Cajuns used to play double-time waltzes, contradances, polkas, mazurkas, one-steps, reels, square dances and hoe-downs. Today, you will hear traditional Cajun waltzes, two-steps and some good jig or jitterbug songs and exciting instrumentals that can be danced to a two-step, or the Zydeco-step pattern which seems to be increasing in popularity.

Historically, traditional Cajun music is a blend of instrumental sounds and playing styles that were first learned from Louisiana’s early settlers and later on from incoming immigrants. Black Creoles contributed rhythms and percussion techniques and improvised such instrumentation as washtubs for drums, kitchen soup spoons and washboards. The Spanish contributed the guitar. The violin and musical triangle have been credited to our settlers from France. German-Jewish merchants imported the accordion from Austria right after it was invented in the early 19th century. Acadians and Creole musicians learned how to coax familiar tunes and invented new ones on this new music-making contraption. The Irish and Anglo-Americans contributed new fiddle tunes and dances such as reels and jigs; and all of this eventually became a gumbo of musical sounds that were perfected into what is now Cajun music. It has a distinctive pattern, it’s different from most other music. And, because Cajun music is dance music, one of the most essential elements is rhythm. It has also been said that Cajun music is primitive – it has been likened to ancient wailings from Asia.

Like cultures worldwide, Cajuns sing about life-nostalgic melodies and lyrics about “the good old days”. Some aspect of the past such as childhood memories or experiences influence Cajun musicans and these compositions always seem to be popular. We compose and sing about courtship, infidelity, marriage, aging and death. We sing about work and play. Many songs are just humorous poems put to music. Cajuns like to poke fun at themselves and others if the situation arises. Much of this humor can find its way into the lyrics of a lively two-step. Some songs like the “Mardi Gras Song” are very old and can be traced into medieval France. La Delaisse is another old song that can be traced to France. This one is about a jilted young woman who eventually takes her own life after killing her former lover. Another popular Cajun melody such as “I Passed By Your Door” appears to have originated from a composition for classical guitar by 18th century Spanish composer Frederico Sors. “The Cowboy Waltz” (Valse du Vacher) by Dennis McGee/Amedee Ardoin is sung in French to an Old World Mazurka. Cajuns also borrowed the best melodies from AngloAmericans and made them better by writing their own French lyrics to fit the tune. The Cajun, “I Went to the Dance Last Night” sounds a lot like “Get Along Home Cindy”. The Cajun songs of Louisiana can generally be divided (Elizabeth Brandon, The Cajuns) into 4 groups: (1.) French folklore songs brought from Europe and Canada, (2.) Songs from American folklore translated into French, (3.) Songs composed by Louisiana Acadians (most modern songs), and (4.) Creole songs, indigenous to the French Islands and Caribbean.

Vocals – Cajun Singing Style Acadians arrived in Louisiana with few possessions. There was little room for instruments, and consequently their music at first consisted of humming or singing with no musical accompaniment (musique a bouche). The Cajun singing style of today, like the music, has become a blend of many cultures. In the 1750′s the French, Irish and Anglo-Americans began sharing their repertoire of European folk songs with the newly arriving Acadians. It is also said that Indians of North America may have contributed to the wailing, high-pitched singing and terraced style attributed to modern day Cajun vocalists and, that Black Creoles contributed the sound of the blues and knack for improvisational singing. It is also likely (and most probable) that Cajun vocalists learned to use high-pitched vocals, so that their lyrics could be heard throughout the noisy dance halls, since there was little or no amplification at early Cajun fais-do-dos.