Help me ID a modern song containing lyrics from "Jambalaya (On the Bayou)" but not actually a cover of that song?

April 16, 2008 8:06 AM

Help me ID a modern song containing lyrics from "Jambalaya (On the Bayou)" but not actually a cover of that song?

I was in a hip clothing boutique when the salesgirl's ipod played an unnamed, strings-heavy duet in which a woman sang "Jambalaya (On the Bayou)" slowly and moodily.

I say unnamed because I asked her what the song was and she said "Oh, I don't know, my boyfriend made me this mix" so I'm guessing he neglected to name the tracks. Amateur.

The male singer sounded like he was trying to be Tom Waits and he sang different lyrics (of his own, I presume) between the woman's refrain of "Jambalaya". The salesgirl was talking so loudly over the song I could only make out these lyrics of his: "I was", "You are", and "Oh yeah". Not so helpful.

Googling lyrics to Jambalaya hasn't been useful, but I have eliminated The Carpenter's and Jo Stafford's cover. This version was slow and moody, nothing Cajun about it.

White Stripes, maybe? Anybody heard of this one? Anyone?

posted by Queen of Spreadable Fats to media & arts (5 comments total)

Could it be Mark Lannegan and Isobel Campbell? Three reasons why I think so: 1) Growly voiced male vocalist. 2) Male/female duet. 3) Hank Williams cover with possibly different lyrics (like their cover of Ramblin' Man).
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 8:22 AM on April 16, 2008

There's a Joe Strummer and the Mescalaros track that includes that line, but I'm pretty sure crazy Joe Strummer sings it.
posted by drezdn at 8:25 AM on April 16, 2008

Among country musicians, sticking the words to Jambalaya (On the Bayou) randomly into boring songs is an old gag, just saying -- weirdly you can make them fit almost any tune!
posted by fourcheesemac at 9:08 AM on April 16, 2008

I know exactly the song you're talking about--it's by Johnny Dowd. I think it's "Worried Mind", but I don't have the song on the computer to doublecheck, sorry.
posted by carrienation at 9:56 AM on April 16, 2008

Thanks, Johnny Dowd's the one! And I inadvertently found another album I liked in "Ballad of the Broken Seas". Cheers, guys!
posted by Queen of Spreadable Fats at 3:06 PM on April 16, 2008