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Chanteur Country US né le 2 Octobre 1946 ŕ Rayne (Louisiane).
There have
been better-known figures than Jo-El Sonnier within the Cajun music tradition of
Louisiana. And there have been Louisiana musicians, such as Doug
Kershaw, who have taken simplified versions of Cajun music to Nashville and
experienced greater success in the world of country music. But no one has moved
as easily between Cajun and country music as Sonnier, and no one is as well
respected as a bridge between musical traditions. A fixture of the traditional
Cajun scene, Sonnier has also reached the top levels of the country charts and
brought his energetic accordion sounds to recordings by artists ranging from Bob
Dylan to Steven Curtis Chapman.
Sonnier was born the son of French-speaking sharecroppers near Rayne, LA. He was
raised in extreme poverty, often working in the cotton fields with his parents. Sonnier began
playing his much older brother's battered accordion at age three and was soon
known as something of a Cajun-music prodigy. He first performed on the radio
when he was six (on Crowley, LA, station KSIG) and was recording by 11. As a
teenager Sonnier became a well-established Cajun musician, recording four albums
and at least a dozen singles on regional Louisiana labels. (Some were reissued
in 2000 on the Cajun Valentino album, whose title referred to Sonnier's billing
at the time.) He moved to California in search of wider fame in the early '70s,
landing session work and making friends among the Los Angeles music elite, and
he seemed to have stardom within his grasp when he was signed to the Mercury
label's Nashville division. Sonnier's Mercury releases attempted to make him
into a Lousiana version of the wildly successful Freddy
Fender, mixing his accordion with Nashville electric bass guitars and
including French-language passages in some songs. Sonnier experienced little
commercial success at the time, but his Mercury material continued to amass fans
and was reissued in its entirety in 1992.
Meanwhile, Sonnier temporarily gave up on country music and returned to Lousiana,
cutting the Grammy-nominated Cajun Life album for the Rounder label. Merle
Haggard tapped Sonnier as an opening act in the early '80s, and renewed
contacts with California musicians such as Albert Lee, who was then helping to
spearhead Nashville's traditional-country revival as part of Emmylou
Harris' Hot Band, led Sonnier to take another shot at recording in
Nashville. Signed to RCA, he released the album Come On Joe in 1987. The album
coincided with the crest of the late-'80s neo-traditionalist wave, and Sonnier soon
was sharing country airwaves with the likes of Randy
Travis as the album spawned two Top Ten singles, the ballad "No More One
More Time" and a ferocious cover of British folkster Richard Thompson's
Cajun-inspired "Tear-Stained Letter."
Sonnier moved to Capitol in the early '90s, but the new trend toward country
music rooted in '70s rock left him behind. Although his country career never
really recovered, Sonnier remained in heavy demand as a Nashville session player. Sonnier appeared
on recordings by Alan
Jackson and Harris and went far beyond country music with guest slots on
releases by Elvis Costello and Edie Brickell & New Bohemians. He also had
success as a songwriter; both Patty
Loveless and George
Strait recorded Sonnier's "Blue Is Not a Word," and he consistently placed
songs on albums by other artists in the late '80s and early '90s. Sonnier also
dabbled in acting, appearing in the films Mask, They All Laughed, and A Thing
Called Love. Finally he returned to pure Cajun music and to the Rounder label,
where he teamed with Beausoleil's Michael Doucet on several 1990s releases. A
second Grammy nomination came Sonnier's way for the 1997 release Cajun Pride,
and he joined fellow Louisianan Eddy
Raven for the album Cookin' Cajun. Sonnier toured widely, performing at the
New Orleans Jazz Festival and the Grand Ole Opry (in 1999) and visiting Europe
and South America. His self-released album Cajun Blood won him a third Grammy
nomination, one for the 2001 Best Traditional Folk Album award. By the early
2000s, Sonnier seemed to have found his niche: He was a true ambassador of
French-descended Louisiana.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jo-El_Sonnier#Albums
Talents : Accordion, Vocals, Guitar, Songwriter
Style musical : Cajun, Traditional Country
Tee Yeaux
Bleu (1960)
Jump, Little Frog (1967) Monkey Played Fiddle (1968) My Girl Of The Village (1968) |
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Years in activity :
1910 | 20 | 30 | 40 | 50 | 60 | 70 | 80 | 90 | 2000 | 10 | 20 |
DISCOGRAPHY
Singles & EP
1960 | SP SWALLOW 45-112 (US) | . |
Joel SONNIER - Duson Playboy's Special / Tee Yeaux Bleu |
1966 | SP GOLDBAND G 1171 (US) | . |
Robert & Joel with Their Louisiana Ramblers - Pas Revenir A La Maison (Didn't Come Home) / Nous Passe Vote Porte (We Passed Your Door) |
1967 | SP GOLDBAND G 1173 (US) | . | Robert & Joel with Their Louisiana Ramblers - My 50 Cents (Mon Senx Ont Sou) / Bottom Apartment |
1967 | SP GOLDBAND G 1175 (US) |
Jo'El SONNIER - Turn Black / Eleven Years Innocent |
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1967 | SP GOLDBAND G 1189 (US) | . |
Jo'El SONNIER - Jump, Little Frog / Hurricane Audry |
1968 | SP GOLDBAND G 1192 (US) | . |
Take Me In Your Arms (And Hold Me) / Top Rocking Joe |
1968 | SP GOLDBAND G 1193 (US) | . | |
1968 | SP GOLDBAND G 1195 (US) | . |
Jo-El Sonnier featuring Bob Brasseau - Secret Of Love / I Won't Be Lonesome |
1969 | SP GOLDBAND G 1201 (US) | . | I'm Leaving You / Go Dan Tucker |
06/1969 | SP GOLDBAND G 1202 (US) | . |
Where Can I Go / His Own Trubles |
1969 | SP GOLDBAND G 1204 (US) | . | White Dove Had Died / Curse Of The Loser |
1970 | SP GOLDBAND G 1216 (US) | . |
Rat Race Of Time / Together We're One |
11/1972 | SP Goldband G-1242 (US) | . | Coming Home For Christmas (Jo-El Sonnier) / Merry Christmas Tonight (Charles PAGE) |
01/1975 | SP MERCURY 73655 (US) | . |
Joel SONNIER - Cajun Woman / Blue Is Not A Word |
08/1975 | SP MERCURY 73702 (US) | . |
Joel SONNIER - I've Been Around Enough To Know / A Brigther Shade Of Smile |
12/1975 | SP MERCURY 73754 (US) | . | Joel SONNIER - Always Late (With Your Kisses) / Knock, Knock, Knock |
04/1976 | SP MERCURY 73796 (US) | . |
He's Still All Over You / Am I Just Your Friend? |
09/1976 | SP MERCURY 73824 (US) | . |
Cheatin' Turns Her On / Showboat Gambler |
08/1977 | SP MERCURY 55002 (US) | . |
Cajun Born / It Don't Hurt Me Half As Bad |
02/1979 | SP EAGLE INT. 1150 (US) | . |
Jambalaya / Ma Jolie Blond |
1980 | SP KAJUN 1018 (US) | . |
Joel SONNIER - Memphis / Mother's Sad Waltz |
1980 | SP ROUNDER 4529 (US) | . |
Cajun Life / Les Flammes D'Enfer |
1986 | SP SWALLOW 45-10298 (US) | . |
Jolie Blon / Louisiana Blues |
10/1987 | SP RCA 5282-7 (US) | . | Come On Joe / Say You Love Me |
1987 | SP RCA 5282-7-RAA (US) (promo) | Come On Joe / Come On Joe | |
01/1988 | SP RCA 6895-7 (US) | . | Louisiana 1927 / No More One More Time |
05/1988 | SP RCA 8304-7 (US) | . | Tear Stained Letter/ Say You Love Me |
10/1988 | SP RCA 8726-7 (US) | . | Rainin' In My Heart / Baby Hold On |
03/1989 | SP RCA 8918-7 (US) | . | Blue, Blue, Blue Blue, Blue / I've Got Dreams To Remember |
08/1989 | SP RCA 9014-7 (US) | . | If Your Heart Should Ever Roll This Way Again / You Done Me Wrong |
02/1990 | SP RCA 9123-7 (US) | . | Scene Of The Crime / Evangeline Special |
03/1998 | CD Intersound 9296 (US) (promo) | . |
Broken Side Of New Orleans |
09/1998 | EP K-TEL ? (US) |
Rockin’ Cajun - Tear-Stained Letter / Good Deal Lucille / No More One More Time / Sugar Bee / Louisiana 1927 |
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Albums
06/1968 | LP 12" GOLDBAND GRLP-7747 (US) |
JO-EL SONNIER sINGS Hurricane Audry - Hurricane Audry / Little Petite / Tomorrow Never Comes / There's No Goodbyes / Cafe Sho / I Threw Away The Rose / Jump, Little Frog / Durald Waltz / I'd Like To Forget / Aye, Yeah / Monkey Played Fiddle / Last Waltz |
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1968 | LP 12" GOLDBAND GRLP-7752 (US) | CAJUN VALENTINO - White Dove Had Died / Telephone On The Wall / Locked In My Mind / Baby Has Gone Away / Smile Away / Legend Of Andeau Lane / Monkey On My Back / Another Day / Let My Heart Go / Family Rules / Juvenile Delinquent / Freight Train | |
08/1970 | LP 12" GOLDBAND GRLP-7753 (US) | THE SCENE TODAY IN CAJUN MUSIC - I'd Like To Forget / Rolling Pin / Johnny B. Goode / The One I Love / Big Wheel Rolling / Black Sox / Broken Heart / Tasso Gumbo / Go, Dan Tucker / I'm Leaving You / Auntie's Peanuts / Sound The Bel | |
08/1980 | LP 12" ROUNDER 3049 (US) | CAJUN LIFE - Cajun Life / Tes Yeux Bleu / Allons A Lafayette / Bayou Teche Waltz / Les Flammes D'Enfer / Lacassine Special / Chere Alice / Louisiana Blues / Les Grands Bois / Perrodin Two Step | |
11/1987 | CD RCA 6374-2 (US) | COME ON JOE - JO-EL - Baby Hold On / Paid The Price / So Long Baby Goodbye / No More One More Time / Come On Joe / Say You Love Me / Rainin' In My Heart / Louisiana 1927 / Tear-Stained Letter / I've Slipped Her Mind | |
1988 | LP 12" RCA 8396-1-RDJ (US) (promo) |
JO-EL - Tear-Stained Letter / So Long Baby Goodbye / Rainin' In My Heart / Say You Love Me / Baby Hold On / I've Slipped Her Mind / Tear-Stained Letter / So Long Baby Goodbye / Rainin' In My Heart / Say You Love Me / Baby Hold On / I've Slipped Her Mind |
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1988 | LP 12" GOLDBAND GRLP-7805 (US) | RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO TEXAS - Jo' El SONNIER - Right Next Door To Texas / Locked In My Mind / Tomorrow Never Comes / Tears Of A Clown Only Make Believe / Holly Golightly / Life Is A Dirty Deal / Love To Boogie Woogie / Feel Like Calling You / Rocking Joe / Sundown | |
01/1989 | CD RCA 9718-2-R (US) | HAVE A LITTLE FAITH - The Scene Of The Crime / If Your Heart Should Ever Roll This Way Again / Ooh, Ooh, Ooh / Have A Little Faith Me / I'll Never Get Over You / The Hurt In My Heart / Solid Gold Plated Fool / (Blue, Blue, Blue) Blue, Blue / Walls / Evangeline Special | |
1989 | LP 12" GOLDBAND GRLP-7806 (US) | THE CAJUN TROUBADOUR - Jo' El SONNIER - I'm Leaving You / Run Dan Tucker / Auntie's Peanuts (Pestache Ah Tante Nana) / Reason To Live / Right Next Door To Texas / Sound The Bell / One I Love / Black Sox Two Step / Rolling Pin (Special) / I'd Like To Forget | |
02/1992 | CD LIBERTY CDP 7 95684 2 (US) | TEARS OF JOY - All American Saturday Night / Fire On The Line / Smile When You Say That / Some Kinda Voodoo / Tears Of Joy / You May Change Your Mind / Do Me A Favor, Don't / Let's Give Love One More Try / Harder Than It Sounds / Telling You Goodbye | |
09/1992 | CD LIBERTY CDP 0777-7-98761-2 (US) | HELLO HAPPINESS AGAIN - Cafe Du Monde / Cry Like A Baby / Someday I Will Lead The Parade / Hello Happiness Again / Field Of Love / '65 Blue / So Lonesome In My Heart / Hole In The Clouds / Is My Love Enough? / French Quarter Moon | |
08/1992 | CD MERCURY 314-512 645-2 (US) | THE COMPLETE MERCURY SESSION - Cajun Born / Sugar Bee / Say You Love Me / It Don't Hurt Me Half As Bad / Come On Joe / Blue Is Not A Word / Cajun Woman / A Righter Shade Of Blue / Always Late (With Your Kisses) / Am I Just Your Friend / Knock, Knock, Knock / He's Still All Over You / Cheatin' Turns Her On / I've Been Around Enough To Know / Showboat Gambler | |
05/1994 | CD ROUNDER CD-6059 (US) | CAJUN ROOTS - J'Etais Au Bal / La Valse Du Grand Cheims / Church Point Breakdown / La Branche De Muriee / Evangeline Special / Calcasieu Waltz / Huppes Taiauts 1935 / La Chere Toute-Toute / Chere Joues Roses / Amedee Two Step / Laisse Les Bon Temps Rouler / La Valse Des Chere Bebe | |
1995 | CD LITTLE MORGANVILLE DMPMV 7214-2 (US) | CAJUN KIDS - Rockin' At The Mardi Gras / The Old Red Barn / Man Gave Names To All The Animals / Walk Along Song Of Happiness / Somethin' In The Swamp / Poor Old Lady - Coonie The Crawdad - You Get A Line I'll Get A Pole / Cajun Accordion Man / Pontchartrain Refrain | |
07/1996 | CD ACE CDCH-598 (UK) | CAJUN YOUNG BLOOD - Jump Little Frog / Rolling Pin (Special) / I'm Leaving You / Durald Waltz / The Bean / I'd Like To Forget (version 1) / Monkey On My Back / Little Petite / The One I Love / Johnny B. Goode / Cafe Sho / (My) Blue Letter / Fee Fee Poncho (with Sidney BROWN) / Hurricane Audry / Auntie's Peanuts (Pestache Ah Tante Nana) / There's No Goodbyes / Didn't Come Home (with Robert BERTRAND) / Tasso Gumbo / Valse De Rose Marie / (Ship Of) Broken Heart / My 50 Cents (with Robert BERTRAND) / Legend Of Iry LeJeune / Monkey Played Fiddle / We Passed Your Door / I'd Like To Forget (version 2) / Aye Yeah / Last Waltz / Big Wheel Rolling (with Funky DUCK) | |
08/1996 | CD K-TEL 6240-2 (US) | COOKIN' CAJUN - Eddy RAVEN & Jo-El SONNIER - Jambalaya (On The Bayou) (with Eddy RAVEN) / Colinda (Eddy RAVEN) / Tear-Stained Letter / Fais Do Do (with Eddy RAVEN) / Zydeco Lady (Eddy RAVEN) / No More One More Time / Papa Thibodeaux (Eddy RAVEN) / Sugar Bee / Cher Jole Blon (with Eddy RAVEN) / Good Deal Lucille / I'm Gonna Get You (Eddy RAVEN) / Diggy Liggy Lo (with Eddy RAVEN) / Cher Big Mamou (Eddy RAVEN) / Louisiana 1927 | |
10/1996 | CD STONY PLAIN SPCD-1224 (CAN) | LIVE IN CANADA - So Long Baby Goodbye / Big Mamou / Jolie Blon / Jambalaya / Johnny B Goode / Rainin' In My Heart / Sugar Bee / Tear Stained Letter / Jolie Blon (solo) / Bonus Track: interview with Jo-El Sonnier and Cajun accordian demonstration | |
04/1997 | CD ROUNDER CD-6069 (US) | CAJUN PRIDE - Lake Arthur Special / Juste Une Affaire / Pine Grove Blues / Lawtell Two Step / La Valse De Grand Mamou / French Blues / Mamou Two Step / Midnight Waltz / Step It Fast / Jolie Fille / Amede Ardoin / Johnnie Fais Bien | |
01/1998 | CD GREEN HILL MUSIC GHD 5108-2 (US) | CAJUN MEMORIES - Diggy Liggy Lo / Jambalaya - Bayou Pon Pon / Grande Mamou / Hackberry Hop / J'Ele Au Bal - Colinda / J'Ai Passe Devant La Porte / Happy One Step / Jolie Blon / Bosco Stomp High Point Two Step / Valse Du Chere Baby / Evangeline Special - Lacassine Special / La Porte De L'Arrier / I'd Like To Know - Lake Charles Waltz | |
02/1998 | CD INTERSOUND 9296-2 (US) | HERE TO STAY - We're Here To Stay / Broken Hearted Side Of New Orleans / Can't Give My Heart Away / Polk Salad Annie / I Can Help / Jambalaya / Diggy Diggy Lo / The Big Mamou / La Jolie Blonde / Johnny B. Goode / C'Est La Vie / Whiter Shade Of Pale / Cajun Medley: No More One MoreTime - Raining In My Heart - Tear Stained Letter - Sugar Bee | |
11/1999 | CD MUSIQUE DE' JO-EL 1755 (US) | CAJUN BLOOD - Sang Cadien / I'd Like To Know / The Back Door / Eh' Tit Fille / Lafayette Waltz / Jolie Coeur / Flammes D' Enfer / Cherokee Waltz / Quelle E' Toile / Te Yeux Noir / Allons A' Lafayette / Bayou Teche / Cajun Blood | |
07/2000 | CD GOLDBAND 7806 (US) | THE CAJUN VALENTINO - Run Dan Tucker / Leaving You / Pestauche Ah Tante Nana / Reason To Live / Can't Put That Monkey On My Back / Right Next Door To Texas / Well Sound The Bell / The One I Love / Black Sox Two Step / Rolling Pin Special / I'd Like To Forget / My Girl Of The Village | |
02/2002 | CD MUSIQUE DE' JO-EL 1984 (US) | THE L.A. SESSIONS - Jo-El SONNIER & Friends - Cajun Born / One Of Those Old Things / Good Deal Lucille / Come On Joe / Louisiana Blues / No More One More Time / Blue Is Not A Word / Knock-Knock-Knock / I Want To Be With You Always | |
03/2002 | CD GREEN HILL MUSIC GHD 5249-2 (US) | CAJUN TRADITION - Vien Dans Mu J'oin / Les Flammes D'Enfer / Jolie Fille / Midland Two Step / Allons A Lafayette / Chere Bassette / One Step De Chameau / Lake Arthur Stomp / Chere Yeaux Bleu / Port Arthur Blues / Les Grande Bois / Rolling Pin / Ma Chere Bebe Creole / Step It Fast | |
06/2002 | CD GREEN HILL MUSIC GHD 5310-2 (US) | CAJUN CHRISTMAS - Deck The Halls / Jingle Bells / Silver Bells / Jingle Bell Rock Frosty The Snowman / The First Noel / Here Comes Santa Claus / Joy To The World / Away In A Manger / Blue Christmas / Santa Claus Is Coming To Town / Silent Night! Holy Night! / Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer / We Wish You A Merry Christmas | |
03/2003 | CD GREEN HILL MUSIC GHD 5315-2 (US) | CAJUN HYMNS - When The Saints Go Marching In / I Saw The Light / I'll Fly Away / Precious Lord, Take My Hand / This Little Light Of Mine / O How I Love Jesus / Will The Circle Be Unbroken / Peace Like A River / Just A Little Talk With Jesus / Rock Of Ages / Victory In Jesus / Blesses Assurance / Swing Low, Sweet Chariot / Amazing Grace | |
2004 | CD GOLDBAND CD 7805 (US) | YESTERDAYS WITH JO-EL SONNIER - Right Next Door To Texas / Locked In My Mind / Our Tomorrow Will Never Come / Tears Of A Clown Only Make Believe / Life Is A Dirty Deal / Love To Boogie Woogie / Good Rockin' Joe / Sundown / White Dove Had Died / Telephone Won't Ring / Legend Of Andeu Lane / Monkey On My Back / Another Day / Let My Heart Go / Family Rules -Aka Angel Child / Juvenile Deliquent / Freight Train | |
01/2005 | CD GREEN HILL MUSIC GHD 5414-2 (US) | CAJUN MARDI GRAS ! - Go To The Mardi Gras / Carnival Time / Hey Pockaway / Big Chief / When The Saints Go Marching In / They All Asked / Mardi Gras Mambo / Street Parade / Second Line / Rockin' At The Mardi Gras / Le Danse / Jambalaya / Iko Iko | |
2005 | CD MUSIQUE DE' JO-EL JSCD 041108 (US) | BACK BY REQUEST - Tear-Stained Letter / Rainin' In My Heart / Louisiana 1927 / Big Mamou / Jolie Blonde / If Your Heart Should Ever Roll This Way Again / Have A Little Faith / No More One More Time / Come On Joe / I've Been Around Enough To Know / Whiter Shade Of Pale | |
2007 | CD MUSIQUE DE' JO-EL CD 070202 (US) |
Classic Country - I've Been Around Enough To Know / He's Still All Over You / Cheatin' Turns Her On / Always Late / Showboat Gambler / Blue Is Not A Word / Brighter Shade Of Blue / Knock-Knock-Knock / Am I Just Your Friend / It Don't Hurt Me Half As Bad / Say You Love Me / Cajun Woman / Cajun Born |
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02/2008 | CD MUSIQUE DE' JO-EL CD 071121 (US) |
The Real Deal - Louisiana Mudbug / Louisiana Means So Much To Me / Dead Giveaway / I Need Time / Break-Up / Matilda / Sweet Operator / The Real Deal / Squeeze Box / Delta Blue / Life's Last Parade / My Name Is Jo-El |
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2010 | CD ? (US) |
17 Greatest Hits - Come On Joe / No More One More Time / Les Flammes Des Enfer / Whiter Shade Of Pale / Sweet Operator / Cajun Born / Cajun Blood / Say You Love Me / Blue Is Not A Word / Knock, Knock, Knock / Fais Do Do / Broken Hearted Side / The Back Door / I Can Help / Jambalaya / La Jolie Blonde / Sang Cadien |
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02/2011 | CD Music Ache 60021 (US) |
Where's That Music Comin' From? - Acadiana / As Far South As You Can Go / Gumbo Radio / Bandera / Twelve Honest Men / Thunderbird Road / Confusion Say / Dylan Song / Because I Can / Hadacol Train / Swamp Porch Pickin' / As Long As I'm With You / Where's That Music Comin' From? / Healin' Song / The School I Had To Quit / Good Luck To You My Friend / You Never Get Over It / Twenty-One |
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12/2012 | CD MORELLO ? (EUR) |
Come On Joe - Have A Little Faith - Baby Hold On / Paid The Price / So Long Baby Goodbye / No More One More Time / Come On Joe / Say You Love Me / Rainin' In My Heart / Louisiana 1927 / Tear-Stained Letter / I've Slipped Her Mind / The Scene Of The Crime / If Your Heart Should Ever Roll This Way Again / Ooh, Ooh, Ooh / Have A Little Faith In Me / I'll Never Get Over You / The Hurt In My Heart / Solid Gold Plated Fool / (Blue, Blue, Blue) Blue, Blue / Walls / Evangeline Special |
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12/2013 | CD Takau 2828 (US) |
THE Legacy - J'Suis Apres Me Soutenir (I'm Holdin' On) / Les Blues D'Ennui (Lonesome Blues) / Ya Juste Toi (There's Only You) / Tu Peux Cogner (You Can Knock) / Cher' Tit Coeur (Dear Little Heart) / J'Sus Apres M'Ennuyer (Lonesome) / Mama's Two Step / Si J'Ai Pas Toi (If There's No You) / J'Ai Gone Fou (I'm Goin' Crazy) / Dockside Special / Tit Cheveux Noir (Little Black Hair) / J'Sus Apres Te Quitter (I'm Leavin') / Mais Yeaux Bleu (My Eyes Blue) |
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