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184 Jefferson davis Parish Cleveland Benoit and “The Mighty Darby Hicks” The identities of Cleveland Benoit and Darby Hicks remain a mystery. No one named Cleveland Benoit appears in the Je≠erson Davis census rolls during the 1920s or 1930s. Darby Hicks, in turn, is almost certainly a pseudonym. Like Blind Boy Grunt or John Wesley Harding, “Darby Hicks” was a fictitious name adopted by early jazz musicians when they made recordings that were prohibited by the terms of previous record deals. Veteran jazz musicians also referenced the mythical Darby Hicks when hazing up-andcoming players, as George Lipsitz points out: “Darby Hicks did not exist. The musicians made up a name they could use to tease newcomers, to initiate them into the band with an in-joke. Eventually the new band members would become insiders and play the same trick on those who joined the aggregation after them” (2007, 79). Alan Lomax’s presence in the Jennings area had apparently caused quite a stir in the community , and he later told Barry Ancelet that he had been under surveillance by the local authorities, notably the sheri≠ (Ancelet 2003). The singers may have wanted to avoid trouble by giving false names, particularly considering the somewhat racy subject matter of the songs they recorded. Là-bas chez Moreau y O là-bas chez Moreau, O cherche ton candi, O là-bas chez Moreau, O malheureux nègre, O malheureux nègre, O c’est malheureux. [Oh, over at Moreau’s, Oh, search for your candy, Oh, over at Moreau’s. Oh, poor man, Oh, poor man, Oh, it’s so sad. jefferson davis parish 185 O j’ai pas venu ici pours tracas, O j’ai venu après mon linge, Cher ami, nègre. Mmm, cher ami, nègre. Pas vini ici pour faire toi misère. Mmm, juste vini ici pour chercher mon linge. O soleil après coucher, O la lune après lever. Mmm, mon nègre est pas arrivé. Mmm, malheureux, nègre, O c’est malheureux. O mais quinze jours passés, Mmm, tu m’as fait des promesses, Mmm, toi, malheureuse, Mmm, toi, malheureuse, nègre, C’est malheureux tu fais comme ça. O mais qui tu m’as dit, Mmm, quinze jours passés, Mmm, chère amie, négresse. Mmm, ta mère puis ton père Té ’mandé marier toi. O ta mère m’a dit non, Mmm, ton père m’a dit ouais, Mmm, chère petite française. Mmm, peut-être un jour qui va vini Si mon l’idée changé. O là-bas chez Moreau. Mmm, moi va voler toi. Après ça, ta mère et puis ton père Va connaître comment parler leur garçon. O mais va chez Moreau, Cherche ton café, Mmm, cherche ton café, chère. Mmm, ton café, chère. M’a rejoindre ton nègre, nègre, Ton nègre, m’ai rejoindre à l’autre bord de chemin de fer. O là-bas chez Moreau, O cherche ton candi. Mmm, malheureuse, Pour fait comme ça. O mais quinze jours passés, O les promesses tu m’as fait, Oh, I didn’t come here for trouble. Oh, I came for my clothes, My dear friend. Mmm, my dear friend. Mmm, my dear friend. Didn’t come here to cause you pain. Mmm, just came to get my clothes. Oh, the sun is setting, Oh, the moon is rising. Mmm, my man is not home. Mmm, my poor man, Oh, it’s so sad. Oh, fifteen days ago, Mmm, you made promises to me. Mmm, poor girl. Mmm, yo poor girl. It’s a shame for you to do that. Oh, what you did tell me, Mmm, fifteen days ago, Mmm, dear friend, lady. Mmm, your mother and your father. Were asked for your hand. Oh, your mother told me no, Mmm, your father told me yes, Mmm, dear little French girl. Mmm, the day may come If I don’t change my mind. Oh, over at Moreau’s. Mmm, I will steal you. Then your mother and your father. Will know how to speak to their son. Oh, go then to Moreau’s, Look for your co≠ee Mmm, look for your co≠ee, dear. Mmm, your co≠ee, dear. I’ll meet your man. Your man I’ll meet on the other side of the tracks. Oh, over at Moreau’s, Oh, search for your...

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