Louisiana Blues and Zydeco

Louisiana Blues and Zydeco is Clifton Chenier’s debut full-length and one of the foundational recordings of zydeco music. The album was recorded in May 1965 in Houston, Texas, by Chris Strachwitz and released later that year by Arhoolie Records, inaugurating a creatively fertile and culturally significant decades-long collaboration. Chenier’s exuberant accordion playing and singing, both in English and Black French Creole, form the centerpiece of the album’s unique blend of blues, Cajun music, R&B, and other Black and Native musical traditions. The album’s two sides present different configurations of Chenier’s artistry: side one features a full band, including accordion, piano, guitar, bass, and drums, while the flip features the stripped-down, but no less potent, lineup of Chenier on accordion and vocals, his brother Cleveland on rubboard, and Manson Guidry on drums. Several songs featured on Louisiana Blues and Zydeco, including “Zydeco Sont Pas Salé” and “Eh, ‘Tite Fille,” became career-defining songs for Chenier.

Track Listing

1	Eh, 'Tite Fille Clifton Chenier	02:43
2	Banana Man Clifton Chenier	04:50
3	Hot Rod Clifton Chenier	02:50
4	It's Hard Clifton Chenier	03:23
5	I Can Look Down at Your Woman Clifton Chenier	03:32
6	I Can't Stand Clifton Chenier	02:43
7	Zydeco Et Pas Sale Clifton Chenier	03:16
8	Lafayette Waltz Clifton Chenier	04:28
9	Louisiana Two-Step Clifton Chenier	03:40
10	Clifton's Waltz Clifton Chenier	03:56
11	Louisiana Blues Clifton Chenier	05:03