Hippy Ti Yo (also spelled Hippy To Yo, Hip Et Taiau, Les Huppes Taiauts, Hippy-Ty-Yo, Hippy-Tai-Yo, Hippitiyo, Tayeaux Dog Tayeaux) is a traditional melody that was first recorded as ''Ils La Volet Mon Trancas'', sung by
Cajun musician
Cleoma Breaux in 1934 in
San Antonio, Texas.
The melody would later be adapted into many different songs throughout history.
Music
Origins
The song is an old tune about a mysterious creature, women or a couple of dogs, Hip and Taiaud, who prowl about stealing things off the farm, engendering the ire of the farmer which makes them return the items. Origin of the phrase is suggested to belong to the Cajuns of the Cajun prairies.
In the film "American Patchwork", Alan Lomax makes a loose claim stating cowboys from Texas heard the phrase being used as they drove their cattle across the Cajun prairies to be sold in New Orleans. He makes the assumption that this phrase is the origins of the call "Whoopie Ti Yi Yo".
Author Raymond E. Francois describes a different origin. The French word "Huppe", used colloquially, means ''clever'' while "taiaut" comes from the English shout ''tally-ho'', and refers to a hound dog, thus "clever hounds".
The earliest recording of the song is believed to be a 1934 version sung by
Cleoma Breaux and played by
Joe Falcon entitled "Ils La Volet Mon Trancas", recorded in
San Antonio, Texas (Bluebird B-2191). Later that year, the
Breaux Brothers
Breaux Frères or Breaux Brothers (Amédé on accordion, Ophé on guitar, and Cléopha on the fiddle), were Cajun musicians. They were the earliest to record the song " Jolie Blonde", under the title of " Ma Blonde Est Partie".
Amédé Breaux w ...
would record the same melody as the tune "T'as vole mon chapeau" (Vocalion 02961). In 1962,
Joe Falcon explains he picked up the song from black Creoles, one named Sidney Babineaux.
The following year in 1935,
Leo Soileau
Leo Soileau (January 19, 1904 – August 2, 1980) was one of the most prolific Cajun recording artists of the 1930s and 1940s, recording over 100 songs, which was a substantial amount considering the reluctance to record the music during its earl ...
and His Three Aces used the same melody for his song "Hackberry Hop" (Bluebird B-2086). The song refers to the town of
Hackberry, Louisiana
Hackberry is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Cameron Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 1,261 at the 2010 census, down from 1,699 in 2000. The losses were due to extensive damage from hurricanes ...
which is located about 30 miles from
U.S. Route 90. Several years later, the familiar melody would appear in a 1953 rockabilly called "Route 90" by
Clarence Garlow
Clarence Joseph Garlow (February 27, 1911July 24, 1986)
was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter who performed in the R&B, jump blues, Texas blues and cajun styles. He is best known for his recording of the song " Bon Ton Roula", which ...
on Flair Records (#1021). The melody is eerily similar in chord progression as well as in the vocal pattern.
*''Ils La Volet Mon Trancas'
Listen (MP3)
Eventually, in 1962, Sidney Babineaux would record a similar-sounding melody entitled "Zydeco Sont Pas Sale".
Late 20th century and recent covers
* ''Hackberry Hop'',
Harry Choates & His Melody Boys (1947)
* ''Hippitiyo'', Hackberry Ramblers (1947)
* ''Hippy Ti Yo'', Bobby Page And The Riff Raffs (1958)
* ''Hippy Ti Yo'',
Doug Kershaw
Douglas James Kershaw (born January 24, 1936) is an American fiddle player, singer and songwriter from Louisiana. Active since 1948, he began his career as part of the duo Rusty and Doug, along with his brother, Rusty Kershaw. He had an extens ...
(1973)
* ''Hippy Ti Yo'',
Jimmy Newman
Jimmy Yves Newman (August 29, 1927 – June 21, 2014), better known as Jimmy C. Newman (the C stands for Cajun), was an American country music and cajun singer-songwriter and long-time star of the Grand Ole Opry.
Early life
Newman was born ...
(1973)
* ''Hip Et Taiau'',
Nathan Abshire (1978)
References
Cajun folk songs
Year of song unknown
Songwriter unknown
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