Annotation:Porte d'en arrière (La)

Back to Porte d'en arrière (La)

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PORTE D'EN ARRIERE, LA (The Back Door). Cajun, Two-Step (4/4 time). A Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). One part. A popular modern Cajun song. D.L. Menard’s version is especially influential while Merlin Fontenot's "Hale Pour la Tienne" is a related piece. Richard Gehr, writing for Rolling Stone's "100 Greatest Country Songs of all Times" [1] states:

Menard's catchy two-step satirizes a Cajun stereotype, the hard-drinking spendthrift whose late-night escapades lead to an early-morning return through the back door (and ultimately prison). "La Porte d'en Arrière" sold out its initial 300-copy run within days, then sold half a million more while becoming Cajun music's most frequently covered song not titled "Jole Blon." Although Menard soon "came to where I couldn't bear to even hear the name of that song, I got so tired of it," he still manages to perform "La Porte" to this day.

Source for notated version: Doris Leon ("D.L.") Menard and the Louisiana Aces (La.) [Francois].

Printed sources: Francois (Yé Yaille Chère), 1990; pp. 446-447.

Recorded sources: Arhoolie CD433, Any Old Time String Band - “I Bid You Goodnight” (1978-1980). Bay 217, Any Old Time - "Ladies Choice." Rounder 6003, D.L. Menard. Swallow SW-LP6038, D.L. Menard.

See also listing at:
See/hear D.L. Menard play the song on youtube.com [2] [3]

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