High Water Friends CD - Track Seven: Tee Nah Nah

          After a week off exploring the Covington restaurant scene and the struggles of the New Orleans Saints, now it’s time to get back to the crawfish boil CD. Up next is the seventh track and fourth from Warren Prejean and the Zydeco Rythmn and Blues Bland titled “Tee Nah Nah.”

Smiley Lewis (1913-1966)

           “Tee Nah Nah” first became a hit in 1950 by New Orleans R&B musician Smiley Lewis. Born in DeQuincey, Louisiana with the unfortunate name of Overton Amos Lemons, Smiley fled for New Orleans in his mid-teens. After boarding with a white family in the Irish Channel he adopted their last name of Lewis. He began his musical career playing clubs in the French Quarter and the 7^th Ward. Lewis’s lack of front teeth earned him the stage name of Smiling or Smiley. Throughout his early career, Smiley often played alongside pianist Isidore “Tuts” Washington. Throughout the 1930s and 40s, Lewis played clubs in the city while working odd jobs. In 1950, the invitation of childhood neighbor and musician Dave Bartholomew led to a recording session with Imperial Records. The first song to come out that recording session was “Tee Nah Nah.” Tuts Washington had provided Lewis with the song, claiming that it was song by the inmates at the infamous Angola state prison. The song became popular across the Old South, especially in dance halls. Lewis would go on to record further hit songs, “Blue Monday” and “I Hear You Knocking.” “I Hear You Knocking” reached number two on the R&B charts. Throughout his career, other artists like Fats Domino, Gale Storm, and even a young Elvis Presley covered Lewis’s songs much more successfully than Lewis himself ever could. Embittered, Lewis succumbed to stomach cancer in 1965. 

Buckwheat Zydeco and his legendary accordion 

           In 1987, “Tee Nah Nah” again found commercial success thanks to Buckwheat Zydeco. Buckwheat Zydeco is the stage name of Zydeco musician Stanley Dural, Jr. and his band. Unlike most zydeco artists, Buckwheat Zydeco has achieved significant national and international success. They have performed with Eric Clapton, U2, and the Boston Pops. They played the closing ceremonies of the 1996 closing Olympics and at both inaugurations of President Bill Clinton. Dural himself was born in Lafayette and earned his nickname from his resemblance to the character from The Little Rascals. In the 1970s, Dural switched over to zydeco permanently after joining legendary musician Clifton Chenier’s band as an organist. In 1979, he formed his own band under the name Buckwheat Zydeco. Throughout the 1980s, Buckwheat Zydeco released several albums and in 1988 joined Eric Clapton on his North American tour. Clapton’s patronage led to collaborations with Keith Richards, Willie Nelson, Robert Plant, and Paul Simon. Throughout the 1900s and 2000s Buckwheat Zydeco has continued to tour and perform. Most recently, they opened the final episode of Jimmy Fallon’s run on Late Night.

         

          The song “Tee Nah Nah” plays every Friday morning on 93.7 The Dawg, a country music station based in Lafayette. In honor of the song’s dance hall popularity, the station claims that they lead off with the song before their 6:00 AM news to provide a spring in the step of their listeners.

Tee Nah Nah

Tee Nah Nah, Tee Nah Nah Nah Nah nah
Tee Nah Nah Nah Nah, Tee Nah Nah
Tee Nah Nah Nah Nah, Tee Nah Nah Tee Nah Nah
www.cajunlyrics.com
I'm In Love, with a Married Woman
But I'm afraid, to call her name
If I call her Name Lord, Gonna be in trouble
www.cajunlyrics.com
Owe Wee, Owe Wee Baby
Honey Look Just What You Do To Me
Owe Wee, Owe Wee Honey Please
www.cajunlyrics.com
Tee Nah Nah, Tee Nah Nah Nah Nah nah
Tee Nah Nah Nah Nah, Tee Nah Nah
Tee Nah Nah Nah Nah, Tee Nah Nah Tee Nah Nah
www.cajunlyrics.com
www.cajunlyrics.com
I'm In Love, with a Married Woman
But I'm afraid, to call her name
If I call her Name Lord, Gonna be in trouble
www.cajunlyrics.com
Owe Wee, Owe Wee Baby
Honey Look Just What You Do To Me
Owe Wee, Owe Wee, Honey Please
www.cajunlyrics.com
Tee Nah Nah, Tee Nah Nah Nah Nah nah
Tee Nah Nah Nah Nah, Tee Nah Nah
Tee Nah Nah Nah Nah, Tee Nah Nah Tee Nah Nah