Dinner Music: Bobby Charles
the man behind swamp rock, louisiana's ode to western, folk and R&B
Bobby Charles, born in the late 1930s, was a songwriter, musician and pioneer of swamp rock, a south Louisiana style of music characterized by slow rolling ballads in the music tradition of country and western, folk, New Orleans style R&B and traditional Cajun-French music. Charles grew up playing music in Abbeville, LA, but was kicked into high gear the first time he heard a Fats Domino song on the radio. “That was it, it changed my life forever. It hit me hard. Something hits you that hard you don't forget it,” he said. He wrote some major hits, like See You Later, Alligator and (I Don’t Know Why) But I Do, which appeared in the quintessential southern film Forrest Gump. Eventually, his inspiration came full circle when Fats Domino recorded Walking to New Orleans.
Bobby Charles was released in 1972 as a self-titled album. The album includes twelve Charles original tracks, each supporting that easy Louisiana vibe with country, blues R&B and folk sounds. Many of us likely have a different idea of what swamp music sounds like, but Bobby Charles asks us to set aside any bias we may have for the genre and simply listen. The track I Must Be in a Good Place Now in particular doesn’t ask much of the listener, but the genius is in the simplicity. It reminds us that there are these perfect Southern days — days that require little of you, but give a lot in return. The album is an ode to that feeling.
Enjoy.
Bobby Charles - Bobby Charles*:
*Not available for streaming on Apple Music
Pair this album with:
Classic Daiquiri. We’ll save the frozens for the weekend. The classic daiquiri is classy, served in a coupe glass, and very simple. It’s a great sipping cocktail and the slight sweetness goes well with spicy foods.
Spicy Southern Style Shrimp with Orzo. It wouldn’t be cajun inspired without some seafood and heat. This is a go-to recipe for weekday dinner parties, because it’s simple and very delicious. I highly recommend making your own cajun seasoning, plus you probably already have all of the spices to do it.
Merci beaucoup.