"Cinque Pieds Deux (Five Feet Two)" - Patrick "Dak" Pellerin

Before there were the "Cajun crooners" such as Buddy Duhon, Jimmy Newman and Belton Richard, there was Patrick Pellerin. In March 1929, Okeh records gathered a representative group of Acadian French "Cajun" musicians from the Lafayette, Louisiana area in Atlanta Georgia for one of the first recording sessions featuring their music. What resulted were eight sides that included both Cajun standards and their interpretations of some popular American songs of the day. 

Cinq pieds deux, yeux de bleus, 

Oh, ça ces cinq pieds peut faire. 

Qui ça donc vous qui voir ma belle?

Nez troussé, bas roulés, 

(O'lay), oui monsieur, l'un (de ceux),

Qui ça donc vous qui voir ma belle?

Là si tu vois une fille, cinq pied deux, 

couvert fourrure, 

bagues diamants, ça fait là pari ta vie, c'est pas (lui).

Mais, quand (même lui) l'aime, (même lui) l'aime, 

L'aimait comme jamais voir. 

Qui ça donc vous qui voir ma belle?

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Five feet two, eyes of blue, 

But, oh what those five feet can do,

Has anybody seen my girl?

Turned-up nose, turned-down hose,

Flapper, yes sir, one of those, 

Has anybody seen my girl?

Now if you run into, five foot two,

Covered with fur,

Diamond rings, all those things,

Bet your life it isn't her.

But could she love? Could she woo? 

Could she, could she, could she coo!

Has anybody seen my girl?

"Cinque Pieds Deux (Five Feet Two)" (#45332) is performed in both French and English by Patrick Louis "Dak" Pellerin, accompanying himself on the banjo.   It's a rendition of a Percy Weinrich and Jack Mahoney song called "Has Anybody Seen My Gal? (Five Foot Two, Eyes of Blue)" written in 1914.  A rendition had gained popularity in 1925 and was still fairly popular by the late 20s.  While his French is difficult to decipher, it does seem he changed the lyrics slightly between the two different verses.

Five foot two, eyes of blue,

Oh, what five feet can do.

Who has seen my beauty?

Nose tucked up, (hose) rolled down,

(O'lay!) Yes mister, one (of those),

Who has seen my beauty?

If there you see a girl, five foot two,

covered in fur,

diamond rings, bet your life,

It's not (her).

But, would she still love? she still love me?

Love as you've ever seen,

Who has seen my beauty?

His performances are probably the only example of real Cajun vaudeville type stuff ever heard. 

Crowley Daily Signal
Jul 5, 1929

1. Negotiating Difference in French Louisiana Music: Categories, Stereotypes ... By Sara Le Menestrel
2. Discussions with Malcolm V
3. Image by Malcolm V
4. Lyrics by Marc C