Diggy Liggy Lo

Background

Producer Ann Savoy brought such artists as Linda Ronstadt, Rodney Crowell, Linda Thompson, Richard Thompson, Patty Griffin, Nick Lowe, Maria McKee, David Johansen and John Fogerty to participate in the tribute album Evangeline Made: A Tribute to Cajun Music. Savoy's goal was to demonstrate the affection of popular artists for Cajun music. She wanted to "renew and extend Cajun tradition rather than simply re-create it. The album reached #6 on the Billboard Top World Music Chart (No Depression, February 28th, 2002).

As a long-time fan of southern things and Cajun music, John Fogerty contributed with a rendition of "Diggy Liggy Lo" which had previosly been covered by Buck Owens, The Nitty Gritty Dirty Band, Doug Kershaw and Commander Cody and his Lost Planet Airmen, to name a few. Fogerty's version was recorded at Stagg St. Studio in Van Nuys, California, and La Louisiane in Lafaytte, Louisiana.  "Diggy Liggy Lo" was engineered by David Rachou, Pete Magdaleno, Tom Rothrock and Tony Daigle.

Personnel

Accordion: Marc Savoy

Fiddle: Michael Doucet

Guitar: Ann Savoy

Lead Guitar, vocals: John Fogerty

Triangle: Christine Balfa

Trivia

"Diggy Liggy Lo" is one of the two zydeco/cajun songs in the catalogue of John Fogerty. He debuted with "My Toot Toot" in 1985. 

It's also the only song Fogerty has sung in French (or Cajun French, to be exact). 

Critical reception

"Cajun influence has permeated Fogerty's vocals for so long that he sounds quite natural on 'Diggy Liggy Lo' ---." -Richie Unterberger, All Music.  

Fans' views

"John sings two brief verses, one in the first quarter of the recording and another more towards the end. His voice is typical Fogerty and he sounds like he's really enjoying himself. His guitar picks out crisply a simple French/Canadian folksy tune."

"Doug Kershaw's Diggy Diggy Lo is THE version; right now I can't even remember how John did it -- therefore John's version failed to ever leave an impression in my mind."

"Diggy Liggy Lo is almost an instrumental. John only sings for maybe twenty seconds in the song. His voice sounds good and he handles the French language fairly smoothly. The song has accordian, fiddle and of course John's guitar. I enjoyed the song. I wish John had sung more, but he did sound good and the song made me long for a new Fogerty cd." 

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