Tuesday, March 24, 2015

"La Blouse Française" - Sydney Landry

During the same recording session in 1929 that Amede Ardoin recorded in New Orleans, a musician named Sydney Landry recorded two songs for Columbia.   Also influenced by the blues, Landry's style was a Cajun version of what blues guitarist Jimmie Rodgers was doing.  He and Roy Gonzales were imitating this style during this time, recording them as Cajun tunes.



Si tu'm veux pas malheureux, c'est pas la peine tu dit ça,

Si tu’m veux pas malhuerse, c’est pas la peine tu dit ça, Haaa!

Parce que j’ai l’voir du ici et le Lulu garde à toi.



(yodel)



Dit pas quoi te fait, je vas dire pour mon seule, mais chere,

Dit pas ça te fait, je vas t’dit comment je me vu faire, Haaa!
Je soif pour ma bière et mon bon vieux père 

(yodel)

Je assis mon tout seul avec mon couer qui fait mal,
Je assis mon tout seul avec mon couer qui fait mal, Haaa!
Je près d’ esperer pour mon couer pour ma femme.

Bien seul moi tout les ans personne vas me voulez voir,
Bien seul moi tout les ans personne vas me voulez voir,
Si la belle veux me voir c’est la seul moi l’amie voir.

The song "La Blouse Française" (#40516), known as "French Blues", is a simple hillbilly song played on guitar, sung in Cajun french, with a couple of instances of vocal yodeling. 



If you don't want me unhappy, then don't say that,

If you don't want me unhappy, then don't say that, Haaa!

Because I see you've been here and Lulu's looking at you.



(yodel)



Don't tell me what to do, i'll do it myself, my dear,

Don't tell me what you do. I will tell you how I want to do it, Haaa!
I want my beer and my good old dad.

(yodel)

I am sitting here with my heart that is hurting,
I am sitting here with my heart that is hurting, Haaa!
I'm nearly desperate for the love of my wife.

Although I'm here all year, nobody wants to see me,
Although I'm here all year, nobody wants to see me,
If the beauty wants to see me, it's the only friend i'll see.

Not much is known about Landry since he was one of several musicians that showed up to record during these sessions and then left.  Records show it's possible he was born in 1907 and lived in New Iberia, Louisiana but no one knows for sure.  However, his music gives us a glimpse of what early Cajun music sounded like during the late 1920s. From what we can tell, he most probably went home to live an obscure life, never to record again.  









  1. Encyclopedia of the Blues edited by Edward Komara
  2. Lyrics by Jerry M


Find:
Cajun: Rare & Authentic (JSP, 2008)
Cajun Music, The Pretty Girls Don't Want Me (Firefly, 2012)
Cajun Swamp Stomp, Vol 1 (Lumi, 2012)
The Very Best of Cajun: La Stomp Creole, Vol. 1 (Viper, 2016)

2 comments:

  1. This Sydney Landry was my father. He was born in Henry Louisiana (outside of Erath) November 10, 1909. He lived and started his family in Ged, Louisiana (South of Vinton); spent time in Nordheim, Texas and Freer, Texas; and eventually moved to Columbus, Texas where he died January 29, 1954. The flip side of this record is "Confessions D'Amour". He started in music when he was 9 years old as a drummer like his dad Louis Landry, who played for local dances. Sydney often entertained friends in Erath singing with his guitar. Syd was also a member of Lawrence Walker's band and had additional records. He had a very bad automobile accident in the 30’s. lost his voice and ended up breaking all his records. The family is happy to have these 2 resurface.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. If this is Glenda, I've been trying to reach you about the history of these records. Feel free to email me at falcanary@gmail.com

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