Thursday, September 6, 2018

"Ce Pas La Pienne Tu Pleur" - Moise Robin & Leo Soileau

By July of 1929, Paramount Records heard about Columbia and RCA's success with recording Cajun material.  Their scouts contacted Leo Soileau about recording again, this time in Richmond, Indiana.  Although Soileau had lost his accordion playing partner after a barroom brawl, he teamed up with Arnaudville native, Moise Robin.  Paramount arranged a trip via train that summer to Indiana and the two recorded six songs at the Starr Piano Company Building at Whitewater Gorge Park.   Robin wrote many of his songs:


I made the songs myself, when I was young. My dances and my tunes and my songs. I would write in French and understand my own language, you see. So, I would compose my songs and write them down and practice them.2  




Oh, toi, 'tit monde, 'gardez-donc, malheureuse,

Toi, 'tit monde, m'fais pas ça, avec moi, chère.


Oh, malheureuse, 'gardez-donc, toi, tit monde,
Ayoù ma fille* aujourd'hui, c'est pour toi, chère.

Oh, viens-donc voir toi, tit monde, toi, yé yaille, chère,
Toi, 'tit monde, pas la peine, tu vas m'faire pleurer, chère.

Oh, toi, 'tit monde, tu fuis dedans les chemins,
Toi, 'tit monde, tu peux r(e)mercier ton papa.

Oh, toi, 'tit monde, m'fais pas ça avec moi,
Toi, 'tit monde, tu vas pleurer, toi, tit monde, chérie.
Starr Piano Company

Following the lead of other major labels, it seems Soileau and Robin were paid per session.   Borrowing Joe Falcon's "Aimer et Perdre" melody, Robin reworked the song into "Ce Pas La Pienne Tu Pleur" (#12908). Leo would later record the tune as a string band song entitled "La Valse de la Rosa" for RCA in the mid 30s. The money they received--a hefty sum around The Depression--encouraged the duo to continue recording two more times that year.  Moise recalls:


It was all steam trains.  They would pay all expenses, and the year was, in that time money, it was Depression, $25 each, to make that first record. And it was great for us, $25.  And the second time we got again, $50.2  




Oh, you little everything, so look at that, oh my,

You, my little everything, don't do that to me, dear.


Oh, oh my, so look, you little everything,
Where are you today, my girl? I'm here for you, dear.

Oh, come and see, you little everything, yé yaille, dear,
You little everything, it's not worth you hurting me, crying, dear,

Oh, you little everything, you fled down the road, 
You little everything, you can thank your dad (for all of this).

Oh, you little everything, don't do that to me, 
You little everything, you're going to cry, you little everything, dearie.







  1. Photo by Chris Strachwitz
  2. http://arhoolie.org/moise-robin/
  3. Lyrics by Stephane F

Release Info:
G15345-A Ce Pas La Pienne Tu Pleur | Paramount 12908 A
G15344-B Je Te Rencontrais De Le Brulier | Paramount 12908 B

Find:
The Early Recordings of Leo Soileau (Yazoo, 2006)

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