"Tran La Ezy (Drag It Easy)" - Musical Four Plus One

Traîne-la Aisée!  Musical Four Plus One had been one of many Cajun music groups around the mid 1950s to play and record around the Lake Charles area. Their recording of "Tran La Ezy" (#609) was a cover of Leo Soileau and Moise Robin melody popularly known as "Easy Rider Blues" recorded in 1929.   Leo recalls the song,

That was, that was popular down here, boy.  Very, very good.1 

Eh, chère, mais, quoi t'as fais avec moi hier au soir, 

Eh, 'tite fille, mais, quoi t'as fais avec moi hier au soir, 

Tu m'as quitté pour un autre, c'est pas la peine tu viens, je veux plus te voir,

C'est pas le peine jamais tu viens, je veux plus te voir, ah négresse.

Eh, chère, mais, rappelle-toi d'ton pauvre vieux nègre,

Eh, 'tite fille, mais, rappelle-toi d'ton pauvre vieux nègre,

Tu t'en vas avec un autre, cher bébé, c'est pas la peine, je p(l)us te voir,

C'est pas la peine, je p(l)us te voir, yaille.

Musical Four Plus One
Sidney Brown, Mickey Peshoff, Eddie Duhon
Crawford Vincent, and Cleadis Mott

By 1951, the group consisted of Ellias Thibodeaux on accordino, Eddie Duhon on vocals and fiddle, Cleadis Mott on electric guitar, Charles Delaney on rhythm guitar, Eldridge ‘Coon’ Guidry on bass, and Clifton Newman on drums.  Some bigger names went through the band including Sidney Brown and Crawford Vincent, who replaced Thibodeaux and Newman respectively.2   

Hey, dear, well, why did you do that to me, last night,

Hey, little girl, well, why did you do that to me, last night,

You left me for another, it's not worth you returning, I don't want to see you anymore,

It's not worth you returning, I don't want to see you anymore, ah naughty woman.

Hey, dear, well, remember your poor old man,

Hey, little girl, well, remember your poor old man,

You're going away with another, dear baby, it's not worth it, I'll never see you, 

It's not worth it, I'll never see you, yaille.

Cleadis Mott, Charlie Delaney

The misspelled title of the French saying "traîne-la aisée" can be directly translated to "drag along easily" but leans more with the meaning of "take it easy",  "ride easy", or to "casually ride along", hinting at the connection to the original melody.   Although, Eddie Duhon, the vocalist, changed the lyrics considerably, his fiddle rides followed the exact pattern Leo had laid down back in 1928.  

1. Leo Soileau interview with Chris Strachwitz
2. Cajun Honky Tonk: The Khoury Recordings, Volume 1.  David Sax.  Liner notes.
3. Lyrics by Stephane F

Release Info:
Chere Ami Waltz | Khoury's 609-A
Tran La Ezy | Khoury's 609-B

Chere Ami Waltz | Lyric 609-A
Tran La Ezy | Lyric 609-B


Find:
Cajun Honky Tonk: The Khoury Recordings, Volume 1 (Arhoolie, 1995)