"Ma Jolie Petite Fille" - Leo Soileau

Cajun fiddler Leo Soileau got his start playing alongside Cajun accordion players such as Mayuse Lafleur and Moise Robin.   Once the string band craze took over the music scene after the Depression in south Louisiana, he adapted and created a new string band group.  The Four Aces was managed by the Shreve family with Olaf Shreve as their booking manager.   By 1936, as his fame spread and his group became better known, they were paid up to $800 for a session, plus all travel expenses and "room and board at those big hotels."1  

Oh, toi, mon nèg, chérie,

Pourquoi-donc, tu fais ça, oui,

Avec, oui, mais, ta negresse?

Oh, toi, mon nèg, chérie,

Tu connais, chérie,

Tu as prends, mais, oui, ton bebe.

(Tu) connais, toi, mon nèg, chérie,

Tu vas, toi, là-bas chérie,

Quand, mais ton nèg, il est pas là.

Ton nèg est pas là, mon nèg.

Tu fais, oui, la mal à jamb,

Mais, quand ton nèg est là, mon nèg.

Daily Advertiser

Apr 30, 1937

It had been almost an entire year before the Shreve brothers decided to leave the Aces.  Leo had to form a new group which he called the Rhythm Boys.  Recorded in 1937 in Dallas, Texas at the Adolphus Hotel, Leo was possibly accompanied with Johnny Baker and Buel Hoffpauir on guitars.   In the background, you can hear Crowley native and former jazz drummer Tony Gonzales trying to project his raucous drum sound from across the room. 

Oh, you, my dearest friend,

So why have you done that, yes,

With, yes, well, your woman?

Oh, you, my dearest friend,

You know, dearie,

You have, well, yes, your baby.

You know, my dearest friend,

You went over there, dearie,

When, well, your friend, he's not there.

Your friend is not ther, my friend,

You make, yes, my legs ache,

Well, when your man is there, my friend.

Lake Charles American Press

Jun 27, 1947

Leo had never received a royalty check from any of this recordings until 1974 when Chris Strachwitz of Arhoolie Records produced an LP of all of Leo's biggest Cajun fiddle hits from the original 78 RPM records.  When Leo was asked if he had a copy of those records, he said,

No. I was too busy playing music. I was a trouper and letting the good times roll and never gave any thought to collecting records.  Now, would you believe I don't have a single record that I made?"1 

1. The Ville Platte Gazette (Ville Platte, Louisiana) 02 May 1974
2. Photo by Jeremy R

Release Info:

61900-A Ma Jolie Petite Fille | Decca 17027 A

61892-A La Bonne Valse | Decca 17027 B

Find:
Leo Soileau: Louisiana Cajun Music Vol. 7 (Old Timey, 1982)
Cajun Louisiane 1928-1939 (Fremeaux, 2003)
The Early Recordings of Leo Soileau (Yazoo, 2006)