"Ma Chere Vieux Maison Dan Suet" - J.B. Fuselier

In the mid-1930s, fiddler Jean Batiste “J. B.” Fuselier joined tenor banjoist Beethoven Miller and guitarist Preston Manuel to form Miller's Merrymakers. What many don't know is J. B., who was at the center of the string band movement, always carried his accordion with him to play in case it was called for.   However, he never recorded with it until the 1960s.   

V'est ma chère vieille maison dans le sud,

J'ai quitter pour m'en aller,

Tous les anges ont chanté,

J'après m'en revenir,

C'est ma chère vieille maison dans le sud.

De mon papa et ma chère maman,

J'ai quitter ça tous tracassé,

Mais ça sera pas longtemps,

Je suis après m'en revenir,

C'est ma chère vieille maison dans le sud.

Dis adieu mes chères amis,

Dis adieu j'après m'en revenir,

Mais j'ai douté,

D'avoir eu quitté,

C'est ma chere vieille maison dans le sud.

J.B. Fuselier

In 1938, Fuselier recorded a number of tunes in New Orleans with "Ma Chere" in the title, with this one using a melody from Jimmie Rodgers.  "Ma Chere Vieux Maison Dan Suet" (#2041) on Bluebird records was part of the repertoire and his Merrymakers consisted of Preston Manuel guitar and probably M.J. Achten on guitar.  Author Ryan Brasseaux discusses this E.T. Cozzens and Jimmie Rodgers 1928 cover tune:

Though the band steered toward traditional Cajun musical expression, their instrumental arrangements and vocal delivery carried the synthetic mark of hillbilly and Western swing on occasion in the form of harmonizing and yodeling. Neither vocal delivery was characteristic of the singing technique employed during the early commercial era.  Rather, Merrymaker recordings such as "Ma Chere Vieux Maison Dan Suet" set to the melody of "Dear Old Sunny South By The Sea" provides a succinct example of both harmony and yodeling within the Cajun idiom. 1

This is my dear old house in the south,

I left to go all by myself,

All the angels sang,

Afterwards, I'll come back,

This is my dear old house in the south.

My father and my dear mother,

I left all worried,

But it will not be a long time,

Afterwards, I will return,

This is my dear old house in the south.

Say goodbye my dear friends,

Say goodbye, afterwards, I'll be back,

But I have doubts,

Having already left,

This is my dear old house in the south.

1. Cajun Breakdown: The Emergence of an American-Made Music By Ryan Andre Brasseaux
2. Lyrics by 'ericajun'

Cajun Country, Vol. 2, More Hits from the Swamp (JSP, 2005)