"Demain C'est Pas Dimanche" - Moise Robin & Leo Soileau

Courtesy of Chris Strachwitz

"Tomorrow Is Not Sunday". It was Leo Soileau and Moise Robin's version of the old Creole song known as "Adieu Rosa".  While Robin and Soileau were lined up to record the melody, they met Douglas Bellard there at the studio in New Orleans in October of 1929.  Bellard would take the melody and shape it into his "Mon Camon La Case Que Je Suis Cordane", more commonly known as "Les Flammes D'enfer". Dennis McGee and Ernest Fruge were also in the studio that day and the duo reworked the melody, using the original title "Adieu Rosa".  Robin, recalls:

When I went over there, the last time I made a record in New Orleans with Leo Soileau, Angelas Lejeune, he made Bayou Pon Pon and I was there when he made Bayou Pon Pon. And there was a black [man], he made a record, Les Flammes D'enfer. I remember all these players.1

Moise Robin

Merci Bon Dieu, demain ç'est pas dimanche,

Bon Dieu connaît, demain ç'est pas dimanche,

Tonnerre m'écrase, demain ç'est pas dimanche,

Merci Bon Dieu.

Tonnere m'écrase, demain ç'est pas dimanche,

Bon Dieu connaît, mais, ça ç'est pas ma femme.

Bon Dieu connaît, Corine ç'est pas ma femme,

Merci Bon Dieu, Corine ç'est pas ma femme.

Adieu, Rosa, yaille, adieu, Rosa,

J'aurais l'malheure, "Lord",

Adieu Rosa.

Merci Bon Dieu, demain ç'est pas dimanche,

Bon Dieu connaît, demain ç'est pas dimanche,

Tonnerre m'écrase, Corine ç'est pas ma femme.

J'aurais l'malheure, j'aurais l'malheure.

Adieu, Rosa, yaille, adieu, Rosa,

Bon Dieu connaît, demain ç'est pas dimanche,

Merci Bon Dieu.

Adieu, Rosa, yaille, adieu, Rosa,

Tonnerre m'écrase, Corine ç'est pas ma femme,

Merci Bon Dieu, Rosa ç'est pas ma femme.

Leo Soileau

They took Bellard's melody and made it into their own rendition entitled "Demain C'est Pas Dimanche" (#15845). It was a familiar melody that influenced other songs such as Joe Falcon's "Acadian One Step", Angelas Lejeune's "Madame Donnez Moi Les" and Bixy Guidry's "Ella A Plurer Pour Revenir".  Leo would rework the song in the 1930s as "Petit Ou Gros", made famous by Joe Bonsall in the 1960s.  

Many people criticized Leo for his poor usage of the French language. Even some believed Moise to be on vocals, thanking God it wasn't Sunday and that his lover wasn't his wife. When the local priest found out Moise, the son of Joe Robin, might be the vocalist, he was angry:

It was Leo that made that record and I was playing with him. Father LaChapel, the priest of Leonville, heard that particular record.   He asked "Who sang that? Who made that record?" Arthur Stelly of Leonville said "It's Moise Robin." The priest said, "Moise Robin? C'est le bourriquet à Joe Robin". (It's Joe Robin's jackass). They accused me.2  

Thank the good Lord, tomorrow isn't Sunday,

Good Lord knows, tomorrow isn't Sunday,

May the thunder crush me, tomorrow isn't Sunday,

Thank the good Lord.

May the thunder crush me, tomorrow isn't Sunday,

Good Lord knows, well, that it's not my wife.

Good Lord knows, Corine is not my wife,

Thank the good Lord, Corine is not my wife.

Bye, Rosa, oh my, bye, Rosa,

I'd be so unlucky, Lord,

Bye Rosa.

Thank the good Lord, tomorrow isn't Sunday,

Good Lord knows, tomorrow isn't Sunday,

May the thunder crush me, Corine is not my wife.

I'd be so unlucky, I'd be so unlucky.

Bye, Rosa, oh my, bye, Rosa,

Good Lord knows, tomorrow isn't Sunday,

Thank the good Lord.

Bye, Rosa, oh my, bye, Rosa,

May the thunder crush me, Corine is not my wife,

Thank the good Lord, Rosa is not my wife.

Over time, "Adieu Rosa" and similar songs would become the well known "Les Flammes D'Enfer". Musician Wade Fruge, influenced by Bellard, discusses the song's origin and a story:

I learned what they call "Les Flammes d'Enfer" from a black fiddle player [Douglas Bellard].  It's a copy of another song called "Adieu, Rosa".  He'd play it in a one step, not a two step like people play it today. Today, it's played faster.

1. http://arhoolie.org/moise-robin/
2. Ye Yaille Chere by Raymond Francois
3. Picture by Chris Strachwitz
4. Lyrics by Raymond F

Release Info:

NO261 La Valse À Moreau | Vocalion 15845

NO262 Demain C'est Pas Dimanche | Vocalion 15845

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)