"Ma Chere Tite Fille" - Moise Robin & Leo Soileau

Moise Robin learned to play Cajun accordion at a very young age.  His father, Joseph, picked up the accordion in the late 1800s and learned many of the melodies that other musicians played around Leonville. In fact, it's his dad that got him interested in accordion:

He had an accordion and I would go to school and when I would come back from school instead of make my lesson.  I was more interested in accordion.1 

He would play dances and he would make me play a few dances for the people.  My head would show up on top of the accordion, I was about nine-years old.1 

Chère petite fille, rappelle-toi qu'en j'm'en allé, 

J't'ai dis, "T'es canaille!", quand t'avait rencontré,

C'est plus tard, j'ai tombé en amour avec toi et z'aujourd'hui, 

C'est la seule que moi, j'aime.

Aujourd'hui, j'abandonne père et mère, 

Frères et sœurs pour te suivre à ta maison,

Mais, j'comprends tu vas me quitter pour t'en aller avec autre, 

Malheureuse, pourquoi-donc, t'es après faire ça?

Soignez jamais un petite fille de quatorze ans qui te quitter,

Pour s'en aller avec un homme de cinquante ans,

Moi, j'connais aujourd'hui de l'après me faire, z'avec moi, 

Malheureuse, tu vas pleurer z'avant longtemps.

Aujourd'hui, j'abandonne père et mère, 

Frères et sœurs pour te suivre à ta maison,

Mais, 'contré dedans la terre, mais, des miseres, 

Malheureuse, tu connais c'est pas mon temps.

Clarion News
July 18, 1929

Moise's father played as far as Ville Platte and learned of the fiddle-accordion duo, Leo Soileau and Mayuse Lafleur.  By the summer of 1929, Leo partnered with Moise and together they formed a musical pair and were discovered by the Paramount record company.  Paramount records had the duo arrive in Richmond, Indiana for a recording session where they recorded "Ma Chere Tite Fille" (#12808). Leonville-native and Opelousas merchant Winter Lemoine, a distributor for Paramount, helped the duo make the trip.  Lemoine operated a sewing machine business which sold records on the side.   Moise recalls:

When we was playing, a company from the Richmond, Indiana called us to go make a record. So we met in Richmond, Indiana and made two records there. 

Moise Robin
by Chris Strachwitz

Dear little girl, remember that I went away,

I told you, "You're mischievous!", when I met you,

It's too late, I fell in love with you and today,

It's the only one I love.

Today, I abandoned my father and mother,

Brothers and sisters to follow you to your house,

Well, I understand you're leaving me to go away with another,

Poor woman, why is it, you've done that?

Never chase a 14 year old who will leave you,

To go away with a man of 50 years,

I know today what you've done with me,

Poor woman, you will cry before too long.

Today, I abandoned my father and mother,

Brothers and sisters to follow you to your house,

Well, getting into a world of misery,

Poor woman, you know it's not my time.

1. http://arhoolie.org/moise-robin/
2. Lyrics by Stephane F

Release Info:
G15343 Ma Chere Tite Fille | Paramount 12808-A
G15344 Easy Rider Blues | Paramount 12808-B

Find:
Louisiana Cajun Music Vol. 5: The Early Years 1928-1938 (Old Timey, 1973)
The Early Recordings of Leo Soileau (Yazoo, 2006)