By 1936, it had been over a year since Joe and Cleoma Falcon had stepped foot in a studio before they had scored another contract with RCA. Eli Oberstein and other recording executives had arrived the week before Mardi Gras and began loading their equipment into the second floor of the building. There, they planned a three-day session where bands such as Bo Carter and the Arthur Smith Trio were waiting for their turn.1
Feeling the need for a fiddle player, Joe convinced Crowley native and musician, Moise “Mose” Morgan join their duo. Mose had learned to play the fiddle as a young child and grew up learning popular tunes. The trio recorded a song Joe called "Pauvre Garçon (Poor Boy)" (#2185). In typical form, Joe often held the verses beyond the standard meter, allowing the chord changes to match the lyrical changes.
Comment tu crois, mais, que moi j’peux faire, chère?
Mais, avant hier soir, mais, t’après faire avec moi,
Moi j’vois pas quoi moi j’va faire, moi seul.
Garde-donc toi, ‘tite fille qui crois bien pourquoi toi t’as dit, toi chère,
Il y a pas, mais, si longtemps tu m’as donc promis de jamais oublier,
Mais, ‘garde-donc toi t’après faire avec moi,
Tu devrais donc, chère, user ta tête, ouais, tu vois les promesses,
J’mérite, mais, oui, pas tout la misère que toi t’après me faire avec moi.
Au jour d’aujourd’hui, mais, moi j’connais, chère,
Tu vas r’venir, oui, mais, donc me r’joindre, oui chère,
Mais, pour des bonnes excuses à moi avant longtemps.
Tu connais, ‘tite fille, mais j’mérite pas, mais, donc tout ça, toi chère,
Le seul Bon Dieu va m’mettre la main, ça c’est moi, oui, pour toi, oui chère,
Mais, malheureuse, ‘garde moi donc, moi j’va faire, oui, tout seul.
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| Joe Falcon Courtesy of Squalor Illustrations squalorillustrations.bigcartel.com |
Other bands such as the Hackberry Ramblers and the Dixie Ramblers were on the docket that day, awaiting their turn to record as well. To avoid possible conflicts with any earlier contract that Joe and Cleoma may have signed with the Kapps at Decca, Oberstein got creative and renamed the group, The Falcon Trio. When RCA Bluebird pressings arrived in stores, eager buyers discovered Falcon Trio songs stamped on the flip-side of some Hackberry Ramblers recordings as well as on the flip-side of some Dixie Ramblers pressings.1
How do you think, well, that I'll be able to do this, dear?
Well, before last night, well, what you've done to me,
I don't see what I'm going to do, I'm alone.
So look, little girl, who really believed what you said, my dear,
It wasn't, well, so long ago (that) you promised to never forget me,
Well, so, look at what you've done to me,
So, dear, you should use your head, yeah, you'll see the promises (made),
I don't deserve, well yeah, all of the misery that you've done to me.
As of today, well, I know, dear,
You have returned, yeah, well, so join me, yeah dear,
Well, apologies to me before long.
You know, little girl, well, I don't deserve, well, all of that, you dear,
Only the Good Lord will hold my hand, mine, yes, for you, yes dear,
Well, oh my, so look at me, i'm doing (this), yeah, all alone.
- "Allons A Lafayette: The First Families of Commercial Cajun Music" by Wade Falcon
- Lyrics by Marc C
Release Info:
BS-99227-1 Mon Vieux D'Autrefois (My Old Used To Be) | Bluebird 2185
BS-99228-1 Pauvre Garcon (Poor Boy) | Bluebird 2185
Find:
Raise Your Window: A Cajun Music Anthology 1928 - 1941 (The Historic Victor-Bluebird Sessions Vol. 2) (CMF, 1993)
Cajun Early Recordings (JSP, 2004)
