"Chere Ami Waltz" - Musical Four Plus One

For over ten years, the band Musical Four Plus One enjoyed a period of great popularity.  Their recording is among the most obscure post-war releases in early Cajun music and appears on George Khoury's Lyric label.  The record immediately catches the ear with a fine electric guitar lead which participates throughout, making it unique among any Cajun record of that or probably any period.1  

The original version of the band cut this elusive record, containing "Chere Ami Waltz" (#609), a take on the old Cajun melody "Chere Tout Tout", in late 1950 or very early 1951.  That year, the group consisted of Ellias Thibodeaux on accordion, Eddie Duhon on vocals and fiddle, Cleadis Mott on electric guitar, Charles Delaney on rhythm guitar, Eldridge ‘Coon’ Guidry on bass, and Clifton Newman on drums.  According to Dave Sax, 

Eldridge "Coon" Guidry

Eddie Shuler handled the recording in a makeshift studio in Lake Charles and brought the reliable bassist Eldridge "Coon" Guidry along to augment the band.  The bass lends an unusual flavor here as it weaves with the accordion and Mott's wonderfully supple guitar work and reinforces the brisk tempo that basically takes "Chere Ami Waltz" out of the waltz category altogether.1  

Eh, criminelle, 'tit monde, 

Voir j'va pas, moi j'va faire avec maman

Te m'a quitter, pour t'en aller, chere,

T'en aller dans l'pays, si loin de moi,

Hey, te ma dire, 'tit monde,

Il y a pas longtemps, te peux revenir pour même,

Aujourd'hui mon j'peux voir, 'tit monde,

Mon j'peux voir t'apres partir, pour moi aller.

Musical Four Plus One
Cliff Newman, Eddie Duhon,
Cleadis Mott, Charles Delaney
Courtesy of Lyle Ferbrache

At the beginning they secured a residency at the Blue Moon Club in Lake Charles, which initially sponsored Saturday afternoon appearances for them on KWSL.  With a band name chosen to mimic Nathan Abshire's Musical Five, their versatility and comedy skits helped to endear them to the audience.    Although the label was sold under Khoury's Lyric catalog, on this session, we actually hear Shuler 'producing' here.  Sax explains,

Cleadis began to close the song and Eddie waved his hands above his head for them to continue playing because the record was not long enough.  As a result Cleadis' guitar began to end the piece and then picked it up again!1  

Lake Charles American Press
Jan 19, 1955

Hey, it's terrible, my little everything, 

See, I won't, I won't do that to my mom,

You're leaving me, to go away, dear,

You're going into the countryside, so far away from me,

Hey, you told me, my little everything,

Over there, not long ago, you'll return the same,

Today, I can see, my little everything,

I can see you're leaving, for I'm going now.

William Charles Delaney

They later enjoyed a nine year stint at the Clover Club, becoming a string band when Sidney Brown left. Other places they played were the Club 90 in Iowa, the Reno Club in Kaplan, Buddy Little's in Carlyss, and the B.O. Sparkle in Bridge City, TX.2  Cleadis Matt later played for twenty years with the Tune Toppers, recording for both Jin and J.D. Miller's Ringo label.1  Families recalled,

When they played at Lavergne's in Poche Town, they would play one week and a young George Jones would play the next.  The bar was about 100 ft from the hall with a window to allow people to get drinks from the outside. There were only benches in the hall with an elevated bandstand.  It also had a bullpen that was enclosed with chicken wire for the dancers. You could stand and watch from outside the pen but if you wanted to dance, you had to buy a ticket.2  

1. Cajun Honky Tonk: The Khoury Recordings, Volume 1.  David Sax.  Liner notes.
2. "Musical Four Plus One: Tran La Ezy" by Lyle Ferbrache. 
3. Lyrics by Herman M, Stephane F, Jesse L

Release Info:

Chere Ami Waltz (Dear Friend Waltz) | Khoury’s/Lyric KH-609-A

Tran La Ezy (Drag it easy) | Khoury’s/Lyric KH-609-B

Find:

Cajun Honky Tonk: The Khoury Recordings Vol. 2 (Arhoolie, 2013)

"Tran La Ezy (Drag It Easy)" - Musical Four Plus One

Traîne-la Aisée!  Musical Four Plus One had been one of many Cajun music groups around the mid 1950s to play and record around the Lake Charles area. Their recording of "Tran La Ezy" (#609) was a cover of Leo Soileau and Moise Robin melody popularly known as "Easy Rider Blues" recorded in 1929.   Leo recalls the song,

That was, that was popular down here, boy.  Very, very good.1 

Eh, chère, mais, quoi t'as fais avec moi hier au soir, 

Eh, 'tite fille, mais, quoi t'as fais avec moi hier au soir, 

Tu m'as quitté pour un autre, c'est pas la peine tu viens, je veux plus te voir,

C'est pas le peine jamais tu viens, je veux plus te voir, ah négresse.

Eh, chère, mais, rappelle-toi d'ton pauvre vieux nègre,

Eh, 'tite fille, mais, rappelle-toi d'ton pauvre vieux nègre,

Tu t'en vas avec un autre, cher bébé, c'est pas la peine, je p(l)us te voir,

C'est pas la peine, je p(l)us te voir, yaille.

Musical Four Plus One
Sidney Brown, Mickey Peshoff, Eddie Duhon
Crawford Vincent, and Cleadis Mott

By 1951, the group consisted of Ellias Thibodeaux on accordino, Eddie Duhon on vocals and fiddle, Cleadis Mott on electric guitar, Charles Delaney on rhythm guitar, Eldridge ‘Coon’ Guidry on bass, and Clifton Newman on drums.  Some bigger names went through the band including Sidney Brown and Crawford Vincent, who replaced Thibodeaux and Newman respectively.2   

Hey, dear, well, why did you do that to me, last night,

Hey, little girl, well, why did you do that to me, last night,

You left me for another, it's not worth you returning, I don't want to see you anymore,

It's not worth you returning, I don't want to see you anymore, ah naughty woman.

Hey, dear, well, remember your poor old man,

Hey, little girl, well, remember your poor old man,

You're going away with another, dear baby, it's not worth it, I'll never see you, 

It's not worth it, I'll never see you, yaille.

Cleadis Mott, Charlie Delaney

The misspelled title of the French saying "traîne-la aisée" can be directly translated to "drag along easily" but leans more with the meaning of "take it easy",  "ride easy", or to "casually ride along", hinting at the connection to the original melody.   Although, Eddie Duhon, the vocalist, changed the lyrics considerably, his fiddle rides followed the exact pattern Leo had laid down back in 1928.  

1. Leo Soileau interview with Chris Strachwitz
2. Cajun Honky Tonk: The Khoury Recordings, Volume 1.  David Sax.  Liner notes.
3. Lyrics by Stephane F

Release Info:
Chere Ami Waltz | Khoury's 609-A
Tran La Ezy | Khoury's 609-B

Chere Ami Waltz | Lyric 609-A
Tran La Ezy | Lyric 609-B


Find:
Cajun Honky Tonk: The Khoury Recordings, Volume 1 (Arhoolie, 1995)