"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)

"La Valse De Amour (Waltz of Love)" - Sidney Brown

One of the most respected musicians in the business was Sidney Brown of Lake Charles, Louisiana.  His accordion music turned tunes like the Valse de Meche "La Pestauche Ah Tante Nana" or Sha Ba Ba" into hits of yesterday and classics of today.  Records such as these were fine examples of authentic French music at it's best.1

Oh, joues roses, quoi faire donc, ‘tit monde,

T’après m'quitter aujourd’hui dans les misères,

Tout je t'demande, joues roses, fais pas ça, bébé,

Moi j'connais t’auras du regret pour le restant d'ma vie,

Oh, joues roses, moi je vois pas, donc quoi,

Quoi tu fais pour toi-même, t’après m'quitter,

Dit-moi, c’est fait ye yaille, je m'rappelle pas, joues roses, 

Vient-toi donc, ouais, me donner une autre chance.

Crowley Daily Signal
July 16, 1959

Sidney loved accordion music at an early age; so much, in fact that he began to teach himself to play.  By the time he was 13, he had learned enough to play dances and fais do dos in his hometown of Church Point, Louisiana and was soon developing his own style and sound.  By the 1956, he teamed up with Eddie Shuler and his Goldband label to create "La Valse de Amour" (#1046).  The melody seems to be a mixture of Iry Lejeune's "Convict Waltz" and "Te Monde" but with a strong resemblance to his tune "Come And Get Me".

Oh, little rosy cheeks, what happened, my little world,

You have left me today in misery,

All I ask of you, little rosy cheeks, don't do that, baby,

I know you are going to regret this for the rest of my life.

Oh, little rosy cheeks, I don't see, so why,

Why have you done this to yourself, you left me,

Tell me, it's done, ye yaille, I don't remember, little rosy cheeks,

So come on, yeah, give me another chance.

As his record sales increased so did the offers of personal appearances and he formed a group called the Traveler Playboys to fill his many engagements.  They consisted of Vinus Lejeune and Nelson Young on fiddles, Wilus (Wallace) Ogea on guitar, Mervin Faul on steel guitar and Cliton Newman on drums.

1. Sidney Brown LP.  Goldband Records.  Mike Leadbitter.  Liner notes.
2. Lyrics by Jordy A

Release Info:
-A Highball Two Step G-1046-A Goldband
-B La Valse De Amour G-1046-B Goldband

"Pestauche Ah Tante Nana (The Peanut Song)" - Sidney Brown

Inspired by the response to Iry Lejeune's records, Eddie Shuler became more involved in recording Cajun music in the 50s.  Before Sidney Brown began making accordions, he had a successful career recording music.  With his Traveler Playboys, in 1953, they would record the "Peanut Song", also known as "Pestauche Ah Tante Nana" (#1061) for Goldband.

S’en aller chez Nonc’ 'Tave,

Ça plante la belle récolte,

Du coton et du maïs,

Et la pistache à Tante Nana.

C’est ça qu’est si bon,

Grillé à dans l’bas du "stove",

Le temps mouillasseux,

La pistache à Tante Nana.

Ils est belle et si mignonne,

Tu dis on l'aime autant, 

Ses ça j'ai t'en aller, 

Et la pistache à Tante Nana.

S’en aller chez Nonc’ Charles,

Ça plante la belle récolte

Du coton et du maïs,

Et la pistache à Tante Nana.

This is an old song about a happy farmer whos peanuts produced three nuts instead of the usual two.  Since the peanut was an American plant, the new French colonists could only compare it to a pistachio or pistache. Later, the new name cachouette was added to the French vocabulary, but here in Louisiana the peanut is still called pistache by the Cajuns.6

Originally titled "La Pistache à Trois Nana" or possibly "La pistache à quatre nanan", it was apparently a much older tune.  Brown changed it to Tante Nana, making it difficult to fully appreciate the lyrics.   It's quite possible what is "beautiful and small" is actually referring to her.  According to musician and accordion builder, Bryan L:

[There's] lot's of odd references (along with sexual innuendos) in these old songs, I imagine a lot of it was personal inside jokes. Many say the song was supposed to be "le pistache a trois noix-noix", which is a 3 nut peanut (pistachio), supposedly referencing a quality peanut. A sly word twist refers to poor Aunt Nana.

Sidney Brown

According to musician Jesse Lege:

The original & ancient version where this song comes from was "La Pistache à Quatre Noix-Noix".... "noix-noix" being a word for the nut actually.5

One may ask "What innuendo?"  Asking around, one may get different answers. According to Cajun French speakers around Louisiana, the term has an even crasser meaning:

Pistache a Tante Nana is actually derogatory for a woman's private part. That would get you slapped in the old days.

We used to sing [Pistache] as kids to be bad. That and the other perversions of the song "Colinda", which I will not post in mixed company.

Still, others had a different interpretation:

Pistache is not just used for peanut or the vulgar sense of the word. It was also used as a term of endearment. Still is actually. It opens the door to "innuendo".

I don't think [Sidney] meant it that way but that is how some Cajun's took it.  All you need to know is that the aunt had the sweetest peanut. You know how men are. We make anything sound like what we want it to be.

Even one of Sidney's godchildren recalls the song:

The change of wording was no accident; it was Sidney's sense of humor.4 

She said it always embarrassed her, but she had a copy of the record!

Going home to Uncle Octave's,

Planting the beautiful harvest,

Of the cotton and corn,

And the peanuts of Aunt Nana.

That's what's so so good,

Grilled at the bottom of the stove.

The weather is drizzly,

The peanuts of Aunt Nana.

They are beautiful and small,

You say we love them so much,

That's why I'm going,

And the peanuts of Aunt Nana.

Going home to uncle Charles,

Planting the beautiful harvest,

Of the cotton and corn,

And the peanuts of Aunt Nana.

Either way, it didn't change the song's popularity.  Eddie Shuler released the tune fairly late in 1957.   With possibly Louis "Vinesse" Lejeune on vocals, possibly Wilus Ogeat on guitar, Nelson Young on fiddle, and Cliff Newman on drums, it became the 3rd best selling Goldband album.2 Regarding Sidney's recording, Shuler stated:

Apart from the late Iry Lejeune, who was about the biggest-selling artist in the field, I had some other popular songs, especially 'Lemonade Song' by Leroy Broussard, and 'Sha Ba Ba' and 'Pestauche Ah Tante Nana' by Sidney Brown.

1. South to Louisiana: The Music of the Cajun Bayous By John Broven
2. Cajun Dance Tunes, Dance Album Vol. 1, LP GCL-109.  Liner notes.
3. Lyrics by Marc C, Stephane F, Dunn J, and Rodolphe O.
4. Discussions with Jean M
5. Discussions with Jesse L
6. Ye Yaille Chere by Raymond Francois

Find:
Sidney Brown & Shorty LeBlanc ‎– The Best Of Two Cajun Greats (Swallow, 1987)
Cajun Dance Tunes Vol.2 (Goldband, 1989)
Sidney Brown Collector's Item (Goldband)