"Acadian Two Step" - Amede Breaux

During WWII, Cajun artists such as the Breaux Brothers saw their opportunities to record dwindle and remain stagnant.  Their instrument was seen as old-fashioned once again and it wouldn't be until the late 1940s when jukeboxes began resurrecting the accordion sound across Cajun dancehalls. 

Ton papa et ta maman, quand je vois la galerie. 

Malheureux, moi je vois, mais (...)

A yéyaie, r'garde ici, c'est pour voir ton vieux nègre. 

Ta maman, elle est partie, oui, nous rejoindre, jusqu'à nous autre.

R'garde ici, dans ma maison, hier au soir, tu fais ça,

Quand tu viens chez nous autre, mais, prenez pas, m'en j'moi va.

Hey, petite!

Crowley
Daily Signal
Dec 1949

By 1950s, Amede Breaux's music opportunities seemed to increase.  With the popularity of Nathan Abshire, Aldus Roger and Lawrence Walker bringing the accordion music back on the scene, not only did Amede find an audience with occasional radio shows on KSIG, he garnered the attention of J.D. Miller and his studio in Crowley.  With local backup musicians such as Amos Leger and Sidney Leblanc, Miller recorded Amede performing an old Angelas Lejeune song "Petit Tes Canaigh" entitled "Acadian Two Step" (#1023) around 1951.   It was covered as a string band recording in the 1930s by Leo Soileau as "Attrape Moi, Je Tombe".  While it's possible Miller pulled in popular Crowley artists such as his brother Ophy Breaux on triangle or Happy Fats on bass or either Bradley Stutes or Papa Cairo on steel guitar, however, the personnel are unknown.  

Your dad and your mom, when I saw the porch,

Oh my, I saw you, but, (...)

Aye ye yaille, look here, in order to see your old man,

Your mom, she left, yes, the rest of us to stay together.

Look here, in my house, last night (at) what you've done,

When you came to our house, well, I can't handle that, I'm leaving. 

Hey, little one!

By the mid 50s, other Cajun artists, such as Iry Lejeune, popularized the melody as "Donnez Moi Mon Chapeau".  By the 1960s, Amede's brother-in-law, accordionist Joe Falcon recorded it as "Joe's Breakdown".  

1. Lyrics by Stephane F and Tristan H

Release Info:

Jole Blon | Feature Records F-1023-A

Acadian Two Step | Feature Records F-1023-B

Find:
Acadian All Star Special: The Pioneering Cajun Recordings of J. D. Miller (Bear, 2011)

"Hey, Mom!" - Amedie Breaux

The Breaux Brothers consisting of Amede Breaux, Ophy Breaux and Clifford Breaux had a short recording career between 1929 and 1934.   However, they recorded some of the earliest versions of Cajun music standards alongside their contemporaries such as Joe Falcon, Amede Ardoin and Mayuse Lafleur.

Oh mam, éyoù toi t'es?

Chère mam, j’aimerais te voir,

Une fois avant de mourir,

Chère mam, j'aimerais te voir yaille.

Oh mam, éyoù toi t'es?

Chère mam, j’aimerais te voir,

Une fois avant de mourir,

Chère mam, hé yé yaille. 

Oh mam, éyoù toi t'es?

Chère mam, j’aimerais voir,

Chere mam, éyoù toi t'es?

Chère mam, j'aimerais te voir yaille.

Amede Breaux and Ophy Breaux
Courtesy of Chris Strachwitz

In the late 1930s, record producer J.D. Miller had teamed up with the Breauxs as a string band.  There, he worked with Amede Breaux for a short time until he got married and went into the service.  After his recording label Feature Records had been established and the accordion had made a resurgence in independent Cajun recordings, Miller gathered Amede and his brother Ophy to record with his studio group in 1953.   The band recorded the iconic 1928 Mayuse Lafleur song "Mama Where You At?", re-titled as "Hey, Mom!" (#1056).  

Oh, mom, where are you?

Dear mom, I'd love to see you,

Once before dying,

Dear mom, I'd love to see you.

Oh, mom, where are you?

Dear mom, I'd love to see you,

Once before dying,

Oh, mom, oh ye yaille.

Oh, mom, where are you?

Dear mom, I'd love to see you,

Oh, mom, where are you?

Dear mom, I'd love to see you, yaille.

When Miller shipped off his master tapes along with his session notes to the production facility, either he or the pressing plant accidentally mis-associated the songs.  Apparently, due to a mix-up involving a future unknown Mire session, "Hey Mom" was accidentally titled "Bosco Waltz" by Cleveland Mire.  When the records arrived at his store, Miller had to painstakingly apply adhesive stickers to correct the mistake and blackout any vocal credits on each pressing.  Unfortunately, the Mire sides were never issued. By the 1960s, Huey Meaux of Crazy Cajun productions out of Conroe, TX re-released several recordings, including this one, on 45 RPM.  Miller and Chris Strachwitz teamed up in 1968 and had Amedie perform the song at field recording session at Miller's house.

1. Lyrics by Stephane F

Release Info:
Hey Mom | Feature 1056-A
Hard Luck Waltz | Feature 1056-B

Find:
Acadian All Star Special - The Pioneering Cajun Recordings Of J.D. Miller (Bear, 2011)

"Poche Town" - Joe Falcon

Joe Falcon, dubbed “The Accordion King,” helped push the instrument to the peak of its prewar popularity. Although button accordions were available in Louisiana as early as the 1880s, the instrument wasn’t popular until 1925, when the Monarch and Sterling boxes arrived on the scene. Set in C and D, they could be played alongside the open-tuned Cajun fiddle and, with their prodigious volume, they quickly came to dominate the dance music of the fais do do.1    

Oh, promets-moi, joli cœur,

Tu vas jamais m’oublier comme t'as pris, oui, ton cœur,

Tu m'as pris de la maison, jolie fille,

En promettant de me soigner, garde-donc ça tu fais, chère

Oh, observe-moi bien, joli cœur,

Tu vas avoir, ouais, pitié, moi tout seul dans la misère,

Tu m'as pris de la maison, jolie fille,

Tes bons parents qui m'a fait donc quitter de la maison.

Oh, j'ai p'us d'espoir, chère,

J'ai d'espoir t'en aller en virant le dos pour la vie,

Tu m'as dit, chère, tu voulais la promesse,

De bien te soigner tous les deux, bonne ‘tite fille, jusqu'à la mort.

Many of Joe's tunes had no titles by the time he entered the studio.  Executives persuaded him to make up names on the spot, either after family or towns he was familiar with.   Entitled "Poche Town" (#40506) in 1929, it was an old Cajun melody. Today, the area referred to as Poche Town (pronounced "poh-shay") is a rural section, north of the railroad tracks in Sulphur, Louisiana.  The area is named after George Simeon Portie, Sr., son of Oscar and Corrina Elender Portie, who moved here in 1902 from Hackberry, Louisiana.2

Adolph "Bixy" Guidry in 1929 did the same with his tune "Waltz Of The Long Wood" with Percy Babineaux for Bluebird Records.  Several of Joe's songs influenced Leo Soileau, including this one entitled "Promise Me".  The song also has some similarities to the Chuck Guillory's "Tolan Waltz", "La Valse De Grand Bois", Shirley Bergeron's "La Valse De La Belle", Blackie Forestier's "Crying Waltz" and The Veteran Playboys' "La Valse De La Belle".  

Oh, promise me, pretty sweetheart,

You will never forget me when you took, yes, your heart (away),

You took me away from home, pretty girl,

Promising to take care of me, so look what you've done, dear.

Oh, pay attention well, pretty sweetheart,

You'll have, yeah, pity, I'm all alone in misery,

You took me away from home, pretty girl, 

Your good parents who made me leave home. 

Oh, I'm hoping, dear,

I have hoped you'll go turn back forever,

You told me, dear, you wanted the promise,

Of taking good care of both of us, good girl, until you die.

The accordion-fiddle combination reigned at dances and on phonograph records until about 1935, when the slicker sounds of the hillbilly string bands and, soon, Western swing came rushing into the French-speaking parishes.   

1. https://roothogordie.wordpress.com/2013/10/06/let-me-play-this-for-you/
2. http://www.sulphurdailynews.com/article/20120226/NEWS/302269997
3. Lyrics by Stephane F and Jordy A

Release Info:
W110552-2 Poche Town | Columbia 40506-F Okeh 90006
W110553-2 Osson | Columbia 40506-F Okeh 90006

Find:
Louisiana Cajun Music Volume 1: First Recordings - The 1920's (Old Timey, 1970)
Cajun, Vol. 1: Abbeville Breakdown 1929-1939 (Sony/Columbia, 1990)
Cajun Origins (Catfish, 2001)
Baby, How Can It Be? (Songs of Love, Lust and Contempt from the 1920s and ‘30s) (Dust To Digital, 2010)
The Perfect Roots & Blues Collection (Sony, 2015)

"Home Sweet Home" - Breaux Brothers

Another great cajun musician from the old days, Amedie Breaux, along with his brothers Ophy, Clifford, and his sister Cléoma were sons and daughter of a great accordion player, Auguste Breaux. Auguste was never recorded but his sons made many sides under the name "Breaux Frères" from 1929 through 1934. The Breauxs were one of those big Louisiana family where Cajun music was passed down from father to son and all the children learned to play at a very young age. Amedie was the one who took the accordion.  He learned the instrument quickly, started to play at house-parties at age 14 and became a great player like his father.1

Amedie Breaux

In the fall of 1934, the Breaux brothers traveled to San Antonio, Texas for a recording session for Vocalion where they cut several titles, including this version of "Home Sweet Home."   Clifford Breaux is listed as the lead vocalist, with his brothers credited as additional vocalists.  According to Anthology of American Folk Music author Harry Smith, he points out that this version of the popular song is performed in waltz time:

A well known popular song is here played in waltz time, a dance of much greater importance to the French speaking rural population. The freedom with which the melody is treated, particularly in incorporating long downward runs, is also very typical of Louisiana.

Moi, j'm’en vas de la maison, 

Moi tout seul comme un pauvre, 

Malheureux, mais, c’est toi, 

R’garde, c’est dur après tout ça, 

Oh, c’est dur d'quitter,

Hé mignonne, petite fille,

De m’en aller, hé, tout seul,

Oh malheureux, oh chère, chagrin.

Ah,moi, j'm’en vas de la maison.

Ça c'est dur de m'en aller d'la maison, moi tout seul, 

En tournant , en disant c'tte mignonne fille, "Chère petite fille,

Ça c'est dur, j'ai quitté, chère mignonne, 

Petite fille, m'en aller à la maison, hé, pour ça!"

Ta maman et ton papan étaient contre moi,

Et c’est toi, par rapport à les conseils.

The “Home Sweet Home” (#02961) played by the Breaux Brothers is a very “Cajun-ized” version of a very famous song written in 1823 by dramatist and actor John Howard Payne with a melody by English composer Sir Henry Bishop (the later claimed that it was originally a “sieilian air”, a traditional melody from Sicily). Composed for Payne’s opera “Clari, maid of Milan”, the song became very popular throughout America and even abroad (It is known in Japan as “Hanyū no Yado”). With its beautiful and simple melody and its nostalgic lyrics (“There’s no place like home…”) it was a favorite among soldiers from both sides during the Civil War and of Abraham Lincoln and his wife.2 French-Canadian Joseph Allard recorded a version in 1928, set as a reel entitled "Quadrille de chez nous (Our House/Home Quadrille)", and again in 1945, this time as "Reel de Tadoussac."4  Like the Breauxs, songs like this influenced other Cajun musicians such as Leo Soileau.  He stated: 

When I first started playing, I learned "Home Sweet Home" and "Dixieland" like nobody's business.  I used to play that in school.5 

I'm going home,

All alone like a poor person,

Oh my, well, it's because of you.

Look, it's hard after all that

Oh, it's hard to leave,

Hey cuitie, little girl,

I'm leaving, hey, all alone,

Oh my, oh dear, it's sorrowful.

It's hard to go home alone,

Turning around, saying to that cute girl, "Dear little girl,

All of that is hard, I am leaving, dear cutie,

Little girl, I'm going away to the house, hey, because of all that."

Your mom and your dad were against me,

With you, because of the advice given.

Cowboys and frontier people loved to sing the song too and even made their own versions. It was also a favorite among opera singers and many versions were put on records during the early years of the phonograph.  The song was heard as well in many rural homes and entered the folk repertoire, both as a song and as an instrumental piece. In the South, it became a favorite number to play on the 5-string banjo, and bluegrass players included it in their repertoire.1

The Breaux Frères were not the only Cajun band to record “Home Sweet Home”. Versions can be found by Creole players like Alphonse “Bois Sec” Ardoin and the Carrière Brothers.

1. https://oldweirdamerica.wordpress.com/2010/08/29/39-home-sweet-home-by-the-breaux-freres/
2. http://theanthologyofamericanfolkmusic.blogspot.com/2010/03/home-sweet-home-breaux-freres-clifford.html
3. Harry Smith.  Anthology of American Folk Music.  Liner notes.
4. http://tunearch.org/wiki/Annotation:Home_Sweet_Home_(1)
5. http://arhoolie.org/leo-soileau-interview/
6. Lyrics by Jordy A
7. NOTE:  Only a few Vocalion labels with the black lettering on a gold box design were ever issued.   This design only appears with a few issues and was short lived.  It is shown at the top.

Find:
Anthology Of American Folk Music Volume Two: Social Music (Folkways, 1967)
Pioneers of the Cajun Accordion (Arhoolie, 1989)

Cajun Vol. 1 Abbeville Breakdown 1929-1939 (Columbia, 1990)
Les Triomphes De La Country Music (Habana, 2002)
Shine on Me - Classic American Folk Songs and Anthems (Get Gone, 2014)

"C'est Si Triste Sans Lui (It Is So Blue Without Him)" - Cleoma Breaux

An extremely bluesy number, Joe Falcon knew how to turn the accordion into an agonizing melody, expressing misery and despair as no other Cajun accordionist could.  He and his wife-to-be, Cleoma Breaux, traveled to Atlanta, this time with her brothers.  As the duo sat in a make shift studio in Atlanta, Cleoma Breaux recorded one of their more obscure songs during their session.   It's a sorrowful cry for one's love to return.  

Le seul homme j’aimais,

Il m’a quitté moi toute seule,

Pour s’en aller avec une autre que moi,

Oh, moi j’prends ça si dur,

Moi j’prie jour et nuit pour il s’en revienne avec moi.

Oh je vois pas quoi j’ai fait,

Pour il m’quitte dans tous les chagrins,

Il m’a dit ça j’avais fait pouvait donc jamais (z)oublier,

J’ai donc prié jour et nuit,

Pour lui s’en revienne avec moi.

Quand il a quitté la maison,

Il m’a dit de l’observer,

Pardon(?) moi j’avais fait pouvait donc jamais l’oublier,

Il m’a dit d’attacher le crèpe noir sur la porte,

Parce que lui, il aurait jamais r’venu.

Cleoma Breaux
"C'est Si Triste Sans Lui"
By Megan Barra

Hearkening back to the "unhappy love" theme, "C'est Si Triste Sans Lui" tells the story of a girl abandoned by her lover.  Her reference to a "crèpe noir", a black funeral cloth, signifies the importance of the loss as similar to the death of a loved one.  The song's sentimental lyric is completely subverted by the raucous performance which features Cléoma Breaux on vocal and guitar, Joe Falcon on accordion, and Cléoma's brother Ophy on a barely audible fiddle (not listed on the original label, even though Ophy Breaux is credited).1 "C'est Si Triste Sans Lui" (#40508) was recorded in Atlanta, Georgia on April 18, 1929, the day before Falcon and Breaux recorded "Acadian One Step."1

The only man I ever loved,

has left me all alone,

He ran off with somebody else,

Oh, I'm taking this so hard,

I pray day and night that he'll come back to me.

I don't know what I did wrong,

For him to leave me with all this pain,

He said he did it so I'd never forget,

I pray day and night,

That he'll come back to me.

When he left the house,

He told me to take a good look at him,

He said he was doing this so I'd never forget,

He told me to hang black fabric over the door,

Because he was never coming back.

Her vocals were stellar and Joe's accompaniment filled the song, allowing for Cleoma's beauty as a person and musician to shine.  Fiddler Dennis Mcgee described Cleoma:

A beautiful little woman with black frizzy hair, black, black eyes and white, white skin.  Joe Falcon was lucky to have her.2

1. http://theanthologyofamericanfolkmusic.blogspot.com/2010/07/cest-si-triste-sans-lui-it-is-so-blue.html
2. http://www.mustrad.org.uk/reviews/caj_orig.htm
3. Lyrics by Marc C

Find:
Cajun Dance Party: Fais Do-Do (Legacy/Columbia, 1994)

Anthology of American Folk Music (Smithsonian Folkways, 1997)
Les Cajuns Best Of 2002 Les Triomphes De La Country Volume 12 (Habana, 2002)
Prends Donc Courage - Early Black & White Cajun (Swamp Music Vol. VI) (Trikont, 2005)

American Folk Music, Vol. 4 (Classic, 2009)
The Perfect Roots & Blues Collection (Sony, 2015)

"Le Blues De Petit Chien" - Breaux Brothers

By 1929, the Breaux Brothers were following in the footsteps of their sister, Cleoma.   They were recording tunes for major labels and playing music alongside many other musicians throughout the countryside prairies.  In June of 1934, John Avery Lomax began touring the Cajun prairies in search of musicians to record for the Library of Congress.  He found the Breaux Brothers in Crowley and setup his portable recording machine, probably at one of their homes.   There, he recorded a tune with the brothers on fiddle, accordion and guitar.  You can make out the bluesy rhythm backed by the first line of English vocals "Let me be your little dog, mama, till your big dog come".   Apparently the recording cuts the song short, but does demonstrate the brother's abilities to sing and play the blues.   Lomax entitled it "Little Dog Blues".1,2 

Oh, laisse moi être ton p'tit chien

Jusqu'à le gros chien vient.

Oh, laisse moi être ton p'tit chien

Jusqu'à le gros chien vient.

Là je voulais t'dire 'tite fille

Tout ça ton gros chien t'a fait.

Oh 'yoù t'as resté hier au soir?

Oh 'yoù t'as resté hier au soir?

T'as des cheveux tous mêlés,

Et ton linge te fait pas bien.

Oh moi j'ai peur, ton père est après filer.

Oh moi j'ai peur, ton père est après filer.

Si t'as pas un père,

Tout à perdre d'un bord.

1934 Lomax Session Notes

The sexual innuendo is obvious, especially in the insinuation that the lover is actually a whore, leaving for the night, coming back with her clothes all tattered.   According to French musician Marc Chaveau, the term is even more scandalous:

Petit Chien, or "little dog", is sometimes used to refer to a [male] prostitute. 

By October that year, the Breaux Brothers (known as Breaux Freres), left for San Antonio and re-recorded the tune "Le Blues De Petit Chien" (#03053), this time in it's complete form for Vocalion Records and in their native Cajun French.   It is this song that most likely became the main inspiration for the Nathan Abshire's melody in "Pine Grove Blues".3 

Oh, let me be your little dog,

Until the big dog comes,

Oh, let me be your little dog,

Until the big dog comes,

I wanted to tell you, little girl,

All that your big dog has done.

Oh, where were you sleeping last night?

Oh, where were you sleeping last night?

You have your hair all messed up,

And your clothes are not good. 

Oh, I'm afraid your father has taken off,

Oh, I'm afraid your father has taken off,

If you have no father,

You'll lose everything over the edge.

The Breaux's last verse is quite confusing and mysterious.   In one version, the returned lover is being told her father has fled and she might lose her mind.  In another interpretation, there's no father at all.  He's interpreted as "Oh, moi j’ai faim, t’as fait ça pour m’quitter, si t’as pas de cœur, tout à perdre d'un bord" meaning he's hungry, wondering why she left him and that he's going to lose his mind. Other artists used similar droning melodies and blues scales on accordion, such as Lawrence Walker and his 1935 recording of "What’s the Matter Now".

According to author Josh Caffery, the fact that the Breaux brothers performed an English version for a folkloric collection and a French one for a commercial recording could be because record companies were marketing to a French speaking region and Lomax saw this sort of music commercialized enough to only want it sung in English; a version of the song he may have considered "more authentic".3

1. http://memory.loc.gov/diglib/ihas/loc.afc.afc9999005.27151/default.html
2. http://www.lomax1934.com/little-dog-blues.html
3. Traditional Music in Coastal Louisiana: The 1934 Lomax Recordings By Joshua Clegg Caffery
4. Lyrics by Marc C and Bryan L

Find:
Cajun Dance Party: Fais Do-Do (Legacy/Columbia, 1994)
Cajun Early Recordings (JSP, 2004)

"Arcadian One Step" - Joseph Falcon

Joe Falcon recorded the earliest Cajun music during the 1920s.  Joe was one of the greatest accordion players and a pioneer artist of Cajun records. The first recording of authentic Cajun music was made in 1928 by  Falcon and his future wife Cleoma Breaux playing rhythm guitar. One of the song recorded that day  was “Allons à Lafayette” , who became a real Cajun classic. The record sold well and soon the big recording companies were on the hunt for other Cajun artists. One year later, they were in Atlanta, laying down some of the most traditional melodies floating around the countryside. In fact, contrary to popular belief, Joe and Cleoma were the first to ever record this old Creole melody.

Madame Entelle, rappelez-vous bien,

Quoi c'est m'as dit, mais, hiere au soir,

J'ai quitté là-bas, chez vous,

Ayou elle m'as dit,

Quitter là, chère, la dernière fois*.

Petite ou grosse*, c'est tout le même prix, 

Madame Eduard, donnez-moi les,

Votre fille, moi aller t'en dire,

Elle est mignonne, et 'tite, 

C'est moi, chère, 

Après t'en aller, ouais, 

En t'éloignant, si loin de moi.

Moi j'connais chère, 

mais, j'suis parti, belle, 

mais, m'en aller, 

mais, pour te voir. 

Eh oui, mon negre, chère, 

Mais, prends courage, chère, 

J'suis après finir, mais, tout mes mon tracas.

It's quite possible on the first verse, his last line is "Quitter là guerre, là guerre hier au soir" talking about leaving the argument that occurred the previous night.  In the second version, "Si tes voudras c'est tout le même prix" asks if you'd like, they're the same price, however, given this song became the well known "Petite ou Grosse" song, it's more likely he's talking about the small one or the big one.  

This 1929 Columbia recording is a great example of how many melodies would develop into different song titles.   The melody of "Adieu Rosa" would not only influence Douglas Bellard's Creole song "Mon Camon La Case Que Je Suis Cordane" but would also influence hard driving Cajun songs such as Joe Falcon's "Acadian One Step" (#40513).  It's major influence would extend to Angelas Lejeune's 1930 recording of "Madame Donnez Moi Les", keeping some of the lyrics and the melody. However, it reached other musicians and their recordings that year, such as Leo Soileau's "Demain C'Est Pas Dimanche" 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.  

Lake Charles American Press
Oct 2, 1928

"Acadian One Step" is an extremely energetic performance with classic Cajun instrumentation (accordion, guitar, fiddle). The accordion plays the melody line on the instrumental breaks, while the guitar plays the rhythm and the triangle keeps time. The fiddle is inaudible on the instrumental breaks (likely overpowered by the accordion), but it can be heard in the background during the vocal parts, when the accordion drops out. Although the fiddle can be heard on the recording, it was not listed among the instruments listed on the record label.1  Given they were recording alongside Cleoma's brothers in Atlanta, it's most likely Ophy Breaux on fiddle.  Unlike the old traditional tune "Adieu Rosa" where the love interest is thankful Rosa is leaving, Joe's version talks about a sad lover due to a particular "madame" leaving him. 

Mrs. Entelle, remember well,

What was said to me, well, last night,

I left that place, your house,

Where she told it was,

I left there, dear, for the last time.

The small or big one, it's all the same to me,

Mrs. Eduard, give her to me,

Your daughter, I'm going to tell you,

She's cute and small, 

It's me dear, 

You've gone away, yeah,

As far as you can, so far from me.

I know, dear,

Well, I have left, beautiful,

Well, I've gone,

Well, to see you,

Eh yeh, my friend, dear,

Well, take care, my dear,

I'm finished, well, with all my troubles.

After the war, his niece Marie Falcon teamed up with Shuk Richard and recorded "Madame Entelle Two Step" in 1952, based heavily on this version.  By 1959 Austin Pitre would take the Bellard song and convert it to his famous "Les Flammes D'Enfer".

Falcon continued to record into the late '30s, but his music was eclipsed in popularity by the emerging Country and Western genre and was soon considered old fashioned. He stopped recording after his final session in 1937.1

1. http://theanthologyofamericanfolkmusic.blogspot.com/2010/03/arcadian-one-step-joseph-falcon.html
2. Lyrics by Bryan L, Stephane F and Stephanie D
3. Edits by Herman M

Find:
Anthology Of American Folk Music Volume Two: Social Music (Folkways, 1967)
Les Cajuns Best Of 2002 Les Triomphes De La Country Volume 12 (Habana, 2002)
Cajun Louisiane 1928-1939 (Fremeaux, 2003)
Cajun Early Recordings (JSP, 2004)

"Osson" - Joe Falcon

Joe Falcon would take this much older melody and create the song known as "Osson" for Columbia in April of 1929 in Atlanta.  It was one year after his recording of "Lafayette".   He and his wife Cleoma accompanied her brothers for their first studio session where they recorded a couple of their own tunes. Sometimes listed as "Osson One Step", the fast pace tune carries a somber story of a man feeling unloved. 

Oh, mais pauvre Osson,

Mais les belles filles si canailles,

C’’est pitié quand je les vois,

Oh méfie-toi mais les ‘tites brunes est si canailles,

Et les ‘tites blondes, ya pas moyen, sont flères.

Oh, mais pauvre Osson,

Il me fait pitié quand pour moi,

J’vas jongler à ce qu’il m’a fait,

Mais c’est de voir mais hier au soir cette belle tite fille,

Quand elle m’a dit joli cœur,

Moi j’veux plus, plus t’aimer.

Oh, tu m’as quitté moi tout seul,

Comme un pauvre misérable, plus d'espoir de la revoir. 

Hier j’m’ai trainé, bien jonglé,

Mais y avoir l’air pour elle-même,

J’mérite pas non tout ça,

Comme elle a fait hier au soir.

Ossun is a community north of Lafayette.  It borrowed some similarities from an old fiddle melody called "Rubber Dolly".  The tune must have been floating around the countryside since later that year, Angelas LeJeunne would record the tune as the more well-known "Bayou Pom Pom One Step" and Adam Trahan did the same with his "The Waltz of Our Little Town".  By 1934, Amede Ardoin traveled to NYC and recorded the song for Decca with many similarities, giving it the title "Tortope d'Osrun".   After the war, Austin Pitre sped up the tempo and created his "High Point Two Step".  Falcon's vocals were always emotional, while his accordion remained unyieldingly dominant and Cleoma's guitar maintained a consistent strumming rhythm.1  Her brother Ophy joined in on fiddle.

Oh, poor Osson,

Well, the beautiful girls are just scum,

It's a pity when I see them,

Oh, but beware, the little brunettes are scoundrels,

And the little blondes, no way, they're snobby.

Oh, poor Osson,

It makes me pitiful,

I'm reminiscing about what she did,

But, seeing, last night, this beautiful little girl,

When she told me that, pretty girl,

I wanted to love you more.

Oh, you left me all alone,

Like a poor wretch, a love story,

Yesterday, I laid low, although reminiscing,

But, there she appeared,

I don't deserve all of that,

As of what she did last night.

Iry Lejeune, however, would borrow the melody from his uncle Angelas for his "Bayou Pom Pom Special".  Like the old Cajun and blues singers, he wrote his own lyrics but was often unaware of the origins of the tunes. Joe stated:

The number was there but I had to make up the words.  Like "Osson", it was the name of a little town, but you just have to find a name to put on the record.  It's an old two-step.2

1. South to Louisiana: The Music of the Cajun Bayous By John Broven
2. http://arhoolie.org/joe-falcon-interview/
3. Lyrics by Stéphanie D

Find:
Pioneers of the Cajun Accordion (Arhoolie, 1989)
Roots 'N' Blues/The Retrospective 1925-1950 (Legacy/Columbia, 1992)
Old-Time Southern Dance Music: The String Bands, Vols. 1 & 2 (Arhoolie, 1997)
Les Cajuns Best Of 2002 Les Triomphes De La Country Volume 12 (Habana, 2002)
Bayou Two-Step - Cajun Hits From Louisiana 1929-1962 (Jasmine, 2015)