Sad story about the loss of Amedee Ardoin. Alan Lomax narrarates the story told by Canray and others. I thought I'd post this old clip since he had a profound impact on what Cajun music sounds like today.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyIbUD5_7Ko

The film was done in 1990. It's on PBS's American Patchwork "Cajun Country: Don't Drop the Potato". To purchase on DVD, see http://www.media-generation.com/Films/LOMAX/Patchwork/Patchwork.htm

For the entire film online, see http://www.folkstreams.net/film,125

I really like Jo-El Sonnier's Cajun French version of "Amede Ardoin" on his album "Cajun Pride". I forget who did the English "country" version.

"Cajun Pride" is one of my favorite albums. Jo-El has a wonderful voice and he plays accordion very well. He pulled a bunch of good people in to do the album: David Doucet on guitar, Michael Doucet on fiddle, Junior Martin on steel, Tony Thibodeaux on fiddle, Peter Schwarz on bass, Danny Zeringue on Cajun drums.

Being a favorite song of mine also, we transcribed the song, the best we could anyway. Here is what we got if anyone is interested, any corrections please let me know. I wonder if Celine is the girl who gave him the handkerchief.

Dépression(?) su’ le bayou dans le 1933
Ils ont mis un bal dehors, et le temps était chaud.
Et quand il après essuyer son front avec un mouchoir,
Il a jamais connu il était après jouer sa dernière valse.

Depresssion on the bayou in 1933
They had a dance outside, and the weather was hot.
And when he wiped his brow with a handkerchief,
He never knew he was playing his last waltz.

Amédé Ardoin, il aimait jouer tout le temps.
Il aimait chanter, avec son accordéon.
Tous les samedis soirs, su' le bayou noir,
Tu peux les 'oir danser.
Allez, danse Amédé.

Amede Ardoin, he liked playing all the time.
He loved singing, with his accordion
Every Saturday night, on the Bayou Black,
You could see them dansing,
Go dance Amede.

La femme Celine a mourri avec un cœur cassé.
Et les hommes qu’a tué Amedé il' ont jamais attrapé.
Un animal qui se cache toujours, ça va jamais arrivé.
Oh c'est dur pour dire,
Ça a arrivé longtemps passé.

The girl Celine died with a broken heart.
And the men that killed Amede were never caught.
An animal that hides still, it will never happen.
Oh, it's hard to say, it's been too long ago.