Does anybody have a tab for Amadee's "Madame Etienne" (or "Archen" or "Atchen")? Ann's book says it's in "C" but what I'm listening to sure sounds like "G", so as usual I'm confused. Help would be much appreciated.

Hmmm, funny, I was just working on that one today. From what i hear, it sounds like the A part is in A, and the B part is in D. I don't Amede recorded all his songs on a D accordion.

I don't suppose there is a version posted somewhere
that we could listen to?

Also, Ann's book is wonderful, but others have mentioned
that it does have a few typo's here and there

So, you may be correct. I'd need to listen to the
tune in order to help out.

--bn

Bryan, you're so tactful...that was much nicer than "Wrong accordion, you idiot!" After some more listening, on the "D", Amadee's version does seem to resolve the A part at 5 Push, so that's A, as you said. Haven't gotten to the B part yet.

Steve Riley's version still sounds like "G" to me, hence part of my confusion. And they both sound like La Robe Barree.

Nick, thanks for checking in. Several version available for listening through iTunes. Not much on Youtube.

I appreciate Ann's book, but as has been often pointed out here trying to formalize much of Cajun music is like trying to nail Jello to a tree. Hard to do, and there's a lot of versions of the truth.

I think you're right, Chuck, they do sound like the same song. I've never heard Steve's version, but pretty good chance he's playing on a C accordion.

This song is played in the key of C, or D, depending on the accordion you are on. To be clear, 1st position. It only has two chords, C and G. It sounds like key of G because the A part ends on the G note, but G is the 5th note of the C chord and it is holding the tension of the song. The song doesn't really resolve until the end of the B part where the last note is a C.

Thanks Ganey, that does help clear up the confusion. Any thoughts about the similarity to La Robe Barree?

I am not sure of the origin of either song, but I believe structurely they are pretty much the same.

Thanks Ganey. I've seen Madame Etienne credited to Amadee, and La Robe Barree credited to Boi Sec, but don't know if they originated there. So much to learn.

Whatever the names, I would speculate that considering they were 1st cousins and from the same general area, it is probably of the same origin, with slightly different takes on it. Just speculating though.

That key thing throws me, just when I start to think I understand it. I could tell it was mostly D chords, but the fact that it has A chords, and ends on the A note, I figured it was the key of A. The secdond part I felt pretty sure was in D.

I was wondering the same thing on La Valse Des Grand Chemins, the A and B parts are in second position, but the vocals sound like they're in 1st position, but end on the 5 push. Ganey, is that like Madame Etienne, ending in G (or A), but since mostly in C chords (or D) it is actually key of C (the vocals)?

Bryan,
I look at that song as having three parts...part A, part B and a bridge. The bridge being the vocal. It is still in the key of G, but goes to the four chord (C)for five measures (I think) then to the D chord for the sixth measure, then back to G.

Here is my list of Amede Ardoin songs and what they later became or were renamed:

http://npmusic.org/AmedeArdoinSources.txt

Thanks Neal, that's very helpful. Have you done similar research for other early artists?

Not complete, but see my comments on Joe Falcon and Cleoma Breaux at http://npmusic.org/artists.html#joefalcon

I doubt that anyone today has heard ALL of Joe Falcon's records. I sure would like to hear them all then do the same kind of list for his songs. We are just fortunate that we have all of Ardoin's recordings.

Pretty impressive contribution to Cajun music when you see that list. Thanks for the document.

The original recording by Amede was on a D accordion, played on the push key (D).

I also like Steve Riley's version, which used a Bb accordion, played on the push key (Bb). It is much easier for mere mortals to sing the song in this key!

As to tabs, I haven't seen any for this song. I learned it from Steve's version years ago, and I don't recall it as being hard to figure out. I probably simplified it a bit.

I have been thinking of adding this song back into the repertiore again...