Hey folks, been a long time, but it's October and i guess I'm feeling the itch again. I noticed something that I wanted to share with the braves because they will pick apart a subject and get down to it like no other accordion discussion group. Maybe...

I posted a youtube link for yall. This subject may have been discussed before and may be common knowledge for all I know or don't know. Check out the link. It is Amedee Ardoin's version of the Amedee Two Step. It is a somewhat similiar version, but noticably different to Marc Savoy's version of the Amedee 2 Step. Amedee is playing it on a D accordion and I challenge all of you who are able, to learn to play the song just like Amedee. In order to do this, you will have to revisit "the lost tempo". You might better recognize this tempo in some of the songs of Iry Lejeune who was highly influenced by his uncle Angelas Lejeune. I think Angelas was a fan of Amedee Ardoin's style, but I could be wrong. Amedee begats Angelas, Angelas begats Iry...WOW. This tempo can still be danced to, but it seems like more accordion notes are being injected into the basic song. More notes played at a danceable, more choppy tempo that shows the accordion players mastery and an ability to woe the audience. Good luck. If you take the time and effort to understand this, you will see a new side to accordion playing I'm sure. Maybe you can then compare the Eunice 2 Step's modern day honky tonk version to Iry Lejeune's "Lost Tempo" version as revisited by Wayne Toups in his "Melody Acous'tic Trio" at the very end of the CD named "Reflections of the Past". They are priceless versions of 3 songs that were not easily understood or heard in the primitive recordings of Iry Lejeune.

Well, Iry used to sit and listen to his uncle Angelas' 78 rpm records which included a lot of amede ardoin. In fact most of the songs Iry recorded are amede ardoin tunes. Iry's valse de bayou Chene is almost identical to amede ardoin's valse de Opelousas even in the lyrics. Don't think amedee begat Angelas or any of that. they were recording around the same time. Just different players from different communities with a different style. Amede ardoin's amedee two step sounds a lot like choupique two step to me. Those old recordings are raw. That's what makes them great. People didn't have polished music back then like all the Nashville 120 bpm stuff we have now. They just did it cause they needed something to dance by. Good luck learning your song, I love playing along to these old records too, and I'm glad you're trying to take elements of it and incorporate that into the culture now. Maybe Jim will take you up on your amedee challenge? Eh jimmy boy? Btw amedee threads are a dime a dozen on here a quick search will reveal more to your quest.

It's about time for another Song of the "Month". People been wanting a 2-Step, and I was going to go with the Mamou 2-Step, but maybe we ought to give this one a try. Suits me. What the rest of y'all think?

Holy crap! I just listened to it. From what I hear Hebert saying, he wants to see if we can play it like Amede, and that sounds more like a special project for some of the hot shots on the board, than for me, Ned, John, and the rest of us mere mortals (not that we couldn't fiddle around with it and maybe learn something; we can try as hard or harder than anybody else).

But I'm game either way, might just take a long while to come up with something.

What say ye?

I don't think this is a good choice for song of the month at al. Its a great song and Amedee amazes me. But for a mixed group of beginners, intermediate and advanced players its just not a good fit. It's fairly technical, sounds a lot like Choupique 2-step, recorded on a D accordion (not everyone has a D) and one really has to play it just like Amedee to make it stand out (no small task). It's not like there are various versions and takes on this song to work with (unless you consider it the same as Choupique).

I think a good idea is to have a song of the month suggestion thread where folks can post songs they are trying to learn, need help with, are interested in learning and we (or Jamey alone) can take these suggestion into consideration.

Gotta disagree with Jon. This is one of my alltime favorite songs, and probably my most listened to tune. To me, it sounds like a cross between Madeleine and Choupique Two step. The feel Amede puts in his two steps, and this one in particular, really sets me free

Besides, I already have a version recently recorded, even though it's with a G accordion, so maybe it's fitting Amede played it on a D accordion, and I'm playing in D. I'll post it when I post the Blacktop.

Besides Jon, you can't have a say til you post at least one song. That's the rules.

By the way, Jon, I was really intending to play this on the porch, but somehow didn't get to it.

Maybe if Jamey comes in for Black Pot I'll have him record me doing a few tunes to post on the board.

Back to Amede. My buddy Joel Breaux who is a regular at the local jams plays Amede's Two Step d'Elton and that too is such a cool tune but also a complete jam buster. Its one of those songs that as soon as you hear it you think of Amede. Very recognizable and unique.

How about Blues de Basile?
Off the "I'm Never Coming Back" Album.
Has fiddle accompaniment by Dennis McGee.
Can be played by just about all levels of skill.
Sounds good in key of A on a D, or also in key of G on a C.
JB

Anybody has an idea what he is singing? I understand only bits & pieces. I love it!
I wonder if this tune is really so complicated at all. IMHO it's more the way Amedee played it, with that intensity, that makes it unique and hard to match.
You won't hear me playing (if I'd be able), for I have quit playing CA for a while, or maybe forever, due to a hearing problem.

Et tu vois plus clair non plus ? ("Ô, vieillesse ennemie..." )
C'est ici : http://www.cajunlyrics.com/?lyrics=133

Christian, tu as raison: je ne vois plus bien. Je l'avais déja quelque part sur mon ordinateur .. Merci quand même.
aargh !! sacrée vieilesse!

I myself kept hearing licks that match up to Hey Madeline! I figured somebody made Madeline from hearing this song. Don't know. I have often wondered how many Cajun accordion players of the past, while trying to learn a master's version of a song ended up creating other new songs because they never could cut the mustard in successfully copying the masters techniques and sound.

If you are familiar with the "Hadacol It Something" website Bryan, you should go and look under "Angelas Lejeune" and listen to the MP3 named One Step a Cain(Crowley 2 Step). Listen to the turn! Unfreakinbelievable.

Very well acquainted with Hadacol, several years ago it opened up a whole new world for me. Love the style of some of those old players. It is pretty amazing listening to the technical skill of Amede and Angelas, knowing they didn't have much to go on in their learning. They were both incredible players. But it's always Amede's feel, that I can't really describe, that catches me.

I love this song and I'm sure I've worn a rut in my mp3 player with that album, but I'd personally like to see something a bit more mainstream and maybe easier.

The last 2 years at Balfa, a consistent source of angst for me is that I can play some oddities that nobody seems to play, but not the standards that everyone seems to know.

I'm sure that folks consider the Eunice 2-step, and the Mamou 2-step, and Les Flammes d'Enfer to be all worn out, but they're the standards for a reason. And I don't currently know any of them.

The song of the month is what really gets me rolling if I feel I can get wrapped around the song. Look back at the songs that get the most response. There is a consistent theme.

John in Oregon

Point taken, John! Look for a new song this weekend . . .

By "Choupic Two Step", do you mean this one?


Well what do you know! The A part of Amedee's Two Step (the melody) is done very much like the A part of the Choupic! Nathan Abshire's version of "The Pic" is done with a "C" accordion so you can at least learn Amedee's melody with a "C" accordion now.

But that turn of Nathan's is not like Amedee's turn, NO SIR-ee-Bob it ain't!

Sorry for causing so much angst. I really don't think this is a good choice for song of the month either. As little as I come on here, I'm not sure about what all goes into a "song of the month", but I'm sure it gets picked apart clean in most cases. I think it is more of a song that you take on your own and learn it in your own time. To learn it, you must leave the well worn path. It was that "tempo" that I was interested in and thought maybe others would be too. When you learn this song or a few others, ie:Jolie Catin(iry lejeune) in this tempo, it opens up a new world of Cajun accordion playing to you. At least it did for me anyways.

I guess Amedee is sort of like Iry, nice to listen to, but scares the living hell out of accordion players trying to play along with their recordings. You can't play along with those recordings. You have to listen to them and interpret them on your accordion. I say again.....interpret. Yeah, that's advanced, but for the beginner, put that in the back of (you) head for later when you're ready. One day maybe you will say ah haaaaa!

There's been some confusion here. Two-Step d'Amédé is an instrumental written by Marc Savoy and a completely different song than Ardoin's, Amédé Two-Step.

I know it's confusing, but even with the giant jump in playing style, you should be able to tell they're not related.


However, Amédé Two-Step (BY Amédé Ardoin), is similar to the song people know as The Choupique Two-Step.

I can say for certain that Marc Savoy's tune is much easier to follow than Ardoin's completely different entity! And they both tare their own songs to shreds. But, no matter how anyone tries, they're not going to figure out how to play like Ardoin. In fact, I've never heard anyone play like him.

If someone can point me in the direction of someone who can play like Améde, please do, because I've been searching.

For what it's worth, on Marc Savoy's CD "Back to the Basics" the tune is titled "Amede's Two-Step." That adds a little definition to his song.

I find myself caught up in the confusion, because when you compare Amede Ardoin's songs with modern versions, some with differing titles, they simply aren't the same. Presently, I'm caught up in the "Eunice Two Step" which I had just about nailed, until I went back to the Amede Ardoin recording. Hmmm, reset required.

Flexible, free-style, undisciplined - call it what you want to, but this really makes it fun. If you can hack out a tune that's close, you get a passing grade. Every player can give it his own twist. After all, most of us can't all play like Amede Ardoin anyway.

What's most important: Arrette pas la musique!

Yes sir. The "old" Amadie Two Step and Choupique share the same melody line.
Savoy's Amedee is completely different. It's more an instrumental, while Ardoin's is also a song. (long notes for the singing, short "improvised"ones for the accordion part)
Maybe Savoy chose this name as a tribute to the old master? Anyway, he got a lot of people confused by doing so.
Playing like the old master takes a special study.
First, to sound like Ardoin you will have to speed things up! 102 beats per minute. Then, you have that special rhythm which is just slightly different, with a strong emphasis on the second beat. Add a lot of tricks, and a lot of intensity in both singing and playing. Finally, you will need someone who plays like Denus McGee (don't forget the fiddle player) and then you might make it sound like the old record.

I'm not sure if Marc got the idea for his Amedee 2 step from Amedee's song titled "Two-Step d'Amede? LOL, I know Marc made his version before youtube was born. I know Marc had a good bit of access to old recordings via Ann and his music store. The part that is similiar in both songs is the very beginning. Maybe he started out copying, then gave up and changed it. Don't know and don't want to argue. Marc's Amedee 2 step is a great tribute to Amedee though, can't argue with that. He often times comes up with songs and attributes them to personal friends and fellow musicians. My deceased mentor was afforded such a tribute by Mr Marc.

I heard an unconfirmed report that Marc titled his Amede Two Step as a tribute to one of his mentors, and not a relation to the one on Amede's recordings. I kinda doubt Amede called his song "Amede Two Step", anyway.

Now why i like trad Cajun music as well as Old time country tunes is the sheer variations of the "same" ole tune by different musicians. Fiddlers do a lot better at that me thinks. Sometimes you'll need to get to know a tune real well to realize it's uncle lives only two doors away. Example: i always liked an old soulful Leo Soileau song "Valse de Gueydan" years ago, and when i played the old LP recently i realised it was almost Jolie Blonde, call me stupid LOL - PS done this studio messing up 2 trad Cajun tunes with added new lyrics a while ago my self, sorry guys:

- Nout

I'm looking for the LIKE button...

alas on youtube there is ....

There is also this, link #2, one of my favorite videos. He comes pretty close, as well as a great version of La Porte De La Prison.

GREAT video, Bryan! I've seen it before, but forgot how good it was. Thanks for sharing it.

Yep, it is. Wish it was in sync

It's refreshing to hear a good player rush the tempo - something I do without even trying! :-)

Pretty sharp of you to pick up on that, Nedro.