Welcome to old and new friends who are interested in discussing Cajun and other diatonic accordions, along with some occasional lagniappe....



CAJUN ACCORDION DISCUSSION GROUP

 

General Forum
Start a New Topic 
Author
Comment
View Entire Thread
Re: Question

Yes. More often than not, in that song, it is an A Minor chord when playing in G, although I have heard a few Cajun bands play an A major chord. If it's an old time Cajun band with an old time steel player--many times it come out like a A major chord. The English version and Swamp Pop original is an A Minor. A minor in the Belton Richard version that the Cajun bands base theirs off of.

THere are many Zydeco songs that use a 2 minor chord. It's very common in Zydeco.

Re: Question

Thanks for the information. the 2 can be major or minor, but could the position the accordion being played, be a factor?
I guess that's one thing we have to play it like we hear it. Many accordion players don't know one position from another. They say "I be pushin or pullin. It just amazes me ,many can three different positions but don't. It.
Thanks for listening, Im perty much the only one in my circle that can talk numbers.
I have a saying , in music. Two wrongs don't make it but three does.

Re: Question

As Chris says, there are a good number of zydeco songs with minor chords in them.

One example that comes to mind is the Beau Joque song "Richard's Club". When played on a Bb accordion, it is in the key of D minor. (Keith Frank more or less copied the song and called it "On The Rise" - same song, different lyrics).

Another example is Keith Frank's rendition of "There Goes My Baby", which is an old rock song. It has the classic chord progression of 1-6-4-5. I have heard that progression described is "pop corn changes" or "ice cream changes". I never heard an explanation of those descriptions, but it goes back to the '50s, which is a bit before my time.

There are some beautiful basse bas songs which have minor chords in them. A basse bas could be described as a bluesy waltz. "Bon Soir Moreau" and "Les Barres de la Prison" are great examples of basse bas songs. I think of these as Creole songs, rather than Zydeco or Cajun.

Re: Question

Thanks Dave, I'm going with a yes. Yes the accordion plays minors. The song pieces (of my heart ) 1645 by Keith frank the 6 is a minor. We call that progression, cherry pie.
My rule is now, when a 2 or a 6 is played assume it is a minor .
I pulled the two songs (on the rise) one I hear 1 and quick 5 , the other almost the same ,one chord and quick same minor. Thank you I'm gunna try the quick same minor in those one chord zydeco songs now on.



Jamey Hall's most excellent Cajun Accordion Music Theory

Brett's all new Cajun Accordion Music Theory for all keys!

LFR1.gif - 1092 Bytes The April 2011 Dewey Balfa Cajun & Creole Heritage Week

augusta.gif - 6841 Bytes

Listen to Some GREAT Music While You Surf the Net!!
The BEST Radio Station on the Planet!