Does any one has information on this melody? Alphee Bergeron recorded it as Lovers Blues and Angelais LeJeune recorded it as One Step du Marais Bouleur. Also looking for lyrics to either version.
Thanks,
Josh
Marais Bouler (known as the Bouler swamp named after a horse "Bouler") was a rough and tumble place. Pat Mire did a documentary talking about the area, not far from where Angelas grew up (Pointe Noir). It was a low lying area, where the oil patch brought in rough and rowdy and fighting young men. Stories are told of the bars in the area.
The melody that Angelas used doesn't have an origin, from what I can tell. It's the first recording of that particular melody here in Louisiana. However, i wouldn't be surprised to find out that it was from some non-Cajun hillbilly song or traditional tune. Curious to know more about his particular 1929 recording.
According to Rev. Donald Hebert in the history of Marias Bouleur, he talks about a horse named "Buhler" who liked to roll in the mud of the swampy wetlands.
According to Marie Fontenot, some years ago, George Buller, at that time president of the St. Landry Police Jury, told me that his family name was once spelled "Buhler". One of his ancestors, he said, owned a large tract of marshy land near Rayne, hence the name Marais Buhler, or Buller. This sounds like a logical explanation, since the name Buller (or Buhler) would be pronounced "Bou-leur" by the Acadians.
Author Darrell Bourque thinks Bouleur might mean "bully", which would describe the people there. I'm not sure about that one though.
Re: Lover's Blues/One Step du Marais Bouleur(warning)
Both links don't work and if you try to come somewhere(by copy/paste the links in a browser) to listen to the songs and play them, you get stuff against getting old and undressed ladies.
ONE STEP DE MARAIS BOULEUR
(Angelas Lejeune)
Similar song "Pointe Noire two-step" by Ambrose Thibodeaux.
Oh petite, chère,
Moi j'suis là, jolie,
Pourquoi tu m'fais ça ?
Oh petite, chère,
Mais toi t'es partie,
Tu m'laisses dans les misères.
Oh jolie,
Mam'zelle(?) j'aime pas
Tu m'parles comme tu m'parles.
Oh, j'connais pas quoi
…… c'que j'suis aujourd'hui,
Moi j'suis c-o-n-d-a-m-n-é
Pour tout ma vie à la misère.
Oh petite, chère,
Rappelle-toi quand j'ai parti pour m'en aller
Tu t'as mise à pleurer,
C'est là eyoù j'ai pris la parole,
Que j't'ai d'mandé, chère, fais donc pas ça.
………………
Tu connais mon cœur est aussi gros qu'le tien
Mais donne moi une chose
Que j'peux supporter et si vrai qu'le tien.
Good call! It IS the same tune as Pointe Noir Two Step! Ambrose sure knew his music history. He learned songs that became standards when they were new, from the repertoire of Angelas LeJeune before Iry performed them.