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: top this sleezy

Understandable since you put it that way. What steps did you take to write your own song as far as structure and lyrics?

Re: top this sleezy

I had no intention of writing a song ever. I was playing my accordion in the living room one Saturday afternoon. After playing some of the songs we play I started playing a tune, nothing fancy just using the keyboard and I came up with this tune. My wife ask me the name of it I told it wasn't a song that I was just messing around. She said "no honey that's a good tune and you need to write a song using it." She continued "it sounds like a chicken." I laughed and asked "a chicken? " She said yes so I started thinking what could I possible write about a chicken in French. Then I thought of Mardi Gras. There are a lot of songs about how Cajuns chase chickens, drink, dance and have a good time but no one had ever told the story from a chickens perspective. I started saying not writing anything down. "the chickens know it Mardi Gras, they are hiding in the chicken coup. The Mardi Gras passes through the country to pick up chickens to eat." First verse done. Then I thought about the second verse. I decided to record what I had come up with for the first verse so I wouldn't forget. The second verse was a little harder cause I wanted to include something about the men drinking and chasing. My wife said I needed to change it and just write about the chickens. So the second verse was created. "the chickens can hear the noise on the road they know the Cajuns aren't far. They want to make a gumbo tonight with a chicken from Nonc Edourd-Uncle Edward." Then I remembered something DL Menard said about writing songs it has to tell a story with a beginning, a middle and an end. So the third verse became "Wednesday morning the sun is up you can hear the chickens sing. They are all glad the Cajuns missed them now they can lay eggs for another year." I sent the accordion part to a friend that plays the fiddle and he came up with this awesome fiddle part. His name is Tysman Charpentier. My wife and I worked on it till we had the timing down and it flowed. I recorded the song in Randy Ellis' shot gun house in Chackbay Louisiana. I did the vocals and the accordion part, my wife played rhythm guitar. Billy Joe King on upright bass and Tysman on fiddle. It took six tries before I finally could keep my part all together, playing, singing coming in, timing all of it was difficult to do cause there was no room for error. I recorded this song when I was 67 years old, my fist one. We recorded open mic. No mixing. I sent the song to CD Baby they helped with the processing and the distribution. I copyrighted the song with the federal government copyright office. I sent the song to all the Cajun music radio stations to see if they would play it. Oh. let me back up a little I had an accordion lesson with Steve Riley and I decided at the end to play and sing the song to him to see what he thought. He said "man you have got to record that and send it to KBON they will play the hell out of it, it's a good song" So with his encouragement and everyone else involved the song became a success. Paul Marx replied to my message that he has been writing songs for over 25 years and none were as good as my first one. The first year I released it, it reached the number 12 most requested song of the week on KEUN. All the jocks that played it loved and some told me they get a lot of request for it. The accordion tune is very basic but the song has a story and that's what's important to me. If you want to buy it all the download places have it for 99 cents. If you want to listen to a clip go to Amazon and type in my name Jerry L Moody. They have the best clip of the song. Thanks for asking.

Re: top this sleezy

That's badass now this is why I hang around here for stuff like this. And to gig Jeff a little bit.

Re: top this sleezy

https://www.amazon.com/Chickens-Know-Its-Mardi-Gras/dp/B01BD32N0C/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1534509544&sr=8-8&keywords=jerry+l+moody

Re: top this sleezy

I watched a clip on your webpage it showed up on my iTunes too. It's a neat song with a old sound.

Re: top this sleezy

Thanks that’s the real music pre Americanization of it

Re: top this sleezy

Looks like I got some more practice time in my future

Re: top this sleezy

Steve Riley will tell you "less is more" I have talked to him several times about my playing and he always says that. If you don't have his beginner DVD get it. Some really good stuff in it

Re: top this sleezy

I've got a big nick and a dirk powell and a greg benusa plus my books and cds. Also took the opportunity he offered here. Try to do 20 minutes in the morning before I leave for work then in the evening I don't really time it just till I gotta go to bed.

Re: top this sleezy

I do too but the beginner Steve Riley is the best

Re: top this sleezy

May check out the intermediate 9ne next plus I got to sit down with Step Rideau and taped him also it's coming together my main problem is staying in time

Re: top this sleezy

My wife learned to play rhythm guitar for me. She is awesome on timing

Re: top this sleezy

Timing is everything! I know, 'cause I ain't got it!

If only I had practiced with a metronome consistently...

Re: top this sleezy

Come on Ned I subscribed to your channel we both know you got timing down. Plus been on stage. I'll catch up to you one day.



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!