Amédé Ardoin, Early 20th Century Louisiana Creole Singer & Accordion Player (YouTube video, information & comments)

AlvisaMinidoruv, Nov 10, 2011

The voice of Amédé Ardoin is so good it's a bit painful. Shockingly beautiful, violently emotional. This side was recorded with Dennis McGee, and is one of my favorites that he did, up there with Two Step de la Prairie Solieau and Amadie Two Step.

Album - "I'm Never Comin' Back"
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The lyrics and English translations for this song are given in the comment section below. 

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Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post presents information about and showcases a YouTube sound file of early 20th century Louisiana Creole singer and accordion player Amédé Ardoin.  

This post also presents selected comments about Amédé Ardoin from the discussion threads for several YouTube sound files of this historically important Louisiana singer/musician.

The content of this post is presented for historical, socio-cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Amédé Ardoin for his musical legacy. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of these sound files on YouTube.
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This is part of an ongoing pancocojams series on Louisiana Creole culture. Click the links that are found below for more pancocojams posts on this subject.

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INFORMATION ABOUT AMEDE ARDOIN
From https://heartoflouisiana.com/amede-ardoin/ "Amede Ardoin" [no publishing date cited, retrieved on August 26, 2023
"Amede Ardoin, a French-speaking Creole music pioneer, can be likened to the rock stars of our generation. His legacy is steeped in both musical brilliance and personal tragedy.

ROCK STAR OF HIS ERA

In the early 20th century, Ardoin, a virtuoso on the accordion, composed and recorded a number of songs that marked the genesis of today’s Creole and Zydeco music. Darrell Bourque, a writer and poet who has extensively researched Ardoin’s life and work, likens him to a rock star of his time.[…]

A TRAGIC END FOR AMEDE ARDOIN

Ardoin’s flourishing musical career was cut short by a horrific act of violence that left him severely injured. Bourque explained that Ardoin was playing at a dance and, “he asked someone to give him a rag to wipe his face.  A White woman, without hesitation, opened her purse and handed him a handkerchief.”  That caught the attention of two White men, whom Bourgue described as racist, “who declared that Amede would never perform again”. The two men followed Ardoin home that night and beat him.  Bourque said, “The story goes that they rolled over his head and neck with a Model A Ford and thought they had killed him.

[…]

BURIED IN AN UNMARKED GRAVE

Ardoin suffered severe brain injuries and was institutionalized at the Central Louisiana State Hospital in Pineville, where he died a few months later. His remains were buried anonymously in a potter’s field. Bourque lamented, “The whole idea of genius ending up unclaimed, alone, solitary, not being able to be in connection with anything that defined his life to a large extent is very touching.”

TRIBUTE TO AMEDE ARDOIN’S LEGACY

The St. Landry Parish Visitors Center near Opelousas has a life-size bronze statue of Ardoin. Artist Russell Whiting created the 1,500 pound piece. The statue was dedicated in 2018 on March 11, Ardoin’s birthday. The statue depicts Ardoin holding an accordion and a lemon, which he used to soothe his throat."...
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Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyIbUD5_7Ko&t=67s for the 2007 YouTube video entitled
"The Death of Amedee Ardoin".

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SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THE DISCUSSION THREADS OF SEVERAL YOUTUBE SOUND FILES OF AMEDE ARDOIN

These discussion threads are given in no particular order and are numbered for referencing purposes only.

Discussion thread #1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJePDKmNcrw [This is the sound file that is embedded in this pancocojams post.]

1. 

2.@joaomiguelxs, 2012
"O, toi, 'titte fille je m'en vas
O, dans la maison tout seul
O, c'est pas la peine tu me fais tout
Ca t'as fait avec moi
J'ai pas d'argent
J'ai pas de maison pour aller
J'ai pas d'ouvrage pour moi rester
O, éou je vas rester?

END

Translation:

Oh, none of my relatives want anything to do with me
Oh, what am I gonna do with you?
Oh, I'm not nearly ready to leave
Oh, it's me alone, me, all alone
I don't know if I'm ever gonna come back
Oh, you cause me so much misery
I'm not gonna come see you

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2. @deecee4644,2017
"I was introduced to Ardoin's music by an internet friend in Louisiana many years ago and have loved it ever since.  His voice just seems to call to me across the decades through black and white and color film and 78 clay records, vinyl and now finally through digital medium worldwide.   I think Amede would have been humbled and very proud that his music, so short on this planet, has survived for almost 100 years and is enjoyed by probably more people now than he even saw in his short life.  How incredible is that?  What a legacy to leave."

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3. @1blastman, 2019
"His singing is like a Creole Robert Johnson; I've heard that his accordion playing was incredibly advanced and original for his time. 

I do know that this man was a special talent.  It's so sad that the people he was playing for couldn't appreciate his wonderful ability to bring so many emotions into a song"

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4. @joaomiguelxs, 2012

LES BLUES DE VOYAGE

O, tous mes parents veulent pas
O, qui c'est je vas faire avec toi
O, j'suis pas proche près partir
O, c'est mon tout seul, moi, tout seul
Je sais pas quand jamais que je vas revenir
O, toi, tu me fais de la misère
Je vas pas'venir te voir

O, tous mes parents veulent pas
O, que moi je vas c'ez toi
O, c'est par rapport à toi
Mon je m'en vas
N'importe éou je vas aller, catin
Tous les autres veulent pas me voir
Boy, j'ai pas d'argent

(continues)"

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5. @joaomiguelxs,2012
"O, toi, 'titte fille je m'en vas
O, dans la maison tout seul
O, c'est pas la peine tu me fais tout
Ca t'as fait avec moi
J'ai pas d'argent
J'ai pas de maison pour aller
J'ai pas d'ouvrage pour moi rester
O, éou je vas rester?

END

Translation:

Oh, none of my relatives want anything to do with me
Oh, what am I gonna do with you?
Oh, I'm not nearly ready to leave
Oh, it's me alone, me, all alone
I don't know if I'm ever gonna come back
Oh, you cause me so much misery
I'm not gonna come see you"

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6. @joaomiguelxs, 2012
"translation (cont)
Oh, you little girl, I'm going
Oh, back to my house all alone
Oh, it's no use for you to do
All you've done to me
I have no money
I have no house to go to
I have no work to help me stay
Oh, where will I stay?

(Contributed by David Sousa)"

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7. @doucetlofts7324, 2015
"Ca Cest si bon cher! son temps créoles obtenir le crédit qu'ils méritent pour une culture qu'ils ont contribué à façonner probablement plus que tout autre groupe dans la région dans la sud de la lousianne."
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Google translate from French to English:
"It's so good dear! Its time Creoles get the credit they deserve for a culture they helped shape probably more than any other group in the region in South Louisiana."

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8.@wadefalcon7344, 2018
"In 1934, the end of the Depressions kicked off a new wave of early Cajun recording sessions. Yet, almost all of these major labels had retired from making Cajun records except RCA Victor.

Read more: https://earlycajunmusic.blogspot.com/2017/03/les-blues-de-voyage-amede-ardoin-dennis.html "

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Discussion thread #2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8QNH_RLXqo Amédé Ardoin Si Dur D'Etre Seul (So Hard To Be Alone) (1934) published by randomandrare, Nov 23, 2014; Amédé Ardoin:Vocals & Accordion

1. @bessieclark7711, 2021
"I have a CD by him. I think he was from Haiti and never spoke English. They say he was the original for that style of Louisiana music. He was treated very badly because of his origin."

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Reply
2. @pfowler8310, 2021
"No not from Haiti he and his family are originally from around St Landry snd Evangeline parish. I’m from that area and know the family.  My family on both sides only spoke creole French, my parents grew up this way. Louisiana was Frances Territory.  Unfortunately many of my ancestors were enslaved, so that’s why they spoke French, France’s territory."

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Reply
3. @CoreyHarrisinterviews, 2022
"@pfowler8310  lâches pas la patate !"

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Reply
4. @pfowler8310, 2022
"@CoreyHarrisinterviews   I've heard the phrase before"

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Reply
5. @QUINTUSMAXIMUS,2022
"@pfowler8310  That means don't give up, hold on, even if it's hot like a hot potato."

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