On December 9, 1929, Amede Ardoin and his partner, Dennis McGee, recorded their first recordings in New Orleans. The very first song they recorded was a number called "Taunt Aline". Ardoin's popularity took off after their first recordings and the music influenced generations to come. One of those influenced was a young boy named Iry LeJeune.
Iry grew up fascinated with the music he heard around him. His great uncle, Angelas Lejeune, was one of the top accordion players in the area. Like McGee and Ardoin, Angelas had recorded in the 1920's as well, recording for the Brunswick label. At the sessions, Angelas would record "La Valse de Church Point" and the first recording of "Perrodin Two Step". Playing with him on the sessions were Dennis McGee and a Church Point fiddler named Ernest Fruge.
Iry would visit Angelas who lived just a mile away and it was there Iry learned how to play the accordion. Angelas also introduced the young Iry to the sounds of other accordion players. At his home, Angelas had a phonograph player and played Iry 78's of other players such as Amede Ardoin, Joe Falcon and Amade Breaux. Iry would sit and listen and study these records, retaining every note in his head. Surely it was there that Iry first heard Ardoin and McGee playing "Taunt Aline".
By 1954, Iry had recorded and released several records. The band kept busy with playing clubs across the area as well. They would play the Blue Goose in Eunice and at the Shamrock Club. Milton Vanicor recalls Nathan Abshire stopping by the Shamrock and playing with Iry and the band one night. Iry would also play at the Red Barn Club in Texas and the China Ball Club in Bristol. Luderin Darbone recalls Iry stopping by the Silver Star to listen to the Hackberry Ramblers from time to time.
In 1952, Eddie had recorded Iry at his home on his reel to reel recorder. He returned in early 1954 to record another session for upcoming releases. The recordings were made over several dates and included Iry, Wilson Granger and Alfred Cormier. For one of the songs they recorded, Iry drew inspiration from Ardoin's "Taunt Aline" and used it for his song, "Come and Get Me".
Oh ye yaille, chere tit monde, catin,
Mets-toi voir bien jongler
Ca t'as fait.
C'est pas la peine
Que tu le lamentes.
Viens donc me chercher, ye yaille.
Ton papa va venir.
Je peux pas aller t'apres.
Oh, tite fille, c'est tous les soirs,
Je me couche.
J'embrasse mon oreiller
Des fois en jonglant,
Faire des accroires que ca serait toi
Qui serais la, ye yaille.
Mais, tout je peux voir,
Tu t'en reviendras pas
Me revoir.
Iry's version of the song tells about a young man lamenting that his "catin" won't come back since her father brought her back home. He sings of the young man kissing his pillow and believing in is her beside him. The song was also known as "Viens Me Chercher".
Iry's 1954 recordings would be his last for Eddie Shuler. His recordings for opened the doors for many other artists to record. Eddie was known to often say that Iry never made a record that wasn't a hit and by the mid 1970's, Iry Lejeune's records were still the most popular of the Goldband artists. As for the melody of "Taunt Aline" and "Come and Get Me", it would go on to be used by The Balfa Brothers for their 1974 recording "J'Sus Orphelin".
Resources
Ron Yule- Wailin The Blues Cajun Style
Wade Falcon- Early Cajun Music blog
Session info
V/acdn, Wilson Granger (fdl), Alfred Cormier or Eddie Shuler (g)
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