Reading through this article made me question a few things. One of which was why Christopher King was so enthralled by Amédé Ardoin so, naturally, I had to listen to one of his songs. I chose to listen to “Aimez Moi Ce Soir” from “Mama, I’ll Be Long Gone” since the song collection was mentioned a couple times in the article. After listening to the song and reading the entire article, I agree with what King and Amanda Petrusich, the author, had to say about Ardoin. His singing style sounds “feral, galloping, deranged”. I can feel the pain that Ardoin is going through through his strained, almost screaming singing tone. Admittedly, I was saddened to hear of how Ardoin’s voice were left in ruin after his career. I feel like his “ending” is unfair to the inspiration he put in the minds of many people around the world. Although, I can see why his voice left, since his singing style if very much from his throat, which is easy to damage. Finally, I think that the girl who he has written all his love songs about should be thankful for the many songs he wrote for her.
When I read through the article I could really see how critically acclaimed Amédé Ardoin was just from seeing how many people he enthralled with his voice. I remember reading towards the middle of the article that Ardoin’s voice is unique; the author goes on to describe how Ardoin’s vocals were “feral, galloping, deranged” and that “Musicians recognize that there is both a discovery and an abandonment of self that can occur onstage; when Ardoin sings, the self that emerges feels like a manifestation of the collective unconscious”, which I found very interesting. I also found it really interesting how Ardoin was able to play his accordion and sing at joints in order to avoid labor work, which I presume is what lead to his musical fame in his future. I didn’t quite know what to imagine when I heard the description of his guttural singing until I listened to the song pasted above, “Valse Des Opelousas”, where it reminds me a bit of Native American singing.
Reading through the article I thought that it was kind of crazy how interested in Amédé King was. I think that it shows us how close he really felt to his music and the stories that he told with his songs, and just the sound in general. I also found it somewhat sad that he wrote all of those songs about a woman who left him, it just shows the amount of pain that he felt, but also the unconditional love that he had for her. I did find it cool that King went out of his way to recover all of the 78 rpm tracks from Amédé, and if he hadn’t there was no real guarantee that they would have been preserved.
This song I think captures what the article was talking about when they refer to Amédé’s “emotionally unhinged” music. The lyrics “Je sais pas quand jamais que je vas revenir/ O, toi, te me fais de la misère” “I don’t know if I’m ever gonna come back Oh, you cause me so much misery” speak, presumably, about the pain he felt when his love left him. When he sings, it’s almost like yelling. It’s not perfectly melodic but the beat and tempo convey such emotion. In the article, I was struck by how the music changed for the author upon further inspection. I feel like a lot of that could be said for Ardoin’s music, there’s so much packed into these songs that each listen is different.
Amede Ardoin was an American Louisiana Creole musician. He was known for his high singing voice and mastery on the Cajun accordion. He is credited with laying the groundwork for Creole music in the early 1900s. Perhaps he was so distinguishable because of the fact that his songs came from true, heartfelt emotion. Most of his songs, as stated in the article by king, revolved around one woman. The heart break, the obsession, and the hope for a relationship with her were all tied up into his songs. Something else about Ardoin that made him stand out against other artists was the fact that his songs made people feel unconsciousness freedom. During the time of his popularity, many people were uncomfortable in their own skin. There was a stronger resistance to cultural assimilation. So, Ardoin’s songs helped people to feel uniquely compelling and powerful.
This article on Amédé Ardoin explains in detail the impact Ardoin’s music made in the world. Ardoin’s music was different from others as he had a different singing voice. King also mentioned that it is possible that most of Ardoin;s songs are about one person: the girl to whom he was betrothed. Along with the musicality in both the accordion and his voice, the message and the story of the music attracts the audience. Culture was a big thing to Ardoin as he was a Creole musician. The repetition in his lyrics and singing made the song even more interesting that it is. Alongside with the accordion, he delivers with pure emotion towards the music. He sang and played like no other, making beautiful music. I personally thought, while reading this article, that he was a special and a significant man that made a change in how other musicians though of him and even others.
Sorry, I forgot to add my name again. The previous comment was by me. Thank you!
This article on Amédé Ardoin explains in detail the impact Ardoin’s music made in the world. Ardoin’s music was different from others as he had a different singing voice. King also mentioned that it is possible that most of Ardoin;s songs are about one person: the girl to whom he was betrothed. Along with the musicality in both the accordion and his voice, the message and the story of the music attracts the audience. Culture was a big thing to Ardoin as he was a Creole musician. The repetition in his lyrics and singing made the song even more interesting that it is. Alongside with the accordion, he delivers with pure emotion towards the music. He sang and played like no other, making beautiful music. I personally thought, while reading this article, that he was a special and a significant man that made a change in how other musicians though of him and even others.
After reading this article, it opened my eyes to see that it doesn’t mater where you come front, anyone can make music if they really set their minds to it. Amédé Ardoin was born into a family of slaves but for his life, he avoided doing hard labor in order to make music. One thing I noticed about his songs is the reference to his cultural background. In the article, there is an example of how Ardoin’s songs could possibly have a theme of love and romance. He was to be betrothed to a girl but she left him. In one of his songs, he sings about her and comes up with a duet portraying him and his wife-to-be. I also noticed how passionate he is when it comes to reading his lyrics. I can just imagine that when he was writing those lyrics down, he was reflecting back on his life. What was sad to me was the very last paragraph about how Ardoin died. It’s sad to know that outsiders treat him, a famous musician, poorly and don’t even care about what they’re doing to him. In my opinion, this article was pretty interesting and I got the opportunity to learn about a musician I have never heard of before.
When I read through the article, one thing that I found interesting was how much King was so intrigued with Ardoin. One of the songs that they mentioned a lot throughout the article was “Mama, I’ll Be Long Gone” and like it says, his voice “starts to seem like a self-obliterating force.” I completely agree with that statement and I can see why King was so interested in Ardoin. From what I heard and also read in the article, Ardoin’s music was very unique. I liked in the article where he states, “It seems worth noting that I have no idea what Ardoin is talking about most of the time,” not only because I think that it’s a little funny, but also because it shows how good his music was since people loved it even if they didn’t know what it was about. Other than King, I think that Ardoin himself as well as his music impacted people. While he is gone, his legacy will be carried on by his music.
From the beginning of the article, I noticed the importance of Amede Ardoin to Christopher King’s life. King described his music as “emotionally unhinged,” or in other words music that it made him feel as if his emotions could not be controlled. Ardoin’s voice is described as one of a kind and extraordinary, where no one has ever sounded like that before. On the other hand, his songs were about a woman he had a relationship with, but something went wrong and she left him. This woman was his inspiration in writing music because his songs depicted the heartbreak he experienced after she left. King also described Ardoin’s music as intense, but pleasurable at the same time. In other words, it made him feel a certain type of pain, but it also gave realizations about himself or the world around him. At the end of the article, it was a sad death for Ardoin. The damage done to him that led to him not being able to sing is what made him have to be admitted into an asylum. Overall, Ardoin was said to be an amazing singer with a certain uniqueness that no other person has.
The article on Amede Ardoin talks about King, an artist explains Amede Ardoin life and impact on music today. I thought that the similarities between Amede Ardoin’s music and music today was really interesting. For example, Ardoin’s repetition throughout his songs, but still followed the culture from his time, such as Catholic traditions (arranged marriages) and superstitions. I also found the way the author described Ardoin’s music as “aesthetic starvation” very intriguing and I did not really understand the author’s explanation. However, after reading Ardoin’s music description I think what they mean by “aesthetic starvation” is that Ardoin’s music has an empty and lonely tone to but it still a deep meaning behind the lyrics and instrumentals .
When I first started reading the article I wasn't sure what to expect, but I thought that the article was very interesting. King was so passionate about Ardoin and his story and legacy that he left behind. Much of his music was placed away in barns to be lost. Although, King came to save all the music. He found a love for the music because of how unique the music was. It was common for the time period where first generation immigrants were almost always lonely and played music as second nature. Additionally, the fine details of the 78s really make the music come to life, when it was pointed out in one of the song actually had humming in the background. Thinking about Ardoin and his legacy that he left behind, King was able to bring light to the darkness and show the power behind Adrdoin's music.
There were quite a few very interesting things that caught my eye while I was reading this article. The first thing that interested me was Kings obsession with obtaining Amede Ardoin records. To this day King is the only person to issue a comprehensive collection of Ardoin’s music. King has studied And collected all of Ardoin’s 17 two sided 78-rpm records. King even produced, notated and re mastered all of the 78-rpm records. Another thing I found interesting was the reason King gave for his love of Ardoin’s music. King states “I just naturally, intensely, obsessively gravitate toward music that is emotionally unhinged”. I was also very intrigued at the fact that King believes Ardoin’s legacy shouldn’t have been able to exist. His reasoning behind that statement is that 78-rpm’s are extremely rare and that playable Cajun records from the 1920’s and 30’s are even more rare. I thought it was very cool and impressive that King was able to persistently negotiate with collectors in order to acquire the rare and decaying Ardoin records. Negotiating for hours on the phone, trying to persuade the collector to hand over such a rare item was no easy task which is why I am very impressed that King was able to pull it off 17 times.
After reading the Amede Ardoin article, I found many interesting facts on Amede Ardoin who I have never heard of before. Amede Ardoin’s music is packed with many emotions. Mostly emotions about losing loved ones, or some break up, or in a depression of sadness state. From this article, King says: “It was like being grabbed by the neck and then being smacked around, and then being dragged through the forest,” he remembered. “But it was all seemingly pleasurable.” After being asked to describe the feeling he felt after listening to Ardoin’s music. In the beginning, Ardoin’s music is described to have a tingling sensation of emotions when being listened to. Lastly, at the end of this article, Ardoin’s more memorable partner playing the fiddle, was Dennis McGee. They both challenge each other in a strange way to play and perform better and better. The two had known each other from a very young age as they both worked on the same share-crop farmland. There was a deeper rooted connection between the two.
This article has a handful of interesting facts and descriptions. As a young man he would avoid field labor and instead play his accordion with other musicians at parties. The songs he played were dancing songs but his own songs have a different connecting factor. It is believed that they are all about the heartbreak and love received from one woman. His commitment and absolute obsession with this woman he couldn’t have shows a lot about his personality. Ardoin was from Louisiana, so he spoke a lot of French or most likely creole in his music. But one line that stood out was “j’ai dit je m’aurais jamais marié” which means I said I would never marry, which is because of her and the pain she caused. Also the way he sounds is like no other. His voice sounds almost a little crazy, and paired with the sharp twang of the accordion, his songs are definitely considered unique. I also appreciate it because of the French language, due to its sound it’s one of my favorites next to Spanish.
King’s passion towards Amede Ardoin took forefront in the article. It was clear how much he admired Ardoin as an artist and as a person. Something that caught my eye was the article bringing up the inspiration for many if not all of Ardoin’s music was an unrequited love and marriage. It really brought to light how much music can be an outlet for one’s feelings that probably couldn’t be put into just words. This personal down to earth feelings that Ardoin’s music brings out is what King highlights is was drew him so much. An artist’s music creating a personal connection to the listener is important as it is what makes it all the more meaningful.
Right of the bat In the article we get an introduction to who King is, and he is the ultimate collector of Amede Ardoin’s songs. He is a very interesting character because of the fact that it’s currently the 2000s and he refused to except the modern technology. But, there’s one thing that King would never give up and that’s his passion for music especially Ardoin’s pieces. King states that, “I just naturally, intensely obsessively gravitate toward music that is emotionally unhinged.” Meaning he likes music that doesn’t have a care in the world and wishes to be taken on this emotional rollercoaster, and Ardoin does just that. I thought it was interesting how it just took one song in the late 1990s for king to listen to for him to decide to start collecting all of Ardoin’s songs. Not only is King a great collector but he’s also very skilled in listening to music which I thought was not possible. King could just listen to one of Ardoin’s songs for example “La Valse A Austin Ardoin” and he could hear the quite humming of Ardoin while the song was going on. Lastly, I would like to mention how different the industry was back then because it said everything was by ear. Ardoin got recommended by McGee and together they were unstoppable until Ardoin sadly past away. But, thanks to McGee and their pairing up with Columbia Records Ardoin lives on as a legend.
I was reminded of myself when I read King’s statement: “I just naturally, intensely, obsessively gravitate toward music that is emotionally unhinged.” Everything I read about Ardoin made me want to listen to his music. I looked him up on YouTube and the first result was “Les Blues de Voyage.” His voice is definitely not one I’ve heard before. Modern heavy metal bands probably would have welcomed him as a lead singer. I was also interested in the cover King chose for Amede Ardoin’s album. He is pictured leaving a plantation with his accordion and the album is titled “I’m Never Coming Back.” I like to collect vinyl and it bothered me when I read “Collectors of 78s . . . are gatekeepers by default, often the only men (and they are almost always men) with access to certain songs.” Although King has contributed much to the music industry and community, I don’t think men like him should have a monopoly on rare music. I don’t think music is something that should be hoarded, and instead should be available to everyone.
I liked that this article was extremely descriptive of both Christopher King’s passion and of his beliefs surrounding Armede Ardoin. From what is described, it seems that Ardoin’s voice was as unearthly and captivating as it was rare. The author repeatedly mentions how difficult it is to fully comprehend the impact of the Cajun singer’s music and verses. It’s clear to see why King is so fascinated with restoring Ardoin’s works and decoding his mysteries. I thought the paragraphs describing Amede Ardoin’s own background were especially interesting, as they reaffirmed the idea that art is a manifestation of where you come from. The article was a great read that helped me understand more about this prominent and unusual Cajun musician, as well as the process of restoring records.
I liked this article because it covered the whole story of Armede Ardoin. With most artists, media usually covers their worsts or what the public usually sees them as. In this case, I was able to learn about the background of his language and also his reason to sing. He once loved this girl who was gone and while this topic is relatable for a lot, he himself truly just wanted to express himself. Cajun music is very interesting and diverse in that it literally combines different tongues but also is a new genre. Especially for his listeners in Louisiana, I was surprised that his type of music was popular. It was definitely a very useful article to learn the ins and outs of Ardoin and his life that revolved around one girl which created emotional gems of music for us to listen to.
This is a very interesting article, and it covers a lot about Amede Ardoin, who was a unique musician to say the least. His sound is just so different than any other musician. There is no filter or anything, and as a listener, we can hear all the imperfections and rawness in Ardoin’s voice, which comes together with the instruments in a kind of good and peculiar way. It’s definitely different than the typical music I’m used to. I liked how this article goes right into Christopher King’s view of Ardoin. I would like to highlight the section where it talks about Ardoin’s past and background (like his past relationship for example). This seeps through into his music, which i think contributes to the raw and authentic sound Ardoin has.
https://youtu.be/vUWYQHsdODQ
ReplyDeleteReading through this article made me question a few things. One of which was why Christopher King was so enthralled by Amédé Ardoin so, naturally, I had to listen to one of his songs. I chose to listen to “Aimez Moi Ce Soir” from “Mama, I’ll Be Long Gone” since the song collection was mentioned a couple times in the article. After listening to the song and reading the entire article, I agree with what King and Amanda Petrusich, the author, had to say about Ardoin. His singing style sounds “feral, galloping, deranged”. I can feel the pain that Ardoin is going through through his strained, almost screaming singing tone. Admittedly, I was saddened to hear of how Ardoin’s voice were left in ruin after his career. I feel like his “ending” is unfair to the inspiration he put in the minds of many people around the world. Although, I can see why his voice left, since his singing style if very much from his throat, which is easy to damage. Finally, I think that the girl who he has written all his love songs about should be thankful for the many songs he wrote for her.
https://youtu.be/uSIKYVQymIk
ReplyDeleteWhen I read through the article I could really see how critically acclaimed Amédé Ardoin was just from seeing how many people he enthralled with his voice. I remember reading towards the middle of the article that Ardoin’s voice is unique; the author goes on to describe how Ardoin’s vocals were “feral, galloping, deranged” and that “Musicians recognize that there is both a discovery and an abandonment of self that can occur onstage; when Ardoin sings, the self that emerges feels like a manifestation of the collective unconscious”, which I found very interesting. I also found it really interesting how Ardoin was able to play his accordion and sing at joints in order to avoid labor work, which I presume is what lead to his musical fame in his future. I didn’t quite know what to imagine when I heard the description of his guttural singing until I listened to the song pasted above, “Valse Des Opelousas”, where it reminds me a bit of Native American singing.
Reading through the article I thought that it was kind of crazy how interested in Amédé King was. I think that it shows us how close he really felt to his music and the stories that he told with his songs, and just the sound in general. I also found it somewhat sad that he wrote all of those songs about a woman who left him, it just shows the amount of pain that he felt, but also the unconditional love that he had for her. I did find it cool that King went out of his way to recover all of the 78 rpm tracks from Amédé, and if he hadn’t there was no real guarantee that they would have been preserved.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUWYQHsdODQ&feature=youtu.be
ReplyDeleteThis song I think captures what the article was talking about when they refer to Amédé’s “emotionally unhinged” music. The lyrics “Je sais pas quand jamais que je vas revenir/ O, toi, te me fais de la misère” “I don’t know if I’m ever gonna come back
Oh, you cause me so much misery” speak, presumably, about the pain he felt when his love left him. When he sings, it’s almost like yelling. It’s not perfectly melodic but the beat and tempo convey such emotion. In the article, I was struck by how the music changed for the author upon further inspection. I feel like a lot of that could be said for Ardoin’s music, there’s so much packed into these songs that each listen is different.
Amede Ardoin was an American Louisiana Creole musician. He was known for his high singing voice and mastery on the Cajun accordion. He is credited with laying the groundwork for Creole music in the early 1900s. Perhaps he was so distinguishable because of the fact that his songs came from true, heartfelt emotion. Most of his songs, as stated in the article by king, revolved around one woman. The heart break, the obsession, and the hope for a relationship with her were all tied up into his songs. Something else about Ardoin that made him stand out against other artists was the fact that his songs made people feel unconsciousness freedom. During the time of his popularity, many people were uncomfortable in their own skin. There was a stronger resistance to cultural assimilation. So, Ardoin’s songs helped people to feel uniquely compelling and powerful.
ReplyDeleteThis article on Amédé Ardoin explains in detail the impact Ardoin’s music made in the world. Ardoin’s music was different from others as he had a different singing voice. King also mentioned that it is possible that most of Ardoin;s songs are about one person: the girl to whom he was betrothed. Along with the musicality in both the accordion and his voice, the message and the story of the music attracts the audience. Culture was a big thing to Ardoin as he was a Creole musician. The repetition in his lyrics and singing made the song even more interesting that it is. Alongside with the accordion, he delivers with pure emotion towards the music. He sang and played like no other, making beautiful music. I personally thought, while reading this article, that he was a special and a significant man that made a change in how other musicians though of him and even others.
ReplyDeleteSorry, I forgot to add my name again. The previous comment was by me. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThis article on Amédé Ardoin explains in detail the impact Ardoin’s music made in the world. Ardoin’s music was different from others as he had a different singing voice. King also mentioned that it is possible that most of Ardoin;s songs are about one person: the girl to whom he was betrothed. Along with the musicality in both the accordion and his voice, the message and the story of the music attracts the audience. Culture was a big thing to Ardoin as he was a Creole musician. The repetition in his lyrics and singing made the song even more interesting that it is. Alongside with the accordion, he delivers with pure emotion towards the music. He sang and played like no other, making beautiful music. I personally thought, while reading this article, that he was a special and a significant man that made a change in how other musicians though of him and even others.
After reading this article, it opened my eyes to see that it doesn’t mater where you come front, anyone can make music if they really set their minds to it. Amédé Ardoin was born into a family of slaves but for his life, he avoided doing hard labor in order to make music. One thing I noticed about his songs is the reference to his cultural background. In the article, there is an example of how Ardoin’s songs could possibly have a theme of love and romance. He was to be betrothed to a girl but she left him. In one of his songs, he sings about her and comes up with a duet portraying him and his wife-to-be. I also noticed how passionate he is when it comes to reading his lyrics. I can just imagine that when he was writing those lyrics down, he was reflecting back on his life. What was sad to me was the very last paragraph about how Ardoin died. It’s sad to know that outsiders treat him, a famous musician, poorly and don’t even care about what they’re doing to him. In my opinion, this article was pretty interesting and I got the opportunity to learn about a musician I have never heard of before.
ReplyDeleteWhen I read through the article, one thing that I found interesting was how much King was so intrigued with Ardoin. One of the songs that they mentioned a lot throughout the article was “Mama, I’ll Be Long Gone” and like it says, his voice “starts to seem like a self-obliterating force.” I completely agree with that statement and I can see why King was so interested in Ardoin. From what I heard and also read in the article, Ardoin’s music was very unique. I liked in the article where he states, “It seems worth noting that I have no idea what Ardoin is talking about most of the time,” not only because I think that it’s a little funny, but also because it shows how good his music was since people loved it even if they didn’t know what it was about. Other than King, I think that Ardoin himself as well as his music impacted people. While he is gone, his legacy will be carried on by his music.
ReplyDeleteFrom the beginning of the article, I noticed the importance of Amede Ardoin to Christopher King’s life. King described his music as “emotionally unhinged,” or in other words music that it made him feel as if his emotions could not be controlled. Ardoin’s voice is described as one of a kind and extraordinary, where no one has ever sounded like that before. On the other hand, his songs were about a woman he had a relationship with, but something went wrong and she left him. This woman was his inspiration in writing music because his songs depicted the heartbreak he experienced after she left. King also described Ardoin’s music as intense, but pleasurable at the same time. In other words, it made him feel a certain type of pain, but it also gave realizations about himself or the world around him. At the end of the article, it was a sad death for Ardoin. The damage done to him that led to him not being able to sing is what made him have to be admitted into an asylum. Overall, Ardoin was said to be an amazing singer with a certain uniqueness that no other person has.
ReplyDeleteThe article on Amede Ardoin talks about King, an artist explains Amede Ardoin life and impact on music today. I thought that the similarities between Amede Ardoin’s music and music today was really interesting. For example, Ardoin’s repetition throughout his songs, but still followed the culture from his time, such as Catholic traditions (arranged marriages) and superstitions. I also found the way the author described Ardoin’s music as “aesthetic starvation” very intriguing and I did not really understand the author’s explanation. However, after reading Ardoin’s music description I think what they mean by “aesthetic starvation” is that Ardoin’s music has an empty and lonely tone to but it still a deep meaning behind the lyrics and instrumentals .
ReplyDeleteWhen I first started reading the article I wasn't sure what to expect, but I thought that the article was very interesting. King was so passionate about Ardoin and his story and legacy that he left behind. Much of his music was placed away in barns to be lost. Although, King came to save all the music. He found a love for the music because of how unique the music was. It was common for the time period where first generation immigrants were almost always lonely and played music as second nature. Additionally, the fine details of the 78s really make the music come to life, when it was pointed out in one of the song actually had humming in the background. Thinking about Ardoin and his legacy that he left behind, King was able to bring light to the darkness and show the power behind Adrdoin's music.
ReplyDeleteThere were quite a few very interesting things that caught my eye while I was reading this article. The first thing that interested me was Kings obsession with obtaining Amede Ardoin records. To this day King is the only person to issue a comprehensive collection of Ardoin’s music. King has studied And collected all of Ardoin’s 17 two sided 78-rpm records. King even produced, notated and re mastered all of the 78-rpm records. Another thing I found interesting was the reason King gave for his love of Ardoin’s music. King states “I just naturally, intensely, obsessively gravitate toward music that is emotionally unhinged”. I was also very intrigued at the fact that King believes Ardoin’s legacy shouldn’t have been able to exist. His reasoning behind that statement is that 78-rpm’s are extremely rare and that playable Cajun records from the 1920’s and 30’s are even more rare. I thought it was very cool and impressive that King was able to persistently negotiate with collectors in order to acquire the rare and decaying Ardoin records. Negotiating for hours on the phone, trying to persuade the collector to hand over such a rare item was no easy task which is why I am very impressed that King was able to pull it off 17 times.
ReplyDeleteJase
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the Amede Ardoin article, I found many interesting facts on Amede Ardoin
who I have never heard of before. Amede Ardoin’s music is packed with many emotions. Mostly
emotions about losing loved ones, or some break up, or in a depression of sadness state. From
this article, King says: “It was like being grabbed by the neck and then being smacked around,
and then being dragged through the forest,” he remembered. “But it was all seemingly
pleasurable.” After being asked to describe the feeling he felt after listening to Ardoin’s music. In
the beginning, Ardoin’s music is described to have a tingling sensation of emotions when being
listened to. Lastly, at the end of this article, Ardoin’s more memorable partner playing the fiddle,
was Dennis McGee. They both challenge each other in a strange way to play and perform better
and better. The two had known each other from a very young age as they both worked on the
same share-crop farmland. There was a deeper rooted connection between the two.
This article has a handful of interesting facts and descriptions. As a young man he would avoid field labor and instead play his accordion with other musicians at parties. The songs he played were dancing songs but his own songs have a different connecting factor. It is believed that they are all about the heartbreak and love received from one woman. His commitment and absolute obsession with this woman he couldn’t have shows a lot about his personality. Ardoin was from Louisiana, so he spoke a lot of French or most likely creole in his music. But one line that stood out was “j’ai dit je m’aurais jamais marié” which means I said I would never marry, which is because of her and the pain she caused. Also the way he sounds is like no other. His voice sounds almost a little crazy, and paired with the sharp twang of the accordion, his songs are definitely considered unique. I also appreciate it because of the French language, due to its sound it’s one of my favorites next to Spanish.
ReplyDeleteKing’s passion towards Amede Ardoin took forefront in the article. It was clear how much he admired Ardoin as an artist and as a person. Something that caught my eye was the article bringing up the inspiration for many if not all of Ardoin’s music was an unrequited love and marriage. It really brought to light how much music can be an outlet for one’s feelings that probably couldn’t be put into just words. This personal down to earth feelings that Ardoin’s music brings out is what King highlights is was drew him so much. An artist’s music creating a personal connection to the listener is important as it is what makes it all the more meaningful.
ReplyDeleteRight of the bat In the article we get an introduction to who King is, and he is the ultimate collector of Amede Ardoin’s songs. He is a very interesting character because of the fact that it’s currently the 2000s and he refused to except the modern technology. But, there’s one thing that King would never give up and that’s his passion for music especially Ardoin’s pieces. King states that, “I just naturally, intensely obsessively gravitate toward music that is emotionally unhinged.” Meaning he likes music that doesn’t have a care in the world and wishes to be taken on this emotional rollercoaster, and Ardoin does just that. I thought it was interesting how it just took one song in the late 1990s for king to listen to for him to decide to start collecting all of Ardoin’s songs. Not only is King a great collector but he’s also very skilled in listening to music which I thought was not possible. King could just listen to one of Ardoin’s songs for example “La Valse A Austin Ardoin” and he could hear the quite humming of Ardoin while the song was going on. Lastly, I would like to mention how different the industry was back then because it said everything was by ear. Ardoin got recommended by McGee and together they were unstoppable until Ardoin sadly past away. But, thanks to McGee and their pairing up with Columbia Records Ardoin lives on as a legend.
ReplyDeleteI was reminded of myself when I read King’s statement: “I just naturally, intensely, obsessively gravitate toward music that is emotionally unhinged.” Everything I read about Ardoin made me want to listen to his music. I looked him up on YouTube and the first result was “Les Blues de Voyage.” His voice is definitely not one I’ve heard before. Modern heavy metal bands probably would have welcomed him as a lead singer.
ReplyDeleteI was also interested in the cover King chose for Amede Ardoin’s album. He is pictured leaving a plantation with his accordion and the album is titled “I’m Never Coming Back.”
I like to collect vinyl and it bothered me when I read “Collectors of 78s . . . are gatekeepers by default, often the only men (and they are almost always men) with access to certain songs.” Although King has contributed much to the music industry and community, I don’t think men like him should have a monopoly on rare music. I don’t think music is something that should be hoarded, and instead should be available to everyone.
I liked that this article was extremely descriptive of both Christopher King’s passion and of his beliefs surrounding Armede Ardoin. From what is described, it seems that Ardoin’s voice was as unearthly and captivating as it was rare. The author repeatedly mentions how difficult it is to fully comprehend the impact of the Cajun singer’s music and verses. It’s clear to see why King is so fascinated with restoring Ardoin’s works and decoding his mysteries. I thought the paragraphs describing Amede Ardoin’s own background were especially interesting, as they reaffirmed the idea that art is a manifestation of where you come from. The article was a great read that helped me understand more about this prominent and unusual Cajun musician, as well as the process of restoring records.
ReplyDeleteI liked this article because it covered the whole story of Armede Ardoin. With most artists, media usually covers their worsts or what the public usually sees them as. In this case, I was able to learn about the background of his language and also his reason to sing. He once loved this girl who was gone and while this topic is relatable for a lot, he himself truly just wanted to express himself. Cajun music is very interesting and diverse in that it literally combines different tongues but also is a new genre. Especially for his listeners in Louisiana, I was surprised that his type of music was popular. It was definitely a very useful article to learn the ins and outs of Ardoin and his life that revolved around one girl which created emotional gems of music for us to listen to.
ReplyDeleteThis is a very interesting article, and it covers a lot about Amede Ardoin, who was a unique musician to say the least. His sound is just so different than any other musician. There is no filter or anything, and as a listener, we can hear all the imperfections and rawness in Ardoin’s voice, which comes together with the instruments in a kind of good and peculiar way. It’s definitely different than the typical music I’m used to.
ReplyDeleteI liked how this article goes right into Christopher King’s view of Ardoin. I would like to highlight the section where it talks about Ardoin’s past and background (like his past relationship for example). This seeps through into his music, which i think contributes to the raw and authentic sound Ardoin has.