[Dixielandjazz] "A moi[r] de payer" (was Support live jazz)

[Gary Kiser]

Bonjour,

I'm no expert here, but I'll throw in a couple of pensées...

I think this is all kind of silly. A lot of what Bechet recorded/wrote 
was whimsical. That is, he 'wrote' a lot of tunes that were simple riff 
ideas on a blues. As quickly as he came up with the melody, he also came 
up with the title. À Moi De Payer means word for word, For Me To Pay. 
But, I think there is an error there. I will verify with a real Frenchy, 
but I think it is best said, Pour Moi À Payer.

In any case, in a list of Bechet compositions/recordings provided by the 
Sidney Bechet Society (not necessarily an authority), they have "À Moi 
De Payer" subtitled as "Pay Off." -- 
http://www.themeister.co.uk/dixie/sidney_bechet.htm

But, who should care? His tune "Si Tu Vois Ma Mère" is subtitled 
"Lonesome" which isn't at all a direct translation. Jobim's "Chega De 
Saudade" doesn't translate at all to "No More Blues," but it is still a 
great tune. Sometimes, translations were done by publishers to push 
sales without any input from the composer.

The tune "My Way" popularized by Frank Sinatra was originally "Comme 
d'Habitude" composed Claude François, Jacques Revaux, and Gilles 
Thibault. Paul Anka's English lyrics have nothing to do with the 
original. And, go verify translations on Michel Legrand's compositions. 
Have fun.

There are musical ideas that Bechet registered twice with different 
names : "Pattes De Mouche" & "Mouche à Miel" and "Pleasure Mad" & "Viper 
Mad."

Rumor has it that he named the tune "Petite Fleur" after a rather 
successful bowel movement.

When you get down to it, dissecting translations is like comparing tubas 
with string basses and banjos with ... wait a minute, that is a 
different thread.

I agree with Bill, j'ai besoin une bière.

All the best, Gary


On 03/10/2011 04:14, Bill Haesler wrote:
> Jack Mitchell wrote [in part]:
>> Not relying on my memory, I did go back to the source - my record collection.
>> A MOI DE PAYER by the Ray Price Quartet was first issued on CBS Coronet KS-524 as just that - no subtitle. On a later pressing the subtitle (The Pay-off) was added, probably after it was issued in America as THE PAY-OFF on Epic 3539, as I stated in an earlier post. I've got both pressings in my collection.
> Dear Jack,
> This is getting sillier.
> I did go to the source - my record collection, before writing that last piece, and found the 7" single as mentioned by Dick Hughes in his book.
> It was as described.
> However, just now, after receiving your 'dig' at me, I went back to my Ray Price 45s to double check.
> Yet, I was right.
> I then checked the rest of them and (guess what) I also have the 45 without the "THE PAY-OFF" subtitle.
> It looks like Dick forgot about the original release.
> Who's going to tell him?
> You or me?
> 8>)
> Oh dear, I need a beer.
> Kind regards.
> Bill


Gary Kiser
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