70-page spiral-bound songbook with professionally scored vocal sheet music of all 12 songs with melody, chords, lyrics, translations, notes and sources, plus photostats of pages from the original notebook.
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about
My father recognized this song right away when I brought the notebook to him for help finding the melodies. He said it was one of Mémère’s favorites and recalled a cheerful, bouncy tune that seemed a strange juxtaposition to the macabre lyrics. Aunt Trudy insisted it was a true story, and indeed there was an infamous court case in 1920s rural Québec involving young Aurore Gagnon, who was tortured to death by her evil step-mother (la marâtre) The account elicited numerous books, films and apparently at least one folk-song. I kept the melody as remembered but slowed it down and set the harmonies in a minor key to match the grim plot.
There’s another strange story regarding the melody for this song. Having learned it directly from my family members I didn’t do much research on it initially. One day I was at a local venue listening to my dear friend and great songsmith Jeff Aumuller sing an old song that he introduced as the “first country record to sell a million copies” as sung by Vernon Dalhart in 1924. I immediately recognized the melody. Perplexed I ran home to do some checking and found that it had been translated into French and became a huge hit in Canada for Paul Brunelle as “La Chanson du Prisonnier.” However, the lyrics and story of the song bear no resemblance to Petite Aurore beyond the first phrase. Strange.
Then it got even stranger! Not long after that, I went to see one of my favorite Québécois bands, Le Vent du Nord. They had just finished recording a traditional ballad that Nicolas Boulerice had found lyrics for and, lacking a melody, invented a new tune to go with it. He told the audience the hilarious story of sharing the recording with his father, who informed him that the lyrics were from an old country song well-known to his generation. Imagine my surprise when they played a bit of the old song onstage, and sure enough it was this same tune again! I was consoled to learn that even master song-catchers like Nicolas find dead ends, and fill in the blanks with a little creativity.
50
lyrics
There was once in some part of the world A young girl who so loved the good Lord And despite all her suffering great
To the heavens she held her gaze
Her belle-mère, a wretched beldame Made the girl endure torment and harm Petite Aurore, petite martyr
She never had a true mother dear
Their house it would pass for home
It would seem happy all of the time
The belle-mère would pass for a grand-dame One would never suspect such a crime
She would torture the poor little girl
With a red hot iron, the fiend.
Petite Aurore, petite martyr
She never had a true mother dear
Not until the child was on her last breath
In great pain, nearly starving to death
The marâtre would be there, but to scold With some bread only dressed with lye soap “If you dare to refuse” said the beast
“I will kill you without another thought” Petite Aurore, petite martyr
She never had a true mother dear
After months of affliction and woe
Her true mother appeared to her one morn And she told that salvation anon
Would take her to the sky forevermore Gracious God knew that when she died She would search with the angels and find Petite Aurore, petite martyr
Would finally find her true mother dear
credits
from Mémère & Me,
released August 15, 2020
Robert Sylvain, vocals, guitar
Steve Muise - fiddle, foot percussion
Meg McIntyre - violin
Andrew Richter - cello
string arrangements by Steve Muise
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