"Louisiana Boogie (Honky Tonk Boogie)" - Harry Choates

Raised in a Cajun household at a time when many young Cajuns didn’t learn English until they reached adulthood, those who knew Harry Choates have often stated that he spoke very little French, if any at all. When it came to singing it convincingly, however, he was a natural, and in the wake of “Jole Blon’s” success, most of the music he recorded was in the French style. For this reason, Choates is remembered primarily as a Cajun musician, when in fact, the music that he featured on dance jobs was almost exclusively western swing.1 

Choates’ blending of styles reached its apex with “Louisiana Boogie” shortly after 16-year-old steel guitarist Carrol Broussard began playing with him. Broussard remembers the song being born on the bandstand at the Rendezvous Club in Lake Charles.  A Cajun rice farmer approached the bandstand and requested a boogie-woogie selection.  Harry at first ignored the request.6

A guy came up and he was talking French and I know how to talk French. Harry very seldom spoke French—believe it or not, I never talked in French to Harry. This guy wanted to know if we could play a French boogie. And Harry says ‘Well, I don’t know any words to that.’ So I told Harry, well look, just make some up as you go along. So he come up and started with the song, so we recorded that.1

The band traveled to Houston to record in mid 1949 and recorded "Louisiana Boogie" (#1380) at Bill Quinn's studio.  What started as a chance suggestion turned out to be one of Harry Choates' finest fiddle performances.6 

Te m'as quitte, pour t'en aller,

T'en aller, mais chere, si loin,

Ses pour faire le boogie-woogie,

(faire le boogie-woogie),

Apres faire le boogie-woogie,

(faire le boogie-woogie),

Apres faire le boogie-woogie,

J'connais par rapport à longtemps.

Honky tonk ici, honky tonk là-bas,

Honky tonk, tu honky tonk, tu honky tonk tout le temps,

Apres faire le boogie-woogie,

(Faire le boogie-woogie),

Apres faire le boogie-woogie,

(Faire le boogie-woogie),

Apres faire le boogie-woogie,

J'connais par rapport à longtemps.

Une jambe ici, une jambe là-bas,

Chere petite, tu fais ca tout t'en,

Apres faire le boogie-woogie,

(Faire le boogie-woogie),

Apres faire le boogie-woogie,

(Faire le boogie-woogie),

Apres faire le boogie-woogie,

J'connais par rapport à longtemps.

Honky tonk ici, honky tonk là-bas,

Honky tonk, tu honky tonk, tu honky tonk tout le temps,

Apres faire le boogie-woogie,

(Faire le boogie-woogie),

Apres faire le boogie-woogie,

(Faire le boogie-woogie),

Apres faire le boogie-woogie,

J'connais par rapport à longtemps.

Milton "Pee Wee" Calhoun

Not to be confused with Harry's 1950 recording of "Louisiana Boogie" for Macy's, Harry recycled his old theme of his lover leaving him, but this time, he inserted lyrics having to do with dancing the boogie-woogie.  With Carrol on steel, Harry rounded off the group with Bill Boyd on guitar, B.D. Williams on bass, Milton "Pee Wee" Calhoun on piano accordion and Harold Broussard on piano.   Lake Charles native Pee Wee Calhoun was a staple among east Texas musicians.  He had worked closely with Moon Mullican and Clyde Brewer the year before Choates' recording.  In later years, he would work with the Brazos Valley Boys, Arkansas fiddler Bill Kirkpatrick, and one of earliest studio bands for Patsy Cline led by Leon McAuliffe. 2,3,4,5

You have left me, for you have gone away,

You've gone, well dear, so far,

Let's do the boogie-woogie,

(Do the boogie-woogie),

You're doing the boogie-woogie,

(Do the boogie-woogie),

You're doing the boogie-woogie,

I know it's been a long time.

Honky tonk here, honky tonk there,

Honky tonk, you honky tonk, you honky tonk all the time,

You're doing the boogie-woogie,

(Do the boogie-woogie),

You're doing the boogie-woogie,

(Do the boogie-woogie),

You're doing the boogie-woogie,

I know it's been a long time.

One leg here, one leg there,

Dear little one, that's all you have to do,

You're doing the boogie-woogie,

(Do the boogie-woogie),

You're doing the boogie-woogie,

(Do the boogie-woogie),

You're doing the boogie-woogie,

I know it's been a long time.

Honky tonk here, honky tonk there,

Honky tonk, you honky tonk, you honky tonk all the time,

You're doing the boogie-woogie,

(Do the boogie-woogie),

You're doing the boogie-woogie,

(Do the boogie-woogie),

You're doing the boogie-woogie,

I know it's been a long time.

Once Pappy Daily bought the rights to "Louisiana Boogie" in 1959, he re-titled the song "Honky Tonk Boogie" (#224) for his Starday label. 

1. http://www.offbeat.com/articles/harry-choates/
2. Billboard Magazine. Jul 20, 1959
3. Billboard Magazine. Apr 9, 1949
4. Louisiana Fiddlers By Ron Yule, Bill Burge
5. Patsy Cline: The Making of an Icon By Douglas Gomery
6. Poor Hobo: The Tragic Life of Harry Choates, a Cajun Legend by Tim Knight
7. Lyrics by Jordy A

Release Info:
1380A Louisiana Boogie | Goldstar 1380-A
1380B Sidewalk Waltz | Goldstar 1380-B

ST-2318 Louisiana Boogie | Starday 224
ST-2296 Port Arthur Waltz | Starday 224

Find:
Devil In The Bayou - The Gold Star Recordings (Bear Family, 2002)