"Evangeline Waltz" - Lawrence Walker

During the 1940s, the talented first cousins, Cleveland Leger and Lawrence Walker, rivaled each other at the bandstands. Patrons began to argue about which one was the best "accordion hand" in southwest Louisiana.  The rivalry between the closely kin musicians was finally settled in 1948 at Club La Lune near Bosco.  The stage was set. Tickets were printed with space for balloting for the best player.  Over 4,000 people crowded into witness for themselves who was the best accordion player. And Walker won, three to one.

To mention only a few places, Walker played for 17 years at the old O.S.T. dance-hall located at the outskirts of Rayne.  And he played for two and a half years at Landry's Palladium near Lafayette. He got the job by filling up a nearly bankrupt club the first night and kept it that way every Sunday night of his booking.  By 1951, George Khoury, record producer in Lake Charles, had Walker record "Evangeline Waltz" (#615). 

J'sus assis dans la port de ma maison, après pleurer,

J'sus après pleurer pour tu t'en reviens à rejoindre ton nègre,

Oui, chère 'tit monde, quand t'as quitter d'la maison,

Tu m'as dit tu pouvais, mais, p'us m'aimer,

Oh, yé yaille, mon cœur me fais mal.  

J'ai p'us personne à la maison, mais, pour m'aimer.

Oui, chère 'tit monde, si tu voudrais t'en revenir,

J'te pardonnerais pour tout ça que tu m'as fait,

C'est d'voir, aujourd'hui, j'ai p'us personne pour m'aimer

J'sus moi, tout seul, après mourir dedans l'chagrin.

Oh, bébé, mon chère 'tit bébé,

J'ai p'us personne à la maison, mais, pour m'aimer.

J'sus assis dans la porte de ma maison, après jongler,

J'sus après jongler si jamais tu va revenir,

Oui, chère 'tit monde, quand t'as quitter d'la maison,

Tu m'as dit tu pouvais, mais, p'us m'aimer.

 According to musician Chas Justus:

One of the great things the Cajuns did is the blues waltz.  "The Evangeline Waltz", that Lawrence Walker stuff, those are just blues to a waltz and I never heard that so much in other kinds of music. 

"Evangeline Waltz", that goes to that four chord, it's like the flat seven and the four chord, so it's got the blues in it. It's really bluesy.2 

Khoury lined up Walker's group containing Uray Jules "U.J." Meaux on fiddle, Demus Comeaux on guitar, Valmont "Junior" Benoit on steel guitar, and Lawrence Trahan on drums.  Musicians used their opportunity to boast, even exaggerate their careers. According to Walker, he made over 120 records.  "Evangeline Waltz" was his biggest seller.  "They are still asking for that record."1  

Daily Advertiser
Nov 4, 1949

When Chris Strachwitz of Arhoolie records was slated to re-press some of Khoury's materials in 1969, George quickly responded:

Make this at once--will pay you for your trouble. Don't let no one have Evangeline Waltz!3  

I'm sitting in the door of my house, crying,

I'm crying for you to come back to your man,

Yes, my dear little everything, when you left the house,

You told me you couldn't, well, love me anymore,

Oh, yé yaille, my heart feels bad,

I have no one at home, well, to love me. 

Yes, my dear little everything, if you want to come back,

I would forgive you for all that you've done to me,

See, today, I have nobody to love me,

I'm by myself, all alone, dying in sorrow,

Oh baby, my dear little baby,

I have no one at home, well, to love me.

I'm sitting in the door of my house, reminiscing.

I'm reminiscing if you will ever come back,

Yes, my little everything, when you left the house,

You told me you couldn't, well, ever love me.

1. Interview by Mona Mel Mouton.  Rayne Acadian Tribune.  Jan 18, 1968.
2. Negotiating Difference in French Louisiana Music: Categories, Stereotypes ... By Sara Le Menestrel
3. Cajun Honky Tonk: The Khoury Recordings, Vol. 2.  Liner notes.

Release Info:
Evangeline Waltz | Khoury's KH 615-A
Johnny Can't Dance | Khoury's KH 615-B

Find:
Cajun Honky Tonk: The Khoury Recordings, Volume 1 (Arhoolie, 1995)
A Tribute to the Late, Great Lawrence Walker (La Louisianne, 1995, 2000)

Essential Collection of Lawrence Walker (Swallow, 2010)