"Soldiers Waltz" - Charlie Broussard

Houston provided some of the earliest independent recording producers in the south after WWII, including country western guitarist Bennie Hess.  In addition to Hess' own band, he ventured out and added several Cajun artists to his fledgling Opera label.   He would be instrumental in forging the music career of Iry Lejeune by inviting him to a recording session in 1948.  He would later press several tunes for his Cajun fiddler, Floyd Leblanc.  Charles Broussard, who at the time was playing with Eddie Shuler's Reveliers around 1945, seemed like a good fit for the label.

Quand j'étais à la guerre,

Pour me battre pour mon pays,

Tu m'as promis de m'espérer,

Jusqu'au jour d'aujourd'hui,

Mais asteure j'ai revenir,

J'ai des larmes dans mes yeux,

Et toi, avec un autre,

Qui casse mon coeur en deux.

Quand j'étais sur la bataille,

Pourrais t’avoir pour ma vie,

Te regardant, ouais, 

Z-à toi, chère petite fille,

Mais, asteur, je suis revenu,

Ma vie est gaspillée,

Et toi, avec un autre, chérie,

Qui casse mon cœur en deux.

Charles Broussard

Following World War II, Charles’ sons, Carrol and C. J., were learning the steel guitar and drums, and the youngest, Arnold, played piano, so Charles formed the Sulphur Playboys. The band was adept at many styles and played a mixture of Cajun, country, and hoedown music for dancers and listeners around southwest Louisiana and southeast Texas.1  "Soldier's Waltz" (#109), like "War Widow Waltz", became one of the few Cajun tunes which spoke of the hardships of World War II.   Broussard (spelled as "Brussard") borrowed a popular melody that eventually became popularly known as Doc Guidry's "Le Valse de Te Maurice".  He was backed by Billy Christian on guitar, Carrol Broussard on steel guitar, and C. J. Broussard on drums.

When I was at war,

To fight for my country,

You made me a hopeful promise,

Until the day of today,

Well, right now, I've come back,

I have tears in my eyes,

And you, with another, dear,

That breaks my heart in two. 

When I was in battle,

(Thinking I) could have you forever,

To look at you, yeah,

At you, dear little girl,

Well, right now, I've come back,

My life is wasted,

And you, with another, dearie,

That breaks my heart in two.

Baytown Sun
Jun 30, 1950

Charles played with Eddie Shuler and his All Star Reveliers and Cliff Bruner and the Wanderers in the 1950s. He eventually played on television at KPLC and KTAG, as well as on KIKS radio for the Sulphur Hour radio show. Around 1951 Charles showed his versatility by playing hoedowns for a local square dance club.1

Carrol Broussard, Billy Christian,
Charles Broussard, C. J. Broussard,
Homer Goodrich, Jack Granger
1947
Courtesy of Cajun Dancehall Heyday1

1. Cajun Dancehall Heyday by Ron Yule
2. Lyrics by Stephane F and Jordy A

Release Info:

638 Soldiers Waltz | Opera 109-A

639 Sulphur Breakdown | Opera 109-B

"Sulphur Breakdown" - Charlie Broussard

Charles Broussard was born into the Nicholas Broussard family of fiddlers who played in the mid-1800s around the town of Creole, Louisiana. He learned to play on a homemade fiddle in his youth, eventually playing house parties and house dances as well as dancehalls with his brothers, Albert and Theo Young.1

By the late 1940s, Charles Broussard started playing a more western swing and country style of music and formed the Sulphur Playboys, recording "Soldier’s  Waltz" and "Sulphur Breakdown" with French lyrics on the Houston-based Opera label. His son, Carrol learned the steel guitar and played and recorded with Harry Choates, Jimmy C. Newman, Abe Manuel, Robert Bertrand, and Rufus Thibodeaux.1

Baytown Sun
June 30, 1951

C'est les filles de la campagne,

J'connais qu'est si mechante,

C'est les blondes du village,

Qui depensent tout mon argent.

Travailler tout la s'maine,

Pour Faire l'argent pour samedi au soir,

Dimanche matin je serai malade,

Y a personne oui qui veut d'moi.

C'est la fille a Nonc Edouard,

Qui mangeait du Gumbo Toloche,

C'est les filles a tee Tante Rosa,

Qui veut rester au bal chez Joe.

Cinquante sous dans ma poche,

Et la bouteille dans ma main,

Ma tit fille m'a dit hier encore,

Voudra s'marier, la s'maine qui vient.

Charles Broussard

In 1947, Bennie Hess, bandleader of the Oklahoma Tornadoes got together with Bill Quinn of Gold Star records in Houston and created their own label called Opera records.   It was originally created to push Hess' own band material.  But that year, he decided to dabble in recording some Cajun artists.   Charlie, having worked with Hess's fiddle player Floyd, was an obvious choice to have round out his Cajun pressings.  His song "Sulphur Breakdown" (#109) was an ode to the small town of Sulpher, Louisiana, not far from where he grew up.   He was backed by Billy Christian on guitar, Carrol Broussard on steel guitar, and C. J. Broussard on drums.

It's the girls of the countryside,

I know which are so michievous,

It's the blondes of the village, 

Who spend all of my money.

Working always,

To make money for Saturday night,

Sunday morning, I will be depressed,

There is no one who wants me.

It's the daughter of Uncle Edouard,

Who ate the gumbo,

It's the girls of Tee Aunt Rosa,

Who want to stay at Joe's place.

Fifty cents in my pocket,

And a bottle in my hand,

My little girl told me again yesterday,

Would like to get married, the hand which I'd take. 

Carrol Broussard, Billy Christian,
Charles Broussard, C. J. Broussard,
Homer Goodrich, Jack Granger
1947
Courtesy of Cajun Dancehall Heyday1

1. Cajun Dancehall Heyday by Ron Yule