"Lu Lu Boogie" - Nathan Abshire

By the mid-1950s, the country found itself absorbed in rock n roll and Cajun accordion players adapted to the new sound in various ways.  In early 1955, Nathan Abshire and his Rhythm Five recorded a jumping, jiving instrumental in which he called the "Lu Lu Boogie" (#647).  His "Five" at the time consisted of Nathan on accordion, possibly Dewey Balfa on fiddle, possibly Jake Miere on lead guitar, possibly Ernest Thibodeaux on rhythm guitar, and possibly Shelton Manuel on drums.  Believed to be named after Leleux's Dance-hall near Estherwood, the club was owned by locally-known fiddle luthier Lionel Leleux's grandfather, Ernest Leleux.   His dance-hall was located in the community of the family's namesake.  

Leleux's Dance-hall, 1938
Russell Lee Collection, LOC

When young Lionel Leleux began playing music in 1927, he teamed up with the young Nathan Abshire.  They rotated between playing at Leleux's Dance-hall and the Martinez Dance Hall in Morse.  Neither had transportation, so one week, Lionel walked the 12 miles to Morse; the following week, Nathan hiked it to the community of Leleux.2   According to a 1941 Louisiana brochure by the Work Projects Administration, "Leleux is little more than a post office, general store, and combination saloon and dance-hall, where fais-dodos, or Cajun “breakdown” dances, are held each Wednesday evening."1   
  

Ernest Leleux, 1938
Russell Lee Collection, LOC

Ernest's dance-hall featured the likes of Dennis McGee and Sady Courville in the earliest days and was the chosen location for U.S. Farm Security Administration's photographer Russell Lee.   In 1938, he took some of the most iconic photos of post-Depression life in the Cajun prairies, including dancers dancing to the popular string band: the Alley Boys of Abbeville.    His photos taken in Leleux's Dance-hall are located today in the Library of Congress. 

Another possible origin for the name could have bee Lulu's Dancehall, located southwest of Gueydan, not far from where Nathan lived.  Lastly, it could have been a reference to local man named Lester "Lu Lu" Faulk that lived in the southwest area of Vermilion Parish; an area which contains the road named Lu Lu Rd. 

1. Louisiana; a guide to the state, compiled by workers of the Writers' Program of the Work Projects Administration in the State of Louisiana ... sponsored by the Louisiana Library Commission at Baton Rouge.
2. The Daily Advertiser (Lafayette, Louisiana) 26 Jul 2009

Release Info:
Casa Blanca Waltz | Khoury's KH-647-A
Lu Lu Boogie | Khoury's KH-647-B

Find:
French Blues (Arhoolie, 1993)

"Boora Rhumba" - Nathan Abshire

It's the Cajun version of "La Cucaracha" with the famous Dewey Balfa on vocals singing this Tex-Mex standard.   Although the term 'rhumba' began to be used by American record companies to label all kinds of Latin music between 1913 and 1915, the history of rhumba as a specific form of ballroom music can be traced back to May 1930, when Don Azpiazú and his Havana Casino Orchestra recorded their song "El manisero" (The Peanut Vendor) in New York.  The film "Rumba", released in 1935, brought the style to the attention of the general public.

Between 1954 and 1957, southern bands were getting introduced to sounds of Cuba,  creating a short lived "country mambo" sub-genre.  With artists such as Tex Williams, Hanks Snow and Bob Wills, they recorded tunes such as "They Were Doin' The Mambo ", "That Crazy Mambo Thing ", and "Too Much Mambo".2   

La cucaracha, la cucaracha, 'gardez-donc les cheveux de cet animal là. 

J'aurais jamais cru, j'aurais jamais vu que sa maman l'avait jamais peigné.

La cucaracha, la cucaracha, 'gardez-donc la gueule à cet animal là. 

J'aurais jamais cru, j'aurais jamais vu que sa maman l'avait jamais lavé.

1950
Altas Fruge, J.B. Fuselier, Nathan Abshire,
Jim Baker, Preston Manuel

By the beginning of 1956, the rhumba was all the rage around Nashville.  Several artist wrote songs about the tango, including Jimmie Rodgers' and Hank Snow's "The Rhumba Boogie" and Ernest Tubb & Red Foley's "Too Old To Tango".3   In July of 1957, Nathan's "Boora Rhumba" (#649) hit the market, attempting to jump into the rhumba craze that swept through country music.  It didn't last long and neither did the interest in this song, making this one of the most obscure recordings by Abshire.   

Abshire's band at the time consisted of Dewey Balfa on vocals and fiddle and Jake Mier or Darius Leblanc on steel guitar, Junior Benoit on guitar, and  Thomas Langley on percussion. The "animal" referred to here as "la cucaracha" by Balfa could be a euphemism for an unkempt woman.     

La cucaracha, la cucaracha, look at the hair of this animal over there,

I can't believe that I've ever seen that her mom ever combed it.

La cucaracha, la cucaracha, look at the mouth of this animal over there,

I can't believe that I've ever seen that her mom ever washed it.

Why a would the term 'rhumba' have anything to do with this traditional Spanish-Mexican folk ballad?    It was clear the band wasn't versed in the culture to know the difference.  It probably didn't matter to Khoury either who was only interested in selling records, waiting to capitalize on this short lived market.  It was pressed very late in his Cajun discography and done in such a rush, the labels on each side of #649 are reversed.  He even used a different label color, most likely signifying he used a different pressing plant.

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhumba
2. http://blog.wfmu.org/freeform/2008/04/hillbilly-mambo.html
3. http://blog.wfmu.org/freeform/2008/05/country-tangos.html
4. Lyrics by Stephane F

Release Info:
K-649-A Boora Rhumba | Khoury's 649-A  (label reversed on 78)
K-649-B Carolina Blues | Khoury's 649-B (label reversed on 78)

Find:
Cajun Honky Tonk: The Khoury Recordings Vol. 2 (Arhoolie, 2013)
Bayou Two-Step - Cajun Hits From Louisiana 1929-1962 (Jasmine, 2015)

"Carolina Blues" - Nathan Abshire

Throughout the early 20s and 30s, standard blues chord progressions and melodies influenced many musicians in New Orleans, Chattanooga, Chicago, and Dallas.   Cajun musicians picked up on these popular tunes and created some of their own based around these familiar chords.  Nathan Abshire, who was already familiar with the blues, had already recorded his signature "Pine Grove Blues" and his "French Blues" earlier in the 1940s.


By the later 50s, Nathan's recording career was winding down and both he and Dewey Balfa used this opportunity to rework a very familiar blues set into his "Carolina Blues" (#649). Listed in either 1955 or possibly early 1956 in Lake Charles, Louisiana, his tune can be found in a number of pre-war era songs such as "Tipple Blues" by the Allen Brothers and Kentucky String Ticklers, the "Ginseng Blues" by the Kentucky Ramblers, "The Georgia Black Bottom" by the Georgia Crackers, "Chevrolet Car" by Sam McGee, and "Honky Tonk Blues" by Jimmie Davis.   However, according to author Kevin Coffey, Nathan used the melody of the Shelton Brother's "Deep Elem Blues".  He states:

It's pretty much "Deep Elem Blues" melodically, the same melody that Happy Fats cut as "Se Mallereaux" in the '30s, and I'm sure other Cajuns did similar things back then with same melody.

Quand j’ai quitté ta maison là bas dans la caroline,

Pour venir à la Louisiane, mais, pour rejoindre mon cher bébé,

On m'avait dit, m'avait dit qu'elle m’aimait, 

Aujourd'hui, elle est après me quitter, bébé, 

Ça, ça me fait trop du mal.

Mon 'tit bébé m'a quitté pour s'en aller avec un autre, 

S'en aller avec un autre, c’était là bas àyoù il fallait pas 

Où moi j'vas aller, chère 'tite fille, fais pas ça z'avec moi, 

Viens me rejoindre à la maison, 

J'suis moi tout seul après pleurer.

Dewey Balfa
Courtesy of Masters of Traditional Arts

In fact, Nathan may have borrowed the tune from Happy Fats' recording of "Se Mallereaux", since both Nathan and Happy had started their careers together back in the 1930s and lyrically the songs are awfully similar.  The song features Dewey Balfa on vocals and fiddle, Nathan Abshire on accordion, possibly Jake Mire on steel and possibly Shelton Manuel or Thomas Langley on drums.   The song would later be re-titled as "Bouret Blues".  Dewey's rendition spoke of leaving the Carolinas to meet his lover, only to find out she had already left him. 

Crowley Daily Signal
May 3, 1969

When I left your house there in the Carolina,

To come to Louisiana, well, to meet my dear baby,

I had been told, told that she loved me,

Today, she is leaving me, baby,

That, that hurts me too much.

My little baby left me to go away with another,

To go away with another, it's over there, where you mustn't go,

Where I'm going to go, dear little girl, don't do that to me,

Come meet me at home,

I'm all alone crying.

Some sources place it on July 1957, however, given Khoury's lack of documentation, it's quite possible it was released anywhere around this period.   This pressing came out both in 78 and 45, making it one of the few Nathan Abshire recordings on both mediums.  Strangely enough, Khoury had the songs on each side of #649 reversed, with incorrect labels for the songs.  He even used a different label color and probably a different pressing plant.  

1. http://www.mastersoftraditionalarts.org/
2. Lyrics by Stephane F

Release Info:
K-649-A Boora Rhumba 649-A Khoury's (label reversed on 78)
K-649-B Carolina Blues 649-B Khoury's (label reversed on 78)

Find:
Nathan Abshire & the Pine Grove Boys - French Blues (Arhoolie, 1993)

"Shamrock Waltz" - Nathan Abshire

Nathan Abshire was a musician that helped ressurect the Cajun accordion after WWII.  He recorded for George Khoury in Lake Charles for years between 1949 and 1957.  Eventually, Khoury—who was also now recording rhythm and blues and country music—shifted Abshire to the Lyric and then the Khoury imprint. Abshire recorded for Khoury until 1956, cutting several classics including “La Valse de Holly Beach,” “Musical Five Special” “Lu Lu Boogie” and “Shamrock Waltz.” Abshire didn’t record in the late 1950s, but he and Pine Grove Boys stayed busy, working for several years at the infamous Shamrock Club in Lake Charles. His melody, previously recorded by Lionel Cormier as the Welcome Club Waltz, was an ode to this popular dancehall.

Tu m'a quitté, pour t'en aller,

T'en aller au Shamrock,

Tu connais ça t'as fais,

Avec moi il y a pas longtemps.

Ils rappelle, tout ça t'as fais,

Ça fais moi (z)avant d'partir,

Tu connais j'ai pris ça dur,

Pas connais, tu vas te voir.

Milton Vanicor recalls that, while he was playing with Iry Lejeune, many times Nathan Abshire and Dewey, after playing at Jones Bar north of Lake Charles, would come to the Shamrock Club in north Lake Charles and play until 1:00 a.m. The two groups would join in a jam session everyone enjoyed.3 Around 1965, Jo-El Sonnier moved to Lake Charles from his Acadia Parish home and played with Robert Bertrand and the Louisiana Ramblers at the Shamrock.  The place featured other Cajun musicians such as Phil Menard and Bobby Leger.4  They played the Shamrock Club, the hot-spot at the time, as well as other local clubs.”2  Bands that were featured at the Shamrock advertised via radio many times from the dancehall's stage with a live performance.4  One local remembered it most out of all the other clubs:

I believe the Shamrock was the very largest. The walls breathed in and out on Friday and Saturday nights at that place.

Shamrock Club
Larry Miller, Cleveland "Cat" Deshotel,
Nathan Abshire, Thomas Langley,
Jr. Benoit
Photo from the Johnnie Allan Collection
Center for Louisiana Studies
University of Louisiana at Lafayette

Celebrating his success at the club, Nathan recorded one of his last songs for Khoury in Lake Charles in 1956 known as the "Shamrock Waltz" (#652).  It's possible the vocalist is drummer Thomas Langley, but it's unclear.  He had Junior Benoit on guitar, possibly Cleveland Deshotel on either fiddle or bass, and either Darius LeBlanc or Jake Miere on steel guitar.

You have left, you went away,

You went away to the Shamrock,

You know what you've done,

With me, over there, not long ago.

They remember, all that you've done,

That was done to me, before leaving,

You know I took it hard,

Don't you know, you're going to see.

By the mid-1950s, many Cajuns had relocated from Southwestern Louisiana to points as remote as New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Morgan City, Houston, Beaumont and even California in search of employment. They enjoyed their newly found wealth, but they still loved their food, culture and music. As a result Abshire and the Pine Grove Boys started traveling to dances far from home.  Eventually Khoury began recording rhythm and blues and country music, however, kept his music store open for business.  As far as the building, patrons had fond memories of the place:

Parking was tight. The club was a long narrow building parallel to the highway. On the other side was a chain link fence about 3 or 4 feet from the building. On the other side of the fence was a grave yard. People would say "When I die I won't have far to go".5

In 1968, Nathan used the title "Shamrock" for a fast accordion-driven instrumental, similar in feel to the better known "Zydeco Sont Pas Sale". 

1. http://www.offbeat.com/articles/masters-of-louisiana-music-nathan-abshire/
2. http://louisianadancehalls.com/dance_hall/shamrock-club/
3. Louisiana Fiddlers by Ron Yule
4. Cajun Dancehall Heyday by Ron Yule
5. Discussions with Jerry M

Find:

Nathan Abshire & the Pine Grove Boys - French Blues (Arhoolie, 1993)

"Texas Waltz" - Nathan Abshire

In 1954, with new vigor, Nathan Abshire refreshed his band's lineup and waxed several more tunes for George Khoury in Lake Charles.  "Texas Waltz" (#645) on Khoury's label was a later recording, re-working the melody of his earlier "Kaplan Waltz".   However, it never really took off.  The melody comes from the Angelus Lejeune's 1929 recording of "La Valse de Pointe Noire",  Dudley and James Fawvor as "La Valse De Creole" in 1928 and Amede Ardoin's "Valse De Ballard".   

Hé tu m'as quitté pour t'en aller dans grand Texas,

Chère 'tit monde, ne fais pas ça,

Moi je connais te vas voir ton erreur.

Hé, chère 'tite fille tu vas r'venir dans la Louisiane,

Ça sera trop tard, mais, peut me te voir,

D’écouter les conseils de tous les autres.

Ambrose Thibodeaux, Merlon Fontenot,
Nathan Abshire
First Festival Acadians, 1974
by Turner Browne
American Folklife Center Collection

Inspired by Harry Choates' "Jole Blon", Nathan used the same lyrical theme, even later covering the tune as "The New Jole Blon".  His new members are difficult to determine, but from what has been listed, it seems to be possibly Jake Mire on steel guitar, possibly Ernest Thibodeaux on rhythm guitar, possibly Jim Baker on bass guitar, possibly Shelton Manuel on drums, and either Dewey Balfa or Cleveland "Cat" Deshotel on fiddle.

Hey, you left me, went away to big Texas,

Dear little everything, do not do that,

I know you'll see your mistake. 

Hey, dear little girl, you'll return to Louisiana,

It will be too late, well, to see you,

Listen to the advice of all of us.

A similar attempt using the Kaplan melody would be done by Abe Manuel and Jelly Elliot known as "Ville Platte Waltz". 

1. Lyrics by Jerry M and Stephane F

Find:
Nathan Abshire & the Pine Grove Boys - French Blues (Arhoolie, 1993)

"Mama Rosin" - Yvonne LeBlanc & Nathan Abshire

By the late 1950s, Nathan Abshire's band was slowing down.  Cajun music was struggling to keep up with the last 10 years of a resurgence.  Even Khoury's recordings were changing direction towards rock n roll and country music.  The group looked towards other genres that were gaining popularity at the time.  Recorded for George Khoury's label around 1956, it would be one of his last releases of Cajun music, using a new label design.  With Nathan on accordion, Dewey Balfa on fiddle, Jake Miere on steel guitar and Shelton Manuel on drums, together they would record "Mama Rosin" (#652).

Rhumba music became popular amount country musicians for a short period of time during the 1950s and Nathan's band seemed to jump in on the action.  With songs like this and "Boora Rhumba", you can hear the influence.   

Oh, Mama Rosin, oh, Mama Rosin,

'Gardez-donc, c’est de la rumba pour toi.

Oh, Mama Rosin, oh, Mama Rosin,

Maurice Chevalier

Quand-même les autres vient

Ça va pas faire pour moi

Quand j'ai pris, mais, te à la "bango"*, 

J’ai tombé en amour pour le tango,

Asteur c’est plus belle d’un tango

Même comme j’ai jamais même dansons.

Oh, Mama Rosin, oh, Mama Rosin,

Ça c’est dur, c’est de la rumba pour toi.

Yvonne Leblanc

"Mama Rosin" is very similar to a classic Cuban song from the 30's "Mama Inez" (or "Ay Mama Inez"), written by composer Eliseo Grenet. It was covered by, among others, Xavier Cugat, Charlie Parker and the French singer Maurice Chevalier.   In fact, it would be Chevalier's lyrics that come closest to the version Yvonne used. 

Yvonne's phrasing of the line referring to "the bango" is quite confusing and difficult to discern.   According to Ray Abshire, Yvonne LeBlanc was a major fan of the band and brother of Nathan's steel guitar player, Darius Leblanc.  She was at the Avalon most weekends and had a table close to the front with her friends.  Nathan called her "Petite Yvonne".  She was only 4 foot 6 at the most.  She loved to dance and was on the dance floor for most of the night.1,2 Sometimes, Nathan would let her sing a song with the band.  

Oh Mama Rosin, oh, Mama Rosin,

Look at that, it's the Rhumba for you,

Oh Mama Rosin, oh, Mama Rosin,

When the other ones come,

That won't do it for me.

When I took you to do the "bango"*,

I fell in love with the tango,

Right now it's the most beautiful tango,

Even though I never even dance.

Oh Mama Rosin, oh, Mama Rosin,

That's the hardest part, to do the Rhumba for you.

She was on her way to the Avalon with her parents and brother when they were involved in a fatal wreck with a slow moving rice truck.  Only Yvonne survived.2   As far as Khoury himself, his Cajun listings began to decline at this point, with only a few issues remaining, venturing out into the 45 RPM market.  

1. Discussions with Ray Abshire
2. Louisiana Music, Vol 1 by Lyle Ferb
3. Lyrics by Jordy A, Stéphanie D, and Marc C

Find:

French Blues (Arhoolie, 1993)
Bayou Two-Step - Cajun Hits From Louisiana 1929-1962 (Jasmine, 2015)