"Country Waltz" - Lawrence Walker

By the 1950s, it had been 15 years since Lawrence Walker had stepped into a recording studio.  No longer where the major recording labels, such as RCA and ARC, interested in his music.  It was during this time he got wind of an independent recording producer in Lake Charles who had made a name for himself recording the Cajun accordion music of Nathan Abshire.  It would be his first recording session since the 1930s and afterwards, his legacy would never be forgotten. 

Lawrence's path mimic'd the same one that Nathan had gone down.  Both were picked up briefly by RCA in the 1930s and both were dropped once the accordion was no longer in favor.  Since Lawrence was no longer playing with his brother as a duo, he formed a new group with Mitch David on fiddle, Valmont "Junior" Benoit on steel guitar and Simon Schexneider on drums.  Even Houston Fruge played with the band.  Together, they recorded the "Country Waltz" (#601), the tale of two estranged lovers, Adam "Tit 'Dom" Hanks and Alice Royer. 

Oh, Alice, vas-donc mettre ta 'tite robe de grandes barrées,

'Garde-donc quoi-ce-qui vient à travers du clos sur Grand Henri,

Tu m'as promis d'espérer et 'garde-donc voir quoi t’après faire aujourd'hui,

Petite, tu demandes une chance avant de mourir.

Oh, Alice, blâmes-donc pas les paroles dis, viens-moi Alice, tite monde,

Petite, tu connais surement la cause de tout ça,

Tu connais je prends ça dur mais de devoir t'en aller aussi loin de toi,

Oui, chère Alice, donnes-moi une chance avant de mourir.

Lawrence Walker

The well-known story of Alice, Adam, and his horse Henri was popular among those around Acadia Parish.  The story was first recorded by Pointe Noir native Angelas Lejeune in his locally popular tune "La Valse A Tidom Hanks".  Over time, the story made it's way into Lawrence Walker's repertoire and he used it to accompany his "Country Waltz".  Johnnie Allan, steel guitarist in Lawrence's later years, recalls the places where he and Lawrence used to play in the country:

We performed at clubs like the OST in Rayne, the Welcome Club in Crowley, the Jolly Rogers in Forked Island, the River Club in Mermentau, the Bon Ton Rouley in Lafayette, and the Blue Moon in Lake Charles.  None of the clubs was air conditioned and the cost was usually fifty cents per person. The audience varied in age from about fifteen years old to some in their seventies.1 

Oh, Alice, go put on your little striped dress,

So look, what's that who's coming across, riding on Big Henri,

You promised me hope and to keep watching what you're doing today,

Little one, you asked for one more chance before I die.

Oh, Alice, don't blame the words that were said, come to me Alice, my little everything,

Little one, you surely know the cause of all  of this,

You know I've taken it hard, well, having to go so far away from you,

Yes, dear Alice, give me another chance before I die. 

Rayne Tribune
Dec 2, 1954

Both Lawrence and Aldus Roger had popular bands that packed the same clubs, sometimes night after night.  Allan remembers:

Generally we played from nine to one o'clock with no intermission.  The band members pitched in to set up and tear down musical equipment, there were no roadies in those days!.1

By 1962, Walker re-recorded his tune for Swallow Records as "Chere Alice". 

1. South to Louisiana: The Music of the Cajun Bayous By John Broven
2. Lyrics by Stephane F

Release Info:
Country Waltz | Khoury's 601 A
Mamou Two Step | Khoury's 601 B

Find:

A Legend At Last (Swallow, 1983)

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)

"Tu Le Du Po La Mam" - Lawrence Walker

Melodies played in the cultural-plexes of Vermilion and Iberia parishes produced different themes and titles in the areas around Calcasieu and Evangeline parish.  While the Segura Brother's were singing about mosquitoes and their family's appearances, further north, Cajun fiddler Dennis McGee and his musical family were using the same melody to sing about chasing women.  The Fawvor brothers, natives of Calcasieu, had originally recorded the tune in 1929 as "Valse De Creole".  McGee recalls:

I stayed with Theodore McGee and one day he said, "Well Mac, I believe I'll buy a violin for you.  I'm going to Ville Platte."  No strings!  There was nothing on it. He bought some strings and the pegs. He knew how to play a little. He tuned it up and played "Tout Les Deux Pour La Meme".  He said, "Now, you're on your own."  I said, "Not really!".  "Yes, here!" he said, "Go! Go play!". I went to my little room. I had a little room in back. I sat on the side of my bed and you know what? Before nightfall I played the waltz, "Tout Les Deux Pour La Meme".  Oh yes, I learned it during the day.2  

Crowley Daily Signal
July 2, 1959

Tous les deux pour la même,

Ni moi ni toi qui l'aura,

Tous les deux pour la même,

Ni moi ni toi qui l'aura,

C'est pas la peine (que) tu me dis non,

T'auras toujours pour me dire oui,

C'est pas la peine (que) tu me chagrins,

T'auras toujours pour me marier.

J'ai parti de la maison,

Z-avec ma jogue au plombeau,

Le pistolet dans ma poche,

Et ma vie dans ma main,

J'ai parti pour te chercher,

T'amener-z-à la maison,

C'est pas la peine tu me dis non,

T'auras toujour pour me dire oui.

Lawrence Walker

Songs like this which influenced McGee were eventually picked up by Lawrence Walker in which he recorded the song for George Khoury in 1950.  The title was a corrupted form of the phrase "tous les deux pour la même" inferring that the singer and another are "both going after the same woman".  It's possible that Lawrence had Mitch David on fiddle, Valmont ‘Junior’ Benoit on steel guitar, and probably Simon Shexneider on drums. 

Both of us for the same,

Neither me nor you will have her,

Both of us for the same,

Neither me nor you will have her,

It's not worth you telling me no,

You have to say yes, forever,

It's not worth you hurting me,

You have to marry me, forever.

I left the house,

With my saddle horn jug,

The gun in my pocket,

And my life in my hands,

I left to come get you,

Take you to my house,

There's no need to tell me no,

You have to say yes, forever.

That same year, while Lawrence was using the Fawver song for his recording of "Tu Le Du Po La Mam", Nathan Abshire was using the Segura song for his own song "La Valse De Holly Beach".  According to musician Johnnie Allan:

Lawrence was a big factor in French music, he and Uncle Joe [Falcon] were playing music along about the same time. His songs were all the sad melodic type songs, he was a very good accordion player, very well known in this area. I remember I played steel guitar with him for six years and the crowds were just tremendous almost everywhere we played.1

1. South to Louisiana: The Music of the Cajun Bayous By John Broven
2. Ye Yaille Chere by Raymond Francois

Release Info:
A Tu Le Du Po La Mam | Khoury's 607-A
B Ton Papa Ta Mama Ma Sta Da All | Khoury's 607-B

Find:
Cajun Honky Tonk: The Khoury Recordings, Volume 1 (Arhoolie, 1995)
A Tribute To The Late Great Lawrence Walker (La Louisiane, 1995)
A Legend At Last (Swallow, 1983)
Essential Collection of Lawrence Walker (Swallow, 2010)

"Ton Papa Ta Mama Ma Sta Da All" - Lawrence Walker

Cajun accordion player Lawrence Walker grew up listening to the great players around south Louisiana.  Although he grew up in Orange, TX, he was born in Duson, LA and was bilingual enough to sing both French and English tunes throughout the 1920s and 1930s.   He played music with his siblings and eventually recorded with RCA in the 1930s before declining a recording career in 1936.   Walker wouldn't enter the studio again until 1950.

After the war, according to author Dr. Barry Ancelet,

Cajuns began to show signs of learning to better negotiate the American mainstream in a way that would allow them to preserve their own cultural identity.  Musicians were among the first to announce the change by returning to traditional sounds.1

Eh, ton papa et ta mama m'a jeté dehors,

M'a jeté dehors d'm'a maison, m'a maison que j'aime tout l'temps.

Eh, chère tit fille, mais, pour quoi donc, mais, tu m'fait ça?

Moi, j'connais j'mérite pas, mais, tout ça que t'es après faire.

Eh, malheureuse, moi, j'connais une jour à venir,

Tu vas revenir pour pardonner à ton vieux nègre, il y a pas longtemps.

Crowley Daily Signal, August 1949

They were able to do so in large part because record company officials were more interested in expanding markets than in regulating minority cultures.1  Walker resurrected his recording career in 1950 with a series of recordings in Lake Charles with George Khoury.  There, with the help of vocalist Mitch David, they covered the classic 1928 tune: Leo Soileau and Mayuse Lafleur's "Your Father Put Me Out".  The phrase shown here "sta da all" in Khoury's title "Ton Papa Ta Mama Ma Sta Da All" (#607) is the corrupted spelling of "jeté dehors".

His work on KPLC radio station in Lake Charles with what got Khoury's attention. According to Shelton Manuel:

We'd do the broadcast at the same time that we had a dance in the vicinity. The broadcast was on the route to the dance.2  

Hey, your dad and your mom tossed me out,

Tossed me out of my house, my house which I've always loved.

Hey, dear little girl, well, so why, well, have you done that to me?

I know I don't deserve this, well, all that you've done.

Hey, oh my, I know one day in the future,

You will return for forgiveness from your old man, over there not long ago.

1. Southern Music/American Music By Bill C. Malone
2. "Accordions, Fiddles, Two Step & Swing: A Cajun Music Reader" by Ron Brown, Ryan A. Brasseaux, and Kevin S. Fontenot
3. Lyrics by Jerry M and Stephane F

Release Info:
A Tu Le Du Po La Mam 607-A Khoury's 
B Ton Papa Ta Mama Ma Sta Da All 607-B Khoury's

Find:

Cajun Honky Tonk: The Khoury Recordings, Volume 1 (Arhoolie, 1995)
Bayou Two-Step - Cajun Hits From Louisiana 1929-1962 (Jasmine, 2015)

"Mamou Two Step" - Lawrence Walker

One of Lawrence Walker's most recognized tunes.   It originally started as a recording by Nathan Abshire during his years playing with Happy Fats and his Rayne-Bo Ramblers.  The basic origins of the tune come from a song called "One Step De Morse", recorded in 1935 for Bluebird.  Lawrence would re-work the tune, adding it's signature bridge section and naming it after a small town in Evangeline Parish. According to author Sara Le Menestrel:

The replacement of one title with another in order to make a personal contribution to an existing song is a time-honored practice.  

Recorded as "Mamou Two Step" (#601) it was one of George Khoury's earliest pressings with one of his most well known and best selling artist.   The 1950 recording included possibly Houston Fruge on guitar, Mitch David on fiddle, possibly Valmont "Junior" Benoit on steel guitar, and possibly Simon Shexneider on drums.  Shelton Manuel, who occasionally played drums with Lawrence recalled:

Crowley Daily Signal
Nov 18, 1949

Lawrence Walker was a very good musician.  He was precise in his music, especially on his tune-ups.  He made sure everything was tuned right, and we wore uniforms back then. We wore white shirts with ties.  We'd travel around in a station wagon. We had a local broadcast at KPLC.2 

After Khoury folded up his Cajun music venture, Lawrence recorded shortly with Swallow records before moving over to La Louisianne Records in 1961.   There, he modernized the tune, adding a bass guitar and twin fiddles to the song. Modern artists such as Wayne Toups gave the song new life by recording it in rock n roll style during the 1980s. 

Mamou Two Step - Khoury's - 1950

Mamou Two Step - La Louisianne - 1961

1. Negotiating Difference in French Louisiana Music: Categories, Stereotypes ... By Sara Le Menestrel
2. Accordions, fiddles, two step & swing: a Cajun music reader by Ryan A. Brasseaux, Kevin S. Fontenot

Release Info:
A Country Waltz 601-A Khoury's
B Mamou Two Step 601-B Khoury's

Find:
Louisiana Cajun Music Volume 4: From The 30s To The 50s (Old Timey, 1972)

Cajun Honky Tonk: The Khoury Recordings, Volume 1 (Arhoolie, 1995)

A Tribute to the Late, Great Lawrence Walker (La Louisianne, 1995, 2000)

Cajun Capers: Cajun Music 1928-1954 (Proper, 2005)

Essential Collection of Lawrence Walker (Swallow, 2010)

"La Valse Kim Fe Du Mal (The Waltz That Hurts Me So)" - Lawrence Walker

"Valse Qui M'Fait Du Mal".  Lawrence Walker was both near Duson, Louisiana who joined his father Allen and his brother Joseph Elton to record traditional fiddle tunes between 1928 and 1932 as the Walker Brothers Band. By mid-1930s, young Lawrence has learned to play the accordion. While other accordion bands were beginning to give way to more popular string bands, Lawrence continued to perform and record, adapting his music to include popular American tunes.

Oh, 'tit monde, moi je me tarde de me voir,

M'en aller z'à la maison, y a p(l)us personne pour me recevoir,

Hé Jolie, tu connais j'prends ça dur, 

Petite, prends ça dur, cher 'tit coeur, j'peux p'us pleurer.

Oh, 'tit monde, comment j'vas faire z'ave(c) ça, 

Petite, tu connais, moi j'veux plus t'oublier, 

Oh, 'tit monde, j'ai que(l)que chose pour te dire, 

Petite, tu connais, ça fait du mal juste à jongler. 

Crowley Daily Signal
June 3, 1950

Even the Walker accordion finally succumbed to the flood of string bands during the late 1930s and early 40s. He returned, however, along with Nathan Abshire, Austin Pitre, and others, after World War II to take his place in the Cajun music revival. In the 1950s, Walker became an immensely popular band leader, bringing outstanding musicians like Dick Richard, Ulysse Joseph "U.J" Meaux, and Lionel Leleux into his Wandering Aces band. Together, with Mitch David on fiddle (and possibly vocals), possibly Valmont "Junior" Benoit on steel guitar, and either Simon Shexnaider or Lawrence Trahan on drums,in 1950, the young group recorded "La Valse Kim Fe Du Mal (The Waltz That Hurts Me So)" with George Khoury on his new label. (#606). His smooth accordion style and original compositions in traditional and contemporary styles made Walker a favorite among dancers throughout South Louisiana and into the Golden Triangle of Southeast Texas.  

Oh, my little everything, I long to see,

Myself going home, there is no one to greet me,

Hey Jolie, you know I take this hard,

Little one, I take it hard, dear little sweetheart, I can't cry anymore.

Oh, my little everything, how will I deal with that?

Little one, you know, I don't want to forget you anymore,

Oh, my little everything, I have something to tell you,

Little one, you know, that makes me feel bad just thinking about it.

His many fans invariably describe him as perhaps the best accordion player and singer in Cajun music. Yet, his popularity seems to have remained in the dance halls and in the memory of the crowds who were lucky enough to have heard him perform.

1. http://www.flattownmusic.com/Lawrence-Walker.aspx.  Brief History by Dr. Barry Ancelet
2. Lyrics by Stephane F and Bryan L

Find:
A Legend At Last (Swallow, 1983)

"Wandering Aces Special" - Lawrence Walker

Lawrence Walker restored the accordion to center stage and purveyed the simpler, old-time style then in demand. Walker reached his peak of popularity during the 1950s with his Wandering Aces Band, performing in dance halls through south Louisiana and east Texas. Walker's talent and spirit always come through in songs such as the "Wandering Aces Special" (#606) recorded for Khoury's label in 1950.1

Named after Walker's own Wandering Aces dance hall located near Choupique Bayou in Calcasieu Parish, the song was his rendition of the old Joe Falcon tune called "A Cowboy Rider".  Later, the song would become Marc Savoy's "Melville Two Step".  The recording contained possibly Houston Fruge, Mitch David on fiddle, possibly Valmont "Junior" Benoit on steel guitar and, possibly Simon Schexneider on drums.

During the 1950s, performers like Nathan Abshire, Iry LeJeune and Lawrence Walker were enormously popular with their playing.  

Advertisement, 1961

1. Let the Good Times Roll!: A Guide to Cajun & Zydeco Music by Patricia Nyhan

Find:
A Legend At Last (Swallow, 1983)
Cajun Honky Tonk: Khoury Recordings (Arhoolie, 1995)
Essential Collection of Lawrence Walker (Swallow, 2010)