"Chere Ami Waltz" - Musical Four Plus One

For over ten years, the band Musical Four Plus One enjoyed a period of great popularity.  Their recording is among the most obscure post-war releases in early Cajun music and appears on George Khoury's Lyric label.  The record immediately catches the ear with a fine electric guitar lead which participates throughout, making it unique among any Cajun record of that or probably any period.1  

The original version of the band cut this elusive record, containing "Chere Ami Waltz" (#609), a take on the old Cajun melody "Chere Tout Tout", in late 1950 or very early 1951.  That year, the group consisted of Ellias Thibodeaux on accordion, Eddie Duhon on vocals and fiddle, Cleadis Mott on electric guitar, Charles Delaney on rhythm guitar, Eldridge ‘Coon’ Guidry on bass, and Clifton Newman on drums.  According to Dave Sax, 

Eldridge "Coon" Guidry

Eddie Shuler handled the recording in a makeshift studio in Lake Charles and brought the reliable bassist Eldridge "Coon" Guidry along to augment the band.  The bass lends an unusual flavor here as it weaves with the accordion and Mott's wonderfully supple guitar work and reinforces the brisk tempo that basically takes "Chere Ami Waltz" out of the waltz category altogether.1  

Eh, criminelle, 'tit monde, 

Voir j'va pas, moi j'va faire avec maman

Te m'a quitter, pour t'en aller, chere,

T'en aller dans l'pays, si loin de moi,

Hey, te ma dire, 'tit monde,

Il y a pas longtemps, te peux revenir pour même,

Aujourd'hui mon j'peux voir, 'tit monde,

Mon j'peux voir t'apres partir, pour moi aller.

Musical Four Plus One
Cliff Newman, Eddie Duhon,
Cleadis Mott, Charles Delaney
Courtesy of Lyle Ferbrache

At the beginning they secured a residency at the Blue Moon Club in Lake Charles, which initially sponsored Saturday afternoon appearances for them on KWSL.  With a band name chosen to mimic Nathan Abshire's Musical Five, their versatility and comedy skits helped to endear them to the audience.    Although the label was sold under Khoury's Lyric catalog, on this session, we actually hear Shuler 'producing' here.  Sax explains,

Cleadis began to close the song and Eddie waved his hands above his head for them to continue playing because the record was not long enough.  As a result Cleadis' guitar began to end the piece and then picked it up again!1  

Lake Charles American Press
Jan 19, 1955

Hey, it's terrible, my little everything, 

See, I won't, I won't do that to my mom,

You're leaving me, to go away, dear,

You're going into the countryside, so far away from me,

Hey, you told me, my little everything,

Over there, not long ago, you'll return the same,

Today, I can see, my little everything,

I can see you're leaving, for I'm going now.

William Charles Delaney

They later enjoyed a nine year stint at the Clover Club, becoming a string band when Sidney Brown left. Other places they played were the Club 90 in Iowa, the Reno Club in Kaplan, Buddy Little's in Carlyss, and the B.O. Sparkle in Bridge City, TX.2  Cleadis Matt later played for twenty years with the Tune Toppers, recording for both Jin and J.D. Miller's Ringo label.1  Families recalled,

When they played at Lavergne's in Poche Town, they would play one week and a young George Jones would play the next.  The bar was about 100 ft from the hall with a window to allow people to get drinks from the outside. There were only benches in the hall with an elevated bandstand.  It also had a bullpen that was enclosed with chicken wire for the dancers. You could stand and watch from outside the pen but if you wanted to dance, you had to buy a ticket.2  

1. Cajun Honky Tonk: The Khoury Recordings, Volume 1.  David Sax.  Liner notes.
2. "Musical Four Plus One: Tran La Ezy" by Lyle Ferbrache. 
3. Lyrics by Herman M, Stephane F, Jesse L

Release Info:

Chere Ami Waltz (Dear Friend Waltz) | Khoury’s/Lyric KH-609-A

Tran La Ezy (Drag it easy) | Khoury’s/Lyric KH-609-B

Find:

Cajun Honky Tonk: The Khoury Recordings Vol. 2 (Arhoolie, 2013)

"Petite Negress" - Jimmy Choates

Fiddler Jimmie (Jimmy) Choate was born in Bancker, Louisiana, not far from Abbeville.  He grew up playing music at an early age, similar to many of his siblings.  Quick to latch on to the success of famed Texas fiddler Harry Choates, Jimmie and his brother Pete decided to make a music career.  Record producer J.D. Miller of Fais Do Do records saw the opportunity as well, and in 1951, he had Jimmie's band record two songs. 

Moi j'aime cousin et moi j'aime cousine mais j'aime mieux ma 'tite negress,

Samedi, ce soir, moi j'etais au bal, je m'ai saoulé comme un 'tit cochon,

Dimanche matin, c'est tout manière malade,

Passez-moi le verre à limonade.

L'hiver arrive, l'hiver arrive, mon p'tit nég a pas de couverte,

Demain ce soir, il t'etais au bal, il saoulé comme un 'tit cochon,

Lundi matin, il était tout manière malade, 

Passez-lui le verre à limonade.

L'hiver arrive, l'hiver arrive, mon p'tit nég a pas de couverte,

Demain ce soir, il t'etais au bal, il saoulé comme un 'tit cochon,

Lundi matin, il était tout manière malade, 

Passez-lui le verre à limonade.

Moi je bois du vin et moi je mange des dattes, et tout ça, ça me coute pas rien,

Demain ce soir, moi j'etais au bal, je m'ai saoulé comme un 'tit cochon,

Lundi matin, c'est tout manière malade, 

Passez-moi le verre de Hadacol.

Blackie Dartez

Apr 19, 1951

Jimmie's Melody Boys included Ronald Ray "Pee Wee" Lyons on steel guitar and Charles ‘Pete’ Choate on bass guitar, however, Miller had the Melody Boys back up his star studio vocalist and guitarist Blackie Dartez.  Leodis "Blackie" Dartez was a guitarist from Cut Off, Louisiana and made his way to Crowley during the 1940s.  He played alongside Joe Falcon and his Silver String Band and later with Leroy Broussard and his French Serenaders.  There, he taught the accordion player his version of of a 1929 Columbus Fruge recording "Point Clear Blues" and entitled it "Petite Negress" (#1009).   

I appreciate my cousin, appreciate my cousin, but I prefer my woman,

Saturday night, I went to the dance, I got drunk like a big pig,

Sunday morning, I wasn't feeling well,

Pass me a glass of lemonade.

Winter comes, winter comes, my good friend was homeless,

The next night, he was at the dance, he was drunk like a pig,

Monday morning, he was very sick,

Pass him a drink of limonade.

Winter comes, winter comes, my good friend was homeless,

The next night, he was at the dance, he was drunk like a pig,

Monday morning, he was very sick,

Pass him a drink of limonade.

I drank wine and ate dates, and all that, it didn't cost me anything,

Saturday night, I went to the dance, I got drunk like a big pig,

Sunday morning, I wasn't feeling well,

Pass me a glass of Hadacol.

Teche News
Feb 10, 1950

Blackie changed up the lyrics, including the last line as an ode to the popular elixir Hadacol, invented by famed Lafayette salesman Dudley Leblanc.  It was a popular drink in 1949 that was sold by the thousands across the country.  By the time Leroy made his way into the Goldband recording studio in 1956, he re-recorded the song as "Lemonade Song" and it remained that title ever since. 

Release Info:

Chere Meon | Fais-Do-Do F-1009-A

Petite Negress | Fais-Do-Do F-1009-B

Find:

Acadian All Star Special - The Pioneering Cajun Recordings Of J.D. Miller (Bear, 2011)

"Nouveau Grand Gueyan" - Leroy "Happy Fats" Leblanc

The popularization began in 1936 with the Hackberry Ramblers string band recording of "Jolie Blonde" for RCA records.  Having been familiar with the Breaux Brothers tune, their string band version found its way across the Cajun prairies of Louisiana and east Texas.  Known as "La Valse de Gueydan" in certain regions, singer and song writer Leroy "Happy Fats" Leblanc fatefully decided to record his under the more inauspicious title of "Nouveau Grand Gueyan" in 1938 (#2024).  Believing it to be a follow up of Leo Soileau's recording, he made the song part of his repertoire with the likes of Roy Romero on steel guitar, Moise Sonnier on fiddle,  Louis Arceneaux on fiddle and Joe Werner on harmonica.  Over time, the melody began to be known by all these names. 

RCA Bluebird producer Eli Oberstein failed to see the song's potential and placed it on the flip-side of Tex-Mex song by fiddler Melquiades Rodríguez.  Although Happy failed to make any waves with the recording, the tune continued to make it's way around other string band and western swing groups in the area including Port Arthur native Harry Choates. Eventually, Choates made his recording debut as fiddler with Happy's band at a 1940 session in Dallas, but the alliance didn't hold together.  According to Happy, working with Harry was difficult.

Harry Choates
Austin, TX 1951

In a way, he just lost his mind.  He was a very bad alcoholic, when he wanted whiskey or a drink, he had to have it.  I've seen him break glass with his elbow, right on Main Street in Lake Charles, and crack it open and reach in and get a fifth, a liquor store on Main Street.  He just had to have it, that's all he took, just one bottle of whiskey.2

Moi j'm'en va, jolie 'tite fille,

À grande Gueydan c'est pour toujours,

Rappelle-toi, mais, malheureuse,

Pour quoi t'as fais pour ton vieux negre.

J'ai pleuré et j'ai prié,,

Pour t'avoir, aye, ma belle,

Moi j'm'en va, jolie 'tite fille,

À grande Gueydan c'est pour toujours.

Rayne Tribune
Sept 3, 1937

Happy ditched Harry and he ended up working as a fiddler for other area string bands. Choates next started playing electric mandolin with Shelly Lee Alley and the Alley Cats. Later in 1941, he was playing guitar with Pancho and the Farmhands over in Beaumont.  Around this time, Choates also played guitar and second fiddle for Leo Soileau’s Aces with Joe and Abe Manuel, and Francis “Red” Fabacher. Harry had been playing with Leo Soileau when he was exposed to their song "La Valse De Gueydan (Jolie Fille)".  According to Happy:

Harry had first performed the tune in Soileau's band but on his Gold Star recording he stepped up the key from G to A.2  

Happy's last pre-war session was in October of 1941.  RCA wouldn't record him again until five years later but it was short lived.  Meanwhile, Choates had just scored a national hit with his western swing version entitled "Jole Blon" in 1946 with independent producer in Houston called Gold Star Records.  A stunned Happy Fats recalled, 

Harry went off to Houston, he left the band and got in with a fellow by the name of Bill Quinn.  And he made 'Jole Blon' and it was a million seller.1,2  

Happy Fats

Not to be outdone, it was about this time when Happy Fats began toying around with the idea of recording the melody as "Jole Blon", making it an official song with his group, the Rayne-Bo Ramblers.  According to author Andrew Brown, Steve Sholes of RCA Victor records told a disappointed Leblanc that the session had to be cancelled, allegedly because of "wartime shellac rationing".1 

I'm going, pretty little girl,

To big Gueydan forever,

Remember well, miserable woman,

For what you've done to your old man.

I've cried and I've prayed,

In order to see you, aye, my beauty,

I'm going, pretty little girl,

To big Gueydan forever.

By the time Happy managed to record the song as New Jolie Blonde for independent producer J.D. Miller, the song's popularity has already peaked.

1. Cajun Breakdown: The Emergence of an American-Made Music By Ryan Andre Brasseaux
2. South to Louisiana: The Music of the Cajun Bayous By John Broven
3. Lyrics by Herman M

Release Info:

BS-014016-1 Nouveau Grand Gueyan | Bluebird B-2024-A

BS-014204-1 Les Trois Elviras (Melquiades Rodríguez) | Bluebird B-2024-B 

Find:

Cajun Country, Vol. 2, More Hits from the Swamp (JSP, 2005)

"La Stompe Clreole (Creole Stomp)" - Harrington-Landry & Steward

Many musicians are familiar with Cajun accordionists Nathan Abshire's "Hathaway Two Step", but many aren't aware of the melody's original release by two musicians, Harrington and Landry.  Although their names have been lost to time, it's remotely possible the two musicians were Lloyd Harrington and Bob Landry of Kaplan.  Lloyd played the harmonica and the two often traveled to St. Martin Parish for dances.  This also happened to be the same place where W.J. Lemoine signed Patrick "Dak" Pellerin for the same Okeh session in which they all performed.  Given that Mina Stubbs was there, it's also possible her friend Mrs. W.T. Stewart, a renown music director in the region, could have been supervising the session.  

Record store owner and sewing machine seller Winter Lemoine hand selected the musicians for the late 1929 recording in which they waxed "La Stompe Clreole" (#45411), a clear misspelling of the word "creole".  Like the late Pellerin sides, the Harrington-Landry pressings were meant to offer a unique mixture of local music to the community.    The results of this venture ranged from from Harrington and Landry's traditional Cajun material to Pellerin & Stubb's operatic French Creole selections.  The melody lends itself to dancing, in particular, a shuffle style dance.  According to writer and musician Ben Sandmel, 

When I was with the Hackberry Ramblers, if we played this around Eunice, Lake Charles, Jennings, etc., people would line-dance to it, although nobody ever line-danced to any other song that we played.1  

1. Discussions with Ben S

Release Info:

403444-B Tu Aura Regret | Okeh 45411

403445-A La Stompe Clreole | Okeh 45411

Find:

CAJUN-Rare & Authentic (JSP, 2008)

"La Valse De Pecaniere" - Leo Soileau & Moise Robin

Evangeline Parish native Leo Soileau made his first recordings with Mayuse Lafleur for Victor records in 1928.  Shortly afterwards, Lafleur was killed.  After Leo lost his partner, he asked Maxine Ledoux to take over the accordion duties again at the dance-hall.5  Meanwhile, Leo tried to reinvent the sound he had forged with his childhood friend by hiring seventeen year old accordionist and LaFleur-admirer Moise Robin.  The two began playing once Robin could mimic the stylings of Lafleur.  Robin recalls:

I saw Mayuse play a house dance for the Richard family in Pecaniere.  It was Christmas day.  I was five years younger than he was and he inspired me.  He had a big red accordion and he would cry on that thing.2  

Malheureuse, je t’ai demandé pour tu veins mais avec moi, 

C’est finir tes bons jours avec ton negre,

Dit bye bye, chère, dit bye bye, mais chers amis, 

Mais pour t’en venir, pour venir, un bon jour, chère.

Chere tit fille, (donc, jamais tant par ce que)* pour t’en venir 

Avec ton neg, là-bas, là-bas à la maison, yé yaille. 

Oh, mom, malheureuse, oh.

Oh yé yaille, comment-donc, mais, moi j’vas faire, mais, moi tout seule?

J't'veux promenner-z-avec ton nèg, oh chérie.

Mais, écoute pas tes paroles pour tes amis, mais malheureuse, 

Ils vont pleurer s’ils les écouteraient, chère.

Silver Slipper
Courtesy of LouisianaDanceHalls.com

The 1929 New Orleans recording "La Valse De Pecaniere" (#15852) is an ode to the community of Pecaniere in St. Landry Parish.  Located between the towns of Port Barre and Arnaudville, Pecaniere was originally named Prairie Gros Chevreuil.  It was founded by one of Moise's earliest colonial French ancestors, Dr. Francois Robin, and was renamed after large pecan groves in the area.6  

Moise's melody found it's way into other songs that year such as Bartmon Montet & Joswell Dupuis's  "L'Abandonner (The Forsaken)" and  Amede Ardoin's "La Valse A Abe".  During the 1920s, Pecaniere was home to a popular dance-hall called the "Silver Slipper" owned by the Dupuis Brothers, Herman and Clayton.4  Moise recalls:

When I was young, Amede Ardoin was playing with Leo Soileau at my brother-in-law's Pecaniere dance hall and he would bring crowds that the people couldn't come in.1  

Clarion News
Oct 10, 1929

Poor woman, I begged you to come back, well, with me,

It's the end for your good days with your man,

Say "Bye bye", dear, say "Bye bye", well, dear friends,

Well, for you're coming back, coming back, it's a good day, dear.

Dear little girl, so, never believed that you'd come back,

With your man, over there, over there to the house, ye yaille.

Oh, ye yaille, so, how, well, will I handle this, well, all alone?

I want you to walk with your man, oh dearie.

Well, I won't listen to your words (you told) your friends, well, poor woman,

They would cry if they heard, dear.

Post-war zydeco musician Clifton Chenier, who grew up next to the Silver Slipper in Pecaniere, recalled the segregated "two-room dance club".  Chenier would perform on the white side of the club one week, and for the black side the next.3  

1. http://arhoolie.org/moise-robin/
2. Cajun Breakdown: The Emergence of an American-Made Music By Ryan Andre Brasseaux
3. The Kingdom of Zydeco By Michael Tisserand
4. Daily World (Opelousas, Louisiana) 09 Sep 1977
5. The Ville Platte Gazette (Ville Platte, Louisiana) 21 Nov 1985
6. Discussions with Fr. Jason Vidrine
7. Lyrics by Smith S

Release Info:
NO263 La Valse De Pecaniere | Vocalion 15852
NO264 Le Cleuses De Negre Francaise | Vocalion 15852

Find:

The Early Recordings of Leo Soileau (Yazoo, 2006)

"Lover's Waltz" - Louis Spell

Feature Records was created by Jay Denton "J.D." Miller in the late 1940s to market the music of south Louisiana.  Local groups around Acadia Parish approached Miller to record songs in his new studio in Crowley.  Native of Indian Bayou, the Spell family eventually moved to Crowley where Louis formed the French Serenaders.  Sometimes referred to as "One-Eyed Spell", he had been blinded by an accident early in life. According to his daughter Margie,

At a house party, he got stuck with a bobby pin in his eye.1  

Moi j'connais, chère 'tite fille,

La plus belle, chère 'tite fille, que mon j'aimais,

C'est pour ça moi j'te vu,

Pour restez à la maison, mais, avec moi.

Mon aller au si loin,

Pour me voir les 'tite fille dans la Louisiane,

C’est le belle qui m’aimes autant,

C’est pour ça mon je tes mander de viens tant donc.

Daily World
Apr 23, 1954

The French Serenaders played around Acadia Parish from 1949 to about 1953. He recorded for J.D. Miller at his studio in Crowley where his group waxed the "Lover's Waltz" (#1040) around 1952.  The ensemble featured Phillip Abshire on guitar, Tan Benoit on fiddle, and Elton Harrington on guitar.  According to Louis' son, Paul,

My mom could speak French, but my daddy couldn't.  He could sing in French, but couldn't speak it.1  

French Serenaders
Elton Harrington, Tan Benoit
Louis Spell, Mabel Spell, poss. Phillip Abshire

Having played on the same stages as Aldus Roger in the mid-50s, Aldus recorded a similar song in 1958 known as the "Midway Waltz".  Edval Joseph "E.J." Abshire, native of Lyon's Point community, was a good family friend.  Affectionately known as "Nom" Abshire, he and his cousin Phillip Abshire were known to sing in the band together.   Elton Harrington lived in Crowley and soon after filled in for groups such as Claby Richard's "Rayne Friendly Playboys" and Sidney Leblanc's "Louisiana Playboys".  Record producer Lee Lavergne remembered his short career.

They had a KSIG Barn Dance and they would have local guys. They had a French band there by the name of Louis Spell (who recorded for Feature), accordion, guitar and drums. You would gather around the radio and listen that. That was fantastic!2  

I know, dear little girl,

The most beautiful girl, dear little girl, that I loved,

It's that I see you,

Staying at home, well, with me.

I'm going so far,

To see the little girl in Louisiana,

It's the beautiful girl that loves me so much,

That's why I'm begging you to come back so much.

1. Discussions with Margie and Paul T
2. South To Louisiana by John Broven
3. Lyrics by Herman M

Release Info:

The Fifty Cent Song | F-1040-A

Lover's Waltz | F-1040-B

Find:

Acadian All Star Special - The Pioneering Cajun Recordings Of J.D. Miller (Bear, 2011)

"Le Valse De Mon Rêve (Waltz Of My Dream)" - Joe and Cleoma Falcon

Joe Falcon and his wife Cleoma Falcon had been the star Cajun musicians throughout the Cajun countryside from 1928 to 1929.  However, as the Depression took hold, their recording career went on hiatus.  It wouldn't be until 1934 when a different set of record scouts arrived in south Louisiana looking for the tried and true Cajun artists of the 20s.  Eli Oberstein, a field scout with RCA's new Bluebird division, attempted to do just that when the Falcons were invited to San Antonio.  Joe's "Le Valse De Mon Rêve (Waltz Of My Dream)" (#2188) backed by his wife Cleoma on guitar, expressed a lover's desire to see his love interest once more—this time, through the viewpoint of a dreamer. 

Tu connais, malheureuse, ça t'as fait, mais, z-avec moi,

Oui, chère catin, ça c'est dur pour moi endurer,

Moi j'connais j'ai pas bien fait, mais, j'aime quand même, jolie fille,

Eh, catin, donne-moi une chance avant de mourir.

Tu voudrais, jolie fille, t'en revenir avec moi-même,

Oui, malheureuse, tu voirais pour toi-même,

Moi me cru dans tout ça que le bon dieu me permettrai,

Oui, malheureuse, pour essayer de faire (ai)mer toi.

Moi j'me tarde de me voir, m'en revenir a la maison,

Oui, malheureuse, de plus trouver personne pour moi,

Moi j'vois pas quoi j'vas faire sur la terre, malheureuse, 

Oui, chère catin, ça c'est dur, ça pour moi.

"Les Falcons"
Cleoma and Joe Falcon
Courtesy of Bob Tooke

Oberstein worked with many other ethnic artists during his stint with RCA including Lydia Mendoza and King Nawahi's Hawaiians.  Accompanying the Falcons that day was black Creole accordionist Amede Ardoin and white Creole fiddler Dennis McGee at San Antonio's Texas Hotel. The city of San Antonio was virtually a world away, both culturally and geographically, for most Cajuns. The music filling the dance halls and streets of San Antonio during the 1930s sounded different in style and in language.  For recording companies, Texas seemed to provide as much talent to record executives up north as did Tennessee, Georgia and Louisiana.  During the decade, both Dallas and San Antonio would become Meccas for Cajuns looking for outlets to record.1       

Daily Advertiser
Sep 14, 1934

You know, miserable one, what you've done, well, with me,

Yes, dear doll, it's hard for me to endure,

I know I haven't been doing well, however, I love you nevertheless, pretty girl,

Hey, pretty doll, give me another chance before I die.

You would like, pretty girl, to come back with me,

Yes, miserable one, you'll see for yourself,

I believe in all of that, which the good Lord will allow me,

Yes, miserable one, to try to make you love (me).

I'm too late to see, returning home,

Yes, miserable one, to never find anyone for me,

I do not see what I'll do on earth, miserable one,

Yes, dear doll, it's hard for me.

Although not a major hit among the Cajun music buying audience, the melody did however influence other post-war recordings such as Austin Pitre's "Redell Waltz" and Nathan's "Avalon Waltz".  Either concerned about appealing to a male-dominated Cajun market or misunderstanding her importance, RCA failed to mention Cleoma’s name on the session notes.  Each of the record sides gave credit to “Joseph Falcon”, leaving Cleoma’s legacy as nothing more than the following footnote: “Singing with accordion and guitar by Mrs. Falcon”.1   

1. "Allons A Lafayette: The First Families of Commercial Cajun Music" by Wade Falcon
2. Lyrics by Stephane F

Release Info:

BS-83850-1 Le Valse De Mon Rêve (Waltz Of My Dream) | Bluebird B-2188-A

BS-83851-1 Vous Etes Si Dous (You Are So Sweet) | Bluebird B-2188-B