Leroy Broussard- "Lemonade Song"

                                        

The history of Cajun music is filled with songs that have been passed down, borrowed from and rearranged. "Lemonade Song" is among those songs and is filled with interesting history.

The song's beginnings start with a recording by Columbus Fruge in 1929 called "Point Clear Blues". Jimmie Choates transformed the song into "Petite Negres" in 1948 along with Blackie Dartez. The song was recorded again in 1957 by a musician from Rayne who named it as "Lemonade Song".

Leroy Broussard was born November 8, 1921 to parents who played the accordion. Like many families, Leroy's family made the move from South Louisiana to Texas following work. Growing up, Leroy listened to Nathan Abshire, Lawrence Walker and J.B. Fuselier. When Leroy was twelve years old he moved back to Louisiana and for a while even played with Nathan Abshire.

He moved back to Texas in 1948 and started playing with Joe Cormier's band; playing every day except Monday's. Leroy recalls:

"They'd come from Houston, they'd come from all over, and they went for the French music. They had people who had come to that bandstand and said they had never heard it, but they liked it."

Leroy and his band, The Happy-Go Luckies, became a big hit at the B.O. Sparkle Club around this time. He continued to play in Texas for nine years, then he quit. He came back to Louisiana and worked in the oilfield for some time, then he started working for the city of Lafayette and began playing music again. He would eventually return to Texas and run the Sparkle Paradise for a while.

After 1955, Eddie Shuler was focused on recording more Cajun musicians. He had had some success with Sidney Brown's accordion based recordings and was open to record Leroy when he came to his studio and recorded "Lemonade Song".

Moi j'aime cousin et moi j'aime cousine mais j'aime mieux la cuisinière.  

Samedi, ce soir, moi courir au bal, je m'ai saoulé comme un gros cochon. 

Dimanche matin, il est tout manière malade,

Passez lui le verre à limonade.

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

Samedi, ce soir, l'ai courir au bal, je m'ai saoulé comme un gros cochon,

Dimanche matin, j'ai tout manière malade, 

Passez moi le verre à limonade.

Moi j'aime cousin et moi j'aime cousine mais j'aime mieux la cuisinière.  

Samedi, ce soir, moi courir au bal, moi saoulé comme un gros cochon. 

Dimanche matin, il est tout manière malade,

Passez moi le verre à limonade.

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

Samedi, ce soir, l'ai courir au bal, je m'ai saoulé comme un gros cochon,

Dimanche matin, j'ai tout manière malade, 

Passez moi le verre de Kary-On.

His band at this time consisted of himself on accordion, Freeman Hanks on fiddle, Robert Thibodeaux on drums and Charlie Babineaux on guitar. Leroy and his band would record only four songs at Goldband studio, he would go on to record for La Louisianne and also Kajun Records. He would continue to claim he wrote "Lemonade Song". One night Leroy met legendary accordionist, Moise Robin at a bar and struck up a conversation about songs. Leroy insisted he wrote the song and Moise reminded him that Columbus Fruge wrote it first. The argument became heated and Moise told Leroy:

"I told him, "You're wrong!"  He got angry.  I said, "Okay, but someday I might find 'Boy' Fruge's record, and even if I have to go to your home, I'll find out where you live and I will show you that it's not you who made that record."

                                       

Resources:

Ann Savoy- Cajun Music Volume 2

Wade Falcon- Early Cajun Music blog

Session info:

LE ROY BROUSSARD & HIS FRENCH ACCORDION BAND (1048) 

V/acdn, Freeman Hanks (fdl), Charlie Babineaux (g), Robert Thibodeaux (d), 

Goldband Studio, Lake Charles LA; 1957

-A Lemonade song Goldband 1048