Showing posts with label Robert Shivers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Robert Shivers. Show all posts

Monday, March 15, 2021

"Just Because" - Pal Thibodeaux

Elie Daise "Pal" Thibodeaux grew up in the Port Arthur area. His childhood friends remember him speaking French and English very well. Even at a young age, Pal was known to be singing all the time.

After serving in the Navy, Pal was playing the piano with Bill Nettles from Natchitoches. Bill had been recording since 1934 in various groups. By 1950, he married Bill's daughter, Loyce. Together they played in Bill's group; The Dixie Blue Boys and would play on KMLB in Monroe.

Around 1950, Pal and Loyce moved to back to Pal's hometown in Port Arthur. Back home Pal had assembled a group and were playing locally on the radio. There Pal was playing piano with his group, but he could play any stringed instrument.


Juste parce que tu crois (que) t'es si jolie,
Juste parce que tu crois (que) t'es si belle,
Juste parce que tu crois (que) t'avais quelque chose,
Quelque chose qui n'va pas bien.

Tu as ri et tes dépense mon argent, 
Tu as ri et t'appelé mon vielle,
Moi, je te dis, c'est tout fini,
Parce que, juste parce que.

Eh, pas bon.

Oh, mais, villaines manières.

Il va venir un temps quand ton tout seul,
Il va venir un temps quand t'es chagrins,
...


Bill Nettles and the Dixie Blue Boys

In 1951, Pal cut his his first solo record for 4 Star Records. 4 Star Records was founded after World War Two and based in California. They were home to country acts such as the Maddox Brothers and Rose as well as Webb Pierce. The label had previously dabbled in recording Cajun music when they recorded Austin Pitre. More than likely the session was recorded at KMLB in Monroe. It was there Pal recorded "Just Because" (X-19) with his father in law, Bill, backing him on mandolin.

"Just Because" was originally recorded by Nelstone's Hawaiians in 1929. Over the years the song was recorded by The Rayne Bo Ramblers as "Jus Pasque" and Joe Falcon and Cleoma Breaux as "Jeuste Parcque". The song was made popular by the Shelton Brothers in the mid 1930's. With the popularity of radio, such stations as KWKH broadcasting out of Shreveport gave way to cultural mixing between Cajun music, Western swing and hillbilly.

Just because you think that you're so pretty,
Just because you think that you're so beautiful,
Just because you think that you have something,
Something that isn't doing well.

You laughed and you spent my money,
You laughed and you called me old,
I tell you, it's all over,
Because, just because.

Eh, no good.

Oh, well, naughty ways.

There's going to come a time when you're all alone,
There's going to come a time when you are sad,
...


Pal had to pause his recording career as he was shipped to Korea to serve again. But by 1954 he was recording again, this time for the Imperial label. He would finish out the 1950's recording for Louisiana labels such as Sky Line and Ann. A truly gifted artist, he died fairly young.



  1. Contributed by Jeremy R
  2. http://www.bopping.org/cajun-hillbilly-bop-in-french-pal-thibodeaux/
  3. https://earlycajunmusic.blogspot.com/2016/09/its-all-over-pal-thibodeaux.html
  4. "Cajun Breakdown: The Emergence of an American-Made Music" by Ryan Andre Brasseaux
  5. Lyrics by Herman M and Stephane F
Release Info:
4081 Just Because | 4 Star X19
4082 It's All Over Now | 4 Star X19

Find:
4 STAR ROUNDUP Vol. 2. (BACM, )

Thursday, September 8, 2016

"It's All Over" - Pal Thibodeaux

"C'est Tout Fini!"  Elie Daise "Pal" Thibodeaux, Jr. was a Louisiana born musician that had teamed up with Bill Nettles and his Dixie Blue Boys recording for Mercury records.  Together they recorded tunes and broadcasted on KMLB in Monroe, Louisiana.3

By 1949, Pal had served in the navy, married Bill Nettle's daughter, Loyce, and began working with Bill as his guitarist and she as his vocalist.2  Bill's group consisted of Robert Shivers on fiddle, Pal on piano or guitar, Danny Dedmon on guitar, Levele Johnes on guitar, and Loyce on bass.  But by 1950, Pal and Loyce left "showbiz" and settled in Port Arthur, Texas.6
Longtemps Louisiane, t'es m'a quitter,
Tu m’as lessé pour toi aller,
Pour toi aller-z avec un autre,
Criminelle, c'est tout fini, asteur.

C'est tout fini, ma criminelle,
C'est tout fini, pour nous autres,
Longtemps Louisiane, t'es m’as lessé,
Criminelle, c'est tout fini, asteur.

Oh, mais, chere tit fille.

C'est tout fini, criminelle,
Oh ye yaille, mon coeur sur fait mal,
Jus pasque c'est m'a quitter pour toi,
Criminelle, c'est tout fini, asteur.

C'est tout fini, criminelle,
C'est tout fini, pour toi aller,
Longtemps Louisiane, t'es m’as lessé,
Criminelle, c'est tout fini, asteur.

Te m’as lessé pour ton aller,
Oh ye yaille, mon coeur sur fait mal,
Jus pasque c'est m'a quitter tout seul,
Criminelle, pour mon tout seul.
By 1951, he was working with T. Tex Tyler but left that year and headed back with Bill's group on KNOE.5   That same year, he signed with 4-Star records and recorded "It's All Over" (#4082).7  Before his recording career took off, he was shipped off to Korea to fight in the army. En route overseas, Pal formed a Western band aboard ship with Neal Merritt, who also cut for 4-Star and gave six shows on the high seas for which he revived an official commendation from his superior officers.1    

Long time ago in Louisiana, you have left me,
You've left to go away,
You've gone away with another,
It's terrible, it's all over now.

It's all over, it's terrible,
It's all over, for us,
Long time ago in Louisiana, you have left,
It's terrible, it's all over now.

Oh, well, dear little girl.

It's all over, it's terrible,
Oh ye yaille, my heartache, feeling bad,
Just because you've left me,
It's terrible, it's all over now.

It's all over, it's terrible,
It's all over, for you've gone away,
Long time ago in Louisiana, you have left me,
It's terrible, it's all over now.

You've left me to go away,
Oh ye yaille, my heartache, feeling bad,
Just because you've left me all alone,
It's terrible, for I'm all alone.
After the war, in 1953, he released "Port Arthur Boogie" for Sky Line records.8  By 1955, he had left 4 Star and switched to Imperial, changing his name to "Little Pal Hardy" (an ode to his mother Rena Hardy) while stationed in Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming.4 





  1. Billboard magazine. Sep 13, 1952
  2. Billboard magazine. Aug 26, 1950
  3. The Mercury Labels: The 1945-1956 era By Michel Ruppli
  4. Billboard magazine. Feb 12, 1955
  5. Billboard magazine. Nov 24, 1951
  6. Billboard magazine.  Jul 22, 1950
  7. Billboard magazine. Apr 21, 1951
  8. Billboard magazine. Feb 21, 1953
  9. Lyrics by WF and Jerry M