I am looking for the music to “Joyeux Enfants de la Bourgogne.” I already have the words. Does anyone know the musical notes. I could play them on my guitar if I had them. Many thanks. MJ Baney

If anyone can help out Jean, please email me or comment below.

Thanks!

Lisa

MP3 of Pomme de reinette

Pomme de reinette et pomme d’api

Pomme de reinette et pomme d’api
Tapis, tapis rouge
Pomme de reinette et pomme d’api
Tapis, tapis gris.

Pippin Apple and Lady Apple

Pippin apple and lady apple*,
Carpet, red carpet,
Pippin apple and lady apple,
Carpet, grey carpet.

*Lady apple is one of the oldest varieties of apples.

Many thanks to Monique Palomares for contributing, translating and recording this song.

-Mama Lisa

PS I recommend you sing this song while either a) picking apples or b) cooking a delicious Tarte Tatin!

Below you can watch 11 year old Vi playing Mozart’s Variations…

Many thanks to Vi for letting me embed his video, thus helping us continue exploring variations on the theme of Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.

-Mama Lisa

You can check out Vi’s YouTube page to view other videos of him playing the piano.

Here’s a wonderful recording Tiphaine did of Ainsi Font, followed by the lyrics and an English translation.

MP3 of Ainsi Font

Ainsi font
(French)

Ainsi font, font, font
Les petites marionnettes
Ainsi font font font
Trois petits tours
Et puis s’en vont
Elle reviendront
Les petites marionnettes
Elles reviendront
Quand les autres partiront.

They Do This Way
(English)

They do, do, do this way
The little puppets
They do, do, do this way
Three little turns
And then they go away
They will come back
The little puppets
They will come back
When the others go away.

Many thanks to Tiphaine Woerth for the recording and Monique Palomares of Mama Lisa’s World en français for the English translation.

Come visit the Mama Lisa’s World France pages to hear more of Tiphaine’s recordings.

Here’s David’s latest email with the song…

Hi Lisa

You might like to include this little piece all about May by Antoine de Févin (c.1470 – 1511 or 1512). I found it in the Choral Public Domain Library. The words, as found there, are…

Il fait bon aimer l’oiselet
(French)

Il fait bon aimer l’oiselet
Qui chante par nature
Ce mois de mai comment qu’il soit
Tant comme la nuit dure

Il fait bon écouter son chant
Plus que nul autre
En bonne foi
Car il réjouit maint amant
Je le sais bien bien quant est à moi

Il s’appele rossignolet
Qui met toute sa cure
A chanter son chant parfait
Aussi c’est sa nature

Here is an English translation/paraphrase…

It Is Pleasant to Hear the Little Bird
(English)

It is pleasant to hear the little bird
Singing from her very soul
This month of May, however it be
And for as long as the night will roll.

It’s lovely to hear her song
Finer than any other’s
I do declare
Because it gives joy to many lovers
My songster fair.

It is the little nightingale
Who puts all its devotion
Into its perfect song
From its very creation.

Here’s an MP3 of David Solomons singing Il fait bon aimer l’oiselet.

Many thanks to David W. Solomons for sharing Il fait bon aimer l’oiselet with us. David is a one man choral singer who has been playing instruments and singing for over 30 years. Here’s a link to his home page.

-Lisa

Monsieur Carnaval… is responsible for all the wrongdoing people do throughout the year. At Carnival time in France, Monsieur Carnaval is judged for his behavior throughout the preceding year. Usually he’s found guilty and an effigy of him is burned at the Carnival.

While Monsieur Carnaval is burning, people dance in a circle around the fire singing (in French)…

Adieu pauvre Carnaval. Tu t’en vas et moi je reste pour manger la soupe à l’ail.

Here’s an English translation…

Goodbye poor Carnaval. You are leaving, and me, I am staying to eat garlic soup.

The soup is made with garlic, a vegetable, since, once Carnival is over, it’s time for Lent. Traditionally during the fast, meat was not allowed to be eaten.

There’s a similar song in Occitan called Adiu paure Carnaval (Farewell Poor Carnival). Occitan was the language of the Troubadours. It’s still spoken in some areas of Southern France (and some regions in Spain and Italy.) As the effigy burns, Adiu paure Carnaval is sung, speaking of Monsieur Carnival leaving the singer to eat garlic and oil soup.

Here’s Adiu paure Carnaval, in Occitan, with an English translation and an mp3 recording.

MP3 of Adiu paure Carnaval

Adiu paure Carnaval
(Occitan)

Adiu paure, adiu paure,
adiu paure Carnaval
Tu te’n vas e ieu demòri
Adiu paure Carnaval
Tu t’en vas e ieu demòri
Per manjar la sopa a l’alh
Per manjar la sopa a l’òli
Per manjar la sopa a l’alh
Adiu paure, adiu paure,
adiu paure Carnaval

La joinessa fa la fèsta
Per saludar Carnaval
La Maria fa de còcas
Amb la farina de l’ostal

Lo buòu dança, l’ase canta
Lo moton ditz sa leiçon
La galina canta lo Credo
E lo cat ditz lo Pater

Farewell, Poor Carnival
(English)

Farewell, farewell,
Farewell, poor Carnival
You are leaving, and I am staying
Farewell, poor Carnival
You are leaving, and I am staying
To eat garlic soup
To eat oil soup
To eat garlic soup
Farewell, farewell,
Farewell, poor Carnival.

The young ones are having a wild time
To greet Carnival
Mary is baking cakes
With flour from her home.

The ox is dancing, the donkey’s singing
The sheep is saying its lesson
The hen is singing the Credo
And the cat is saying the Pater.

Many thanks to Monique Palomares, of Mama Lisa’s World en français, for teaching me about the tradition of Monsieur Carnival and for translating and singing the song.

Come visit the Mama Lisa’s World Occitan Page for more Occitan Songs.

The town of Mamou, Louisiana, has a very different version of La Chanson de Mardi Gras. It’s believed to have its origins in a French song from about 400 years ago. To me, it sounds like an old French drinking song!

Here it is in French and with an English translation…

La chanson de Mardi Gras
(French)

Les Mardi Gras ayoù viens-tu?
Tout à l’entour du fond du verre?

On vient de l’Angleterre, O mon cher,
O mon cher,
On vient de l’Angleterre,
Tout à l’entour du fond du verre.

Les Mardi Gras quoi portes-tu?
Tout à l’entour du fond du verre.

On porte que las bouteille, O mon cher,
O mon cher
On porte que las bouteille,
Tout à l’entour du fond du verre.

Et la bouteille est bue
Tout à l’entour du fond du verre.

Il reste que la demie, O mon cher
O mon cher,
Il reste que la demie,
Tout à l’entour du fond du verre

Et la demie est bue
Tout à l’entour du fond du verre.

Il reste que le plein verre, O mon cher,
O mon cher,
Il reste que le plein verre
Tout à l’entour du fond du verre.

Et le plein verre est bue
Tout à l’entour du fond du verre.

Il reste que le demi verre, O mon cher,
O mon cher,
Il reste que le demi verre
Tout à l’entour du fond du verre.

Et le demi verre est bue
Tout à l’entour du fond du verre,
Et le demi-verre est bue
Tout à l’entour du fond du verre.

Il reste que la rinçure, O mon cher,
O mon cher,
Il reste que la rinçure
Tout à l’entour du fond du verre.

Et la rinçure on la boit pas, O mon cher,
O mon cher,
Et la rinçure on la boit pas,
Tout à l’entour du fond du verre.

Bonjour le maître et maitresse
On vous demande un peu de chose
On vous demande la fille aïnée
On va la faire faire une bonne chose
On va la faire chauffer ses pieds.

The Mardi Gras Song
(English)

Mardi Gras, where do you come from?
All around the bottom of the glass?

We come from England, oh my dear,
Oh my dear,
We come from England,
All around the bottom of the glass!

Mardi Gras, what are you bringing with you?
All around the bottom of the glass.

I’m bringing a weary bottle, oh my dear,
Oh my dear
I’m only bringing a weary bottle
All around the bottom of the glass.

And the bottle is drunk,
All around the bottom of the glass.

Only half is left, oh my dear
Oh my dear,
Only half is left,
All around the bottom of the glass.

And the half is drunk,
All around the bottom of the glass.

Only the full glass is left, oh my dear,
Oh my dear,
Only the full glass is left.
All around the bottom of the glass.

And the full glass is drunk,
All around the bottom of the glass.

There is only half a glass, oh my dear,
Oh my dear,
There is only half a glass,
All around the bottom of the glass.

And the half glass is drunk,
All around the bottom of the glass,
And the half glass is drunk,
All around the bottom of the glass.

There are only the dregs, oh my dear
Oh my dear,
There are only the dregs,
All around the bottom of the glass.

And the dregs, we won’t drink, oh my dear,
Oh my dear,
And the dregs, we won’t drink,
All around the bottom of the glass.

Hello to the master and the mistress,
We ask you for a little something
We ask you for the oldest daughter
We’re going to make her do something nice
We’re going to make her warm up her feet*!
(*By getting her to dance!)

UPDATE: John wrote to me that, “The Mardi Gras run is called the Tee Mamou/Iota Mardi Gras run” – even though the town is called Mamou. Here’s a map showing where Mamou is compared to New Orleans…

The Commedia dell’Arte was a troup of actors who would travel around Italy and perform comedies outdoors. The characters they used were often the same, so that people became familiar with them. Most of the actors would perform with masks and different characters had their own distinguishable mask.

The characters included Harlequin (an acrobat), Pulcinella (a mean hunchback who goes after women, he was the model for Punch in Punch and Judy), Colombine (Harlequin’s lover), the Captain (a soldier who’s boastful, yet cowardly) and Pierrot (a dreamer and a clown).

Interestingly, some of these Commedia dell’Arte characters made their way into a French Carnival song called Monsieur Carnaval.

Monsieur Carnaval seems to be a French invention. He’s responsible for all the wrongdoing people do throughout the year. At Carnival time in France, Monsieur Carnaval is judged for his behavior throughout the preceding year. Usually he’s found guilty and an effigy of him is burned at the Carnival.

Here are the lyrics to Mr. Carnaval in French, with an English translation…

Monsieur Carnaval
(French)

Monsieur Carnaval d’un coup de cymbale
Donne le signal pour ouvrir le bal.
Un polichinelle qui ne danse pas
Attend que sa belle lui donne le bras

Refrain:
Zim et boum et tara ta ta
Zim et boum dansons la polka.
Zim et boum et tara ta ta
Zim et boum dansons la polka.

Pauvre Colombine a le coeur bien gros
Car chez la voisine s’est enfui Pierrot
Arlequin arrache son masque de soie
Arlequin se fâche cela va de soi.

Refrain

Marquis et marquises du temps d’autrefois
Dansent à leur guise la polka du roi.
Quand finit la danse l’on se remercie
D’une réverence et l’on applaudit

Refrain

Here is Monsieur Carnaval in English…

Mr. Carnival
(English)

Mr. Carnival, with a bang on the cymbal
Gives the signal to open the ball.
A Pulcinella that isn’t dancing
Waits for his pretty one to give him an arm.

Refrain:
Zim and boom and tara ta ta
Zim and boom, let’s dance the polka.
Zim and boom and tara ta ta
Zim and boom, let’s dance the polka.

Poor Colombine has a heavy heart
For Pierrot has escaped to the neighbor’s house
Harlequin tears off his silk mask.
Harlequin loses his temper, it’s obvious.

Refrain

The marquis and marquises from another time
Dance, in their costumes, the King’s polka.
When the dance finishes, they thank each other
With reverence, and they applaud.

Refrain

Many thanks to Monique Palomares of Mama Lisa’s World en français for help with the translation.

-Lisa

UPDATE: You can see a Carnival Mask Here. Also, click on the comments below for an Italian children’s song that mentions characters from the Comedia dell’arte.

Come visit the Mama Lisa’s World France page for more French children’s songs with their English translations and…

Mama Lisa’s World en français for children’s songs around the world with their French translations.

Pancakes and crêpes are an important aspect of Candlemas. First, both resemble the sun, which everyone is sorely missing at this exact halfway point of winter. Also, it is said that Pope Gelasius I, who introduced Candlemas into the Catholic Church, often gave crêpes to people who made the pilgrimage to Rome.

The French have many proverbs about eating crêpes on Candlemas. Here are some of them…

(I’m using crêpes and pancakes interchangeably)

Manger des crêpes à la chandeleur
Apporte un an de bonheur.

Eat crêpes on Candlemas
And have a year of happiness.

***

Il faut faire sauter les crêpes avec une pièce dans la main
Afin de s’assurer prospérité toute l’année.

You must flip the crêpes with a coin in your hand
In order to ensure prosperity all year long.

***

Celui qui retourne sa crêpe avec adresse,
Qui ne laisse pas tomber à terre,
Celui-là aura du bonheur
Jusqu’à la Chandeleur prochaine.

Whoever turns over his pancake with skill,
Who doesn’t let it fall to the floor,
That one will have happiness
Until the next Candlemas.

***

Here’s a French song for Candlemas, in French and with an English translation…

In French…

La veille de la Chandeleur

La veille de la Chandeleur
L’hiver se passe ou prend rigueur
Si tu sais bien tenir la poêle
A toi l’argent en quantité
Mais gare à la mauvaise étoile
Si tu mets la crêpe à côté.

In English…

The day before Candlemas

The day before Candlemas
Winter passes, or gets stronger.
If you know how to hold the frying pan,
To you, lots of money.
But you’ll be under an unlucky star
If the pancake misses the mark.

Enjoy your pancakes!

Lisa

***
Many thanks to Monique of Mama Lisa’s World en français for pointing out the tradition of eating pancakes in France on Candlemas.

Come visit the Mama Lisa’s World France page for more French children’s songs with their English translations and…

Mama Lisa’s World en français for children’s songs around the world with their French translations.