Kids Songs Around the World with English Translations or French Translations or Spanish Translations

Mama Lisa's World Blog English Nursery Rhymes Mother Goose in French

Wizard of Oz Audiobook Poetry for Kids ML Reviews Mama Lisa's Hub

Archive for the 'La Chanson de Mardi Gras - The Mardi Gras Song' Category

Contents

A Mardi Gras Run Song from Mamou, Louisiana

The Mardi Gras Run – Let the good times roll!

Posts

A Mardi Gras Run Song from Mamou, Louisiana

Friday, February 24th, 2006

Yesterday, I wrote about the tradition of The Mardi Gras Run in Southern Louisiana, USA. Each town has it’s own version of The Mardi Gras Song or La Chanson de Mardi Gras.

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…

Share on Facebook and other services:

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Posted in Cajun, Countries & Cultures, Folk Songs, French, French Folk Songs, Holiday Songs, Holidays Around the World, La Chanson de Mardi Gras - The Mardi Gras Song, Languages, Mardi Gras, Mardi Gras Songs, USA | 5 Comments »

The Mardi Gras Run – Let the good times roll!

Thursday, February 23rd, 2006

Mardi Gras, the American version of Carnival has been celebrated in South Louisiana, U.S.A., since around 1755. Mardi Gras literally means “Fat Tuesday” in French.

Many people are familiar with the giant Mardi Gras Parade and the other festivities in New Orleans. Much less known are the celebrations in the smaller towns which include: Le Courir de Mardi Gras or The Mardi Gras Run.

The Mardi Gras Run is traditionally done by men only, but in some places women have started their own.

During The Mardi Gras Run, everyone wears costumes and masks, except for Le Capitaine (the Captain), and his assistants. Le Capitaine wears a cowboy hat and a festive cape. All of the participants go from house to house begging for ingredients for a huge gumbo, which the whole community will eat at nighttime.

Gumbo is a traditional dish from Louisiana. It’s a thick soup, made with a variety of meats, spices, and vegetables, often including okra, which is used to thicken the soup. It’s served over rice.

Le Capitaine is in charge of the whole procession. He makes sure all the participants stay under some sort of control, as they’re likely to be drinking during The Mardi Gras Run. Le Capitiane usually rides on a horse. The participants are often on horseback too. Sometimes the procession is followed by several flatbed trucks filled with costumed women and children who watch the proceedings.

When the procession reaches a farm, le Capitaine, holding a white flag, will approach the farmer and ask if the riders can enter his property. Once given permission the men will often “beg” the farmer for a chicken. They will often chant “Ayoù la poule, ayoù la poule, ayoù la poule?” In English that’s, “Where’s the chicken? Where’s the chicken? Where’s the chicken?” If the farmer has a chicken to give, he will often throw it up in the air and the men will have to catch it. Or the farmer might give rice or some other ingredient for the gumbo. That is followed by singing and dancing. Then the procession will move on to the next house.

At the end of the Mardi Gras Run all the ingredients are given to the cooks to make a big gumbo. At night the gumbo is eaten and there’s a fais do-do, which is a big dance. Fais do-do means “go to sleep” in French. Fais do-do, in Cajun French, specifically comes from putting the children to sleep in one area at the dance, so the adults can go and party!

There are different versions of La Chanson de Mardi Gras or The Mardi Gras Song that are sung during The Mardi Gras Run. The song differs from town to town. The verse that is most common is…

La Chanson de Mardi Gras
(French)

Capitaine, Capitaine, voyage ton flag.
Allons se mettre dessus le chemin.
Capitaine, Capitaine, voyage ton flag.
Allons aller chez l’autre voisin.

The Mardi Gras Song
(English)

Captain, Captain, wave your flag.
Let’s take to the road.
Captain, Captain, show your flag.
Let’s go to another neighbor.

Below is the basic way some of the more common verses go…

In French…

Les Mardi Gras devient de tout partout.
Oui, mon cher comarade. Mais tout l’autour de moyeu.
Les Mardi Gras vient de tout partout, mais,
Tout l’autour de moyeu.

Voulez vous recevoir cette bande des Mardi Gras.
Mais voulez vous recevoir cette bande des grand soulards.
Les Mardi Gras demander la rentre au maitre de la maison,
Avec toutes les politesses.

English translation…

The Mardis Gras comes from everywhere.
Yes, my dear comrade, but all around the hub
The Mardis Gras comes from everywhere,
But all around the hub.

Do you want to receive this band of Mardi Gras (beggers)?
But do you want to receive this band of big drunks?
The Mardi Gras asks the master of the house to enter,
With all courtesy.

One expression you’ll hear at Mardi Gras is Laissez les bon temps roule!

So… Let the good times roll!

Lisa

Share on Facebook and other services:

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Posted in Cajun, Countries & Cultures, French, Holiday Songs, Holidays Around the World, La Chanson de Mardi Gras - The Mardi Gras Song, Languages, Mardi Gras, Mardi Gras Songs, USA | 5 Comments »

________

Help Support
Mama Lisa's World!

$5, $10, $25
or any amount welcome!