Kids Songs Around the World with English Translations
or French Translations
or Spanish Translations
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This is the French Kids Songs Archive Page
- ABC's in French – L'alphabet (2)
- Ah! Vous dirai-je Maman (3)
- Colors of Autumn Song (1)
- Frère Jacques (3)
- Guillaume prends ton tambourin (1)
- J'aime la galette – I Love Cake! (2)
- La légende de Saint Nicolas (1)
- Le petit lapin s'est sauvé dans le jardin – The Litt (1)
- Mon beau sapin (1)
- Petit Papa – Little Daddy (1)
- Quand on fait des crêp's chez nous (1)
- Saint Martin boit du vin (1)
- Sur le pont d'Avignon (1)
- Tape, tape, petites mains (1)
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- Children's Songs (432)
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My Tweets
Archive for the 'French Kids Songs' Category
Contents
Posts
Tapent, tapent, petites mains – Clap, Clap, Little Hands – A French Pat-a-cake Song with a YouTube Video
Friday, November 20th, 2009Pat-a-cake songs can be found throughout the western world. They help teach children to use their hands…
Tapent, tapent, petites mains
Tourne, tourne, joli moulin,
Nage, nage, gentil poisson
Vole, vole papillonClap, clap, little hands,
Turn, turn, pretty mill,
Swim, swim, nice fish,
Fly, fly, butterfly!We’d love for you to share a Pat-a-cake song from your country in the comments below or by emailing me.
Cheers!
Mama Lisa
PS I’m curious if there are Pat-a-cake Songs in Asia and Africa.
Frere Jacques – Brother John with an MP3 Recording in French and English
Saturday, November 14th, 2009Here’s a nice recording of Frère Jacques in both French and English by Ezwa.
Here are the lyrics of the French and English versions of Frère Jacques. The version on the mp3 recording mixes these lyrics…
Frère Jacques,
Frère Jacques,
Dormez-vous?
Dormez-vous?
Sonnez les matines.
Sonnez les matines.
Ding, ding, dong.
Ding, ding, dong.Are you sleeping?
Are you sleeping?
Brother John,
Brother John?
Morning bells are ringing.
Morning bells are ringing.
Ding, dong, ding.
Ding, dong, ding.Enjoy!
Mama Lisa
Two French Goodbye Songs with Recordings
Friday, October 23rd, 2009I was recently asked for a Goodbye Song in French. While looking for a song I found out that some French school teachers use the French version of Auld Lang Syne, “Ce n’est qu’un au revoir”, as a Goodbye Song. It’s a Scout song that’s also called “Le chant des adieux”. When teachers use it as a Goodbye song, they sing the 1st two verses. Here they are in French with an English translation….
Faut-il nous quitter sans espoir
Sans espoir de retour ?
Faut-il nous quitter sans espoir
De nous revoir un jour ?Refrain
Ce n’est qu’un au revoir, mes frères,
Ce n’est qu’un au revoir.
Oui, nous nous reverrons, mes frères,
Ce n’est qu’un au revoir.Here’s a literal English translation by Monique Palomares…
Must we leave each other without a hope
To see each other again some day
Must we leave each other without a hope
A hope of returnIt’s only a goodbye, my brothers
It’s only a goodbye,
Yes, we’ll see each other again, my brothers
It’s only a goodbye.Here you can hear the whole song…
Another Goodbye Song we have here today was written and sung by Alain Le Lait. It’s in French and English. Sit back and enjoy the song by clicking the MP3 below. You can read along with the lyrics in French and English…
Listen to Alain’s French Goodbye Song
Au revoir
by Alain Le LaitAu revoir, good bye,
Now it is time for me to go away.
Au revoir, good bye,
But I wish I could stay with you all day.Thanks for your smiles
And for singing along
I hope to see you again before too long.Au revoir, good bye,
Il se fait tard et je dois m’en aller
Au revoir, good bye,
Mais j’aimerais rester toute la journée
Pour vos sourires et vos bien jolies voix
Je vous remercie et a une autre fois.Au revoir, good bye,
Au revoir, good bye,
Au revoir, good bye.(English Translation of French Verse)
Good bye, good bye
It’s getting late and I must go
Good bye, good bye
But I’d like to stay with you all day
For all your smiles and your pretty voices
I thank you and I’ll see you another time.The French and English lyrics to this “Au revoir” song are © 1994 Alain Le Lait.
Alain Le Lait is a French native who grew up near Paris, France. He moved to the United States in the 1970s and now lives in Colorado. Alain writes and performs easy to learn children’s songs in French, Spanish and English. Check out his site www.Yadeeda.com to hear samples of his music and to buy his CD’s or mp3’s.
Merci Alain & Monique!
Feel free to share any French Hello or Goodbye songs you know in the comments below.
Mama Lisa
PS Here are some other Hello and Goodbye Songs…
French Hello Song “Bonjour” with MP3
Monday, June 8th, 2009Hello songs are a wonderful way to help children who are learning a foreign language. It’s also nice for children to always sing the same song at the beginning of a class. Hello songs are great for this.
The song below is called “Bonjour”. It’s a French hello song written and sung by Alain Le Lait. Sit back and enjoy the song by clicking the MP3 below. You can read along with the lyrics in French, followed by an English translation by Alain…
Bonjour
(French Lyrics)Bonjour, bonjour
Comment ça va?
Bonjour, bonjour
Très bien, merci
Je suis content d’être ici
Avec tous mes petits amis
Bonjour, bonjour
Comment ça va?Merci, merci
Merci d’être ici
Merci, merci
Écoutez
Aimez-vous cette chanson?
J’espère que je suis dans le ton
Merci, merci
Merci d’être iciHello
(English Translation)Hello, hello
How are you?
Hello, hello
Very well, thank you
I am happy to be here
With all my little friends
Hello, hello
How are you?Thank you, thank you
For being here
Thank you, thank you
Listen up
Do you like this song?
I hope that I am in tune
Thank you, thank you
For being here.The French and English lyrics to this “Bonjour” song are © 2003 Alain Le Lait.
Alain Le Lait is a French native who grew up near Paris, France. He moved to the United States in the 1970s and now lives in Colorado. Alain writes and performs easy to learn children’s songs in French, Spanish and English. Check out his site www.Yadeeda.com to hear samples of his music and to buy his CD’s or mp3’s. Soon we’ll be posting Alain’s version of Alouette!
Merci Alain!
Mama Lisa
PS Here are some other Hello and Goodbye Songs…
Can Anyone Help with a Scary French Lullaby?
Thursday, January 29th, 2009Etiennette was looking for help with a French lullaby:
I was wondering if anyone knew the complete lyrics to a lullaby my mother would sing to me and then to my children. I only remember a few, it’s a bit scary. Maybe that’s why I don’t remember too much. Here it goes…
Entendez-vous dans la pleine,
Un bruit venent jusqu’a nous
On dirait un bruit de chenes, (blank, blank)
C’est le lustucru qui passe (dah dah dah)
Allez-vous-en méchant homme – - – -
car ils font un petit songes,
Non vous n’aurai pas mes deux petit gars,
Lo-la lo-la tirala lo la.Etiennette Tosches
If anyone can help, please comment below.
Thanks!
Mama Lisa
Can Someone Help with a French Song about a Doll?
Saturday, January 24th, 2009Gérard only remembers the beginning of a song that goes…
“Maman, il est temps de coucher ma poupée, pauvre petite, elle a l’air fatiguée… ”
In English that would be something like, “Mom, it is time to put my doll to bed, poor baby, she looks tired..”
Would anyone know this song he heard in the late 40’s? If you can, please let us know about it in the comments below.
Thanks!
Mama Lisa
French Handclapping Song called X. A. X. B.
Monday, July 21st, 2008Here’s a nice, simple hand clapping song that the kids in France do. The lyrics are spelled exactly the same in French and English, although they are pronounced differently.
In French, you can hear a play on the word “alphabet” and the sound of the letter “b”. This is because in French, the word “alphabet” ends with the “bay” sound and the letter “b” sounds like “bay”. You can hear this play on sounds in the recording below…
X. A. X. B.
Alphabet,
X X A A
X X B B
X A X B
X alphabet.Many thanks to some girls from Monique Palomares’ school for singing this song for us and to Monique for recording them!
Merci beaucoup!
Mama Lisa
French Song called Le carillon de Vendome – The Chimes of Vendome
Wednesday, July 2nd, 2008Stephen McGill wrote…
I remember the melody but not the lyrics to a song that my sisters used to sing. It was called, “Orlean.” I’m not certain of the spelling, but they pronounced it, “or-LAY-ahn.” Does anybody know the rest of the lyrics?
Monique from Mama Lisa’s World en français was familiar with this song. It’s called Le carillon de Vendôme – Vendôme Chimes. Monique provided the lyrics, an English translation, the score, a recording and a midi. Click the link to see all of these.
Thanks Monique!
-Mama Lisa
A French Father’s Day Song with a Recording
Sunday, June 15th, 2008Here’s a French Father’s Day song called “Petit Papa” with an English translation and an mp3 recording…
Petit Papa
(French)Petit Papa, c’est aujourd’hui ta fête,
Maman m’a dit que tu n’étais pas là.
J’avais des fleurs pour couronner ta tête
Et un bouquet pour mettre sur ton cœur.
Petit Papa, petit Papa!Little Daddy
(English Translation)Little Daddy, today is your day
Mommy told me you weren’t here.
I had flowers to crown your head
And a bunch to put on your heart.
Little Daddy, little Daddy!Come visit the Petit Papa song page for the sheet music, midi tune and Spanish translation of this song. Come visit The Mama Lisa’s World France pages for more French songs with English translations.
Many thanks to Monique Palomares of Mama Lisa’s World en français for contributing this song, for the English translation and the recording!
Happy Father’s Day to all you Dads out there!
If anyone would like to share a traditional Father’s Day song or poem please comment below or email me.
-Mama Lisa
Sur le pont d’Avignon… about the Bridge of Avignon and its Song
Wednesday, April 23rd, 2008Many people know the song Sur le pont d’Avignon (On the Bridge of Avignon). During my recent trip to France, I was lucky enough to see the actual bridge that the song is about.
Here is what the real Bridge of Avignon looks like…
Though the words to the song are about dancing on the bridge, if you were to actually try to dance across it, you’d end up in the river! This bridge is broken – and is actually only partially there!
The bridge was first built in the 12th century. However, the Rhone River beneath it kept damaging it. It was repaired and rebuilt many times. Finally, in the 1600’s they gave up and stopped fixing it.
You can still visit it today, as we did last month. I’ve been humming the song ever since!
Avignon was also the site of the papacy during the “Babylonian Captivity” of the fourteenth century. Today, the impressive palace where the Popes resided is open to the public. Here’s a photo of it…
Here are the lyrics to Sur le pont d’Avignon in French, with an English translation and the midi tune…
Midi Tune of Sur le pont d’Avignon
Sur le pont d’Avignon
(French)Refrain
Sur le pont d’Avignon
On y danse, on y danse
Sur le pont d’Avignon
On y danse tout en rond1 Les beaux messieurs font comme ça
Et puis encore comme ça.Refrain
2 Les belles dames font comme ça
Et puis encore comme ça.Refrain.
On the Bridge of Avignon
(English Translation)Chorus
On the bridge of Avignon
They are dancing, they are dancing,
On the bridge of Avignon
They are dancing all around.1 The handsome gentlemen go this way,
And then again go that way.Chorus
2 The pretty dames go this way,
And then again go that way.Chorus.
Many thanks to Monique Palomares of Mama Lisa’s World en français for the midi tune and to Calvin Pomerantz for the second photo of the Bridge of Avignon!
Come visit the Song Page of Sur le pont d’Avignon for sheet music, a Spanish translation and other information about this song.
Mama Lisa
Two Thanksgiving Songs to the Tune of “Frère Jacques”
Sunday, November 11th, 2007Here are two songs you can teach your children or students for Thanksgiving. Both of these ditties are sung to the tune of Frère Jacques and both are called Mr. Turkey!
Click to Hear the Mr. Turkey Tune
Mr. Turkey Song #1
Mr. Turkey,
Mr. Turkey,
Run away!
Run away!
If you are not careful,
You will be a mouthful,
On Thanksgiving Day,
On Thanksgiving Day.Mr. Turkey Song #2
Mr. Turkey,
Mr. Turkey,
Big and fat,
Big and fat.
I am gonna eat you!
I am gonna eat you!
Just like that!
Just like that!Have a Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
-Mama Lisa
Here’s Mama Lisa’s Thanksgiving Pages with more Thanksgiving Songs, Poems, Nursery Rhymes and Recipes.
A French Song about Apples
Wednesday, October 17th, 2007Here’s a jolly French song to sing as the apple picking season draws to a close. An English translation follows the French version. Monique Palomares of Mama Lisa’s World en français is singing the song in the mp3 below…
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!
Mozart’s Piano Variations on Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
Monday, July 9th, 2007Recently I wrote about the history of the tune of Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. Many people think Mozart wrote it. He didn’t – he just wrote a wonderful piece for piano based on its tune – Variations on “Ah, vous dirais-je, Maman” (a French song).
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.
The Tune of “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” in Classical Music
Wednesday, June 27th, 2007In my last blog post I talked about how the tune of Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star was originally from France. Mozart was the first composer to set the tune to a classical piece of music in his 12 Variations (K. 265). It was written in 1781-82. Mozart weaves the tune throughout the 12 movements.
Recently, Gerard Raiti at Disney sent me a disc of Variations on a Nursery Tune by Ernő Dohnányi. This is another classical piece that plays with the Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star tune. Dohnányi’s Variations is much more complex than Mozart’s. It refers to several other classical works, including pieces by Brahms, Wagner, and Debussy. There are 13 variations. You might have to listen through this piece several times to start getting a handle on all of its nuances.
Here’s a link that gives an outline of the Variations.
-Lisa
Many thanks to Gerard Raiti for introducing me to the Variations on a Nursery Tune by Ernő Dohnányi!
The Origin of Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star
Monday, June 18th, 2007People all around the world are familiar with the tune to Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star. It’s at least 245 years old! The tune is originally from France and it was first seen in print in Paris in 1761 – though the current song, Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star didn’t exist back then.
In the 1770’s, a poem called, Ah! Vous dirai-je Maman (Ah! Will I tell you, Mother), was set to the Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star tune and printed. The poem was a melodramatic love poem.
Later, a parody of the love song developed. It was also called Ah! Vous dirai-je Maman. This one is still loved by French children today:
Listen to Ah! Vous dirai-je Maman
Ah! Vous dirai-je Maman
(French)Ah! Vous dirai-je Maman
Ce qui cause mon tourment ?
Papa veut que je raisonne
Comme une grande personne
Moi je dis que les bonbons
Valent mieux que la raison.Ah! Will I tell you, Mommy
(English)Ah! Will I tell you, Mommy
What is tormenting me?
Daddy wants me to reason
Like a grown up person
Me, I say that sweets
Are worth more than reason.In 1781-2 Mozart wrote his Variations on “Ah vous dirais-je, Maman”. Many people think he wrote the tune to Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star. He didn’t! He just created a wonderful piece based on the tune.
We have to travel over to England in 1806 to find the origins of the lyrics of Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star. That’s when Jane Taylor and her sister Ann published their second book of poems for children, called Rhymes for the Nursery. Jane wrote the poem, The Star, for the book. This is the poem the song is based on:
The Star
The Poem by Jane Taylor
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are!
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky!When the blazing sun is gone,
When he nothing shines upon,
Then you show your little light,
Twinkle, twinkle, all the night.Then the traveler in the dark,
Thanks you for your tiny spark,
He could not see which way to go,
If you did not twinkle so.In the dark blue sky you keep,
And often through my curtains peep,
For you never shut your eye,
Till the sun is in the sky.As your bright and tiny spark,
Lights the traveller in the dark,-
Though I know not what you are,
Twinkle, twinkle, little star.It’s a bit of a mystery when the poem and the tune came together to form the wonderful song Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star. It seems like the first time they’re seen in print as a song was in 1838, in a book called The Singing Master. Here’s the song as children sing it in English today:
Listen to Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star
Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are!
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky!
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are!The wonderful song has traveled around the world in many languages. You can find it in Spanish, Dutch, Swedish, Turkish and many other languages. If you’d like to share a version from your country, please email me.
Many thanks to Isa Santoveña for the midi tune, to Monique Palomares for the translation of Ah! Vous dirai-je Maman, and to Tiphaine Woerth for singing Ah! Vous dirai-je Maman for us!
-Lisa
Does Anyone Know a French Canadian Song with the Line “”Marchons marchons soldats de plomb”"
Wednesday, June 13th, 2007Carlene wrote:
Hi Lisa
My father-in-law was raised in Northern Ontario. Now that he’s a grand parent he has begun singing a song from his childhood but he only remembers one verse. We have been trying to find more verses but have been unsuccessful. Here are the words:
“Marchons marchons soldats de plomb.
Chantons chantons notre chanson.
Soyons militaires; marchons tête fière.
Marchons, marchons soldats de plomb”.Any help you can offer would be awesome.
Thanks!
Carlene
Here’s a loose English translation:
Let us march, march, tin soldiers.
Let us sing, sing, our song.
Let us be soldiers; let us march with heads held high.
Let us march, march, tin soldiers.If anyone can help with this song, please comment below or email me.
Thanks!
Lisa
New Recordings of French Children’s Songs
Thursday, May 3rd, 2007We were recently fortunate enough to receive a selection of recordings of French kids songs, sung by a French music teacher, Tiphaine Woerth.
Here’s a wonderful recording Tiphaine did of Ainsi Font, followed by the lyrics and an English translation.
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.
Frère Jacques Sung Around the World
Wednesday, February 7th, 2007Frère Jacques seems to be the most well known children’s song that is sung around the world. It’s amazing to I see how far it’s traveled… from France, to Germany, Japan, China, to many countries in Africa. The list goes on.
This past weekend we learned about a wonderful Frère Jacques page that contains videos of students and teachers singing Frère Jacques in different languages. You can click here to visit it.
Olivier Pagani, the host of that site, was nice enough to let us post a recording of his student singing the Haitian version of Frère Jacques. It’s called Tonton Bouki. Here’s the recording, followed by the lyrics in Creole, and then an English translation:
Tonton Bouki
(Haitian Creole)Tonton Bouki, Tonton Bouki,
Ou ap dòmi? Ou ap dòmi?
Lévé pou bat tanbou-a, Lévé pou bat tanbou-a
Ding ding dong ! Ding ding dong !Uncle Bouki
(English)Uncle Bouki, Uncle Bouki
Are you sleeping? Are you sleeping?
Get up to play the drum, get up to play the drum
Ding, ding, dong! Ding, ding, dong!Many thanks to Olivier Pagani from the Classe d’Initiation at Mons-en-Baroeul/Lille Fives (France) for the wonderful recording of Tonton Bouki!
If you’d like to send us a version of Frère Jacques from where you live, we’d be happy to post it. In a couple of months we plan on posting a Frère Jacques page with all of the versions we have.
-Lisa
The ABC Song Sung by Kindergarteners
Friday, January 26th, 2007Ms. Lupton’s Kindergarten class recorded a slow version of the ABC Song for us! It’s particularly good for young kids, and children who are learning English as a second language. Click the link below to hear the song…
Here are the lyrics…
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y and Z
Now I know my ABC’s, next time won’t you sing with me!
Here’s a faster version of the ABC song my daughter sang last year.
Finally, here’s the ABC Song in French.
If you’d like to send me a recording of the ABC song from your country, or an alternate rendition in English, I’d be happy to post it.
Coming soon, Ms. Lupton’s class will sing an ABC Phonics Song for us with interactive letters!
Many thanks to Ms. Lupton’s Kindergarten class of 2007 and to my daughter for singing the ABC Song in English and to Monique Palomares’ 1st Grade class of 2006 for singing the ABC song in French.
Merci beaucoup!
-Lisa
PS Below is a discussion about the ABC’s en español (Spanish) – feel free to join in!
Question about a Recording of “A La Claire Fontaine”
Wednesday, January 24th, 2007M. Katul wrote:
At the end of the film “The Painted Veil” currently playing in theaters, a group of children, off camera, sang the French children’s song “A La Claire Fontaine”.
How can I find out who made that recording and whether or not it is available for purchase?
Thank you.
M. Katul
The Choir of the Beijing Takah sang “A La Claire Fontaine” in the movie “The Painted Veil”. Unfortunately, the song does not seem to be on the soundtrack CD of the movie. When I checked on Amazon, it’s not listed on the CD and someone specifically said in a review that this song is not on the CD. I also checked iTunes and they are not currently selling the song.
All I can suggest is to either check back at iTunes from time to time in the hope that they will eventually sell this song, or buy the movie on DVD when it comes out, and get the song from the DVD (if that’s possible).
You can find the lyrics and sheet music to “À la claire fontaine” and a clip of what it sounds like, on my Mama Lisa’s World page. It’s not the recording you’re looking for, but it’s something!
If anyone has any other suggestions, please comment below.
I hope this helps!
Lisa
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