The Basile Mardi Gras Song

Listening to Potic Rider's resonant voice leading the Basile Mardi Gras in their begging song is a truly memorable experience. On Mardi Gras day, the Mardi Gras gather about dawn at the Basile Town Park where they assemble under an open barn to hear instructions from Capitaine Potic Rider.

After undergoing the traditional search for weapons, they sing their song before they load up on trailers and begin their run. The excitement and enthusiasim of the Mardi Gras is obvious, even in this recording made with a small hand-held machine. 

If you come to watch the Mardi Gras depart, you need to be ready to reach for your pockets. Once the song is over, the Mardi Gras will surround you, begging insistently until you produce at least "cinq sous."  And they'll return to beg again and again, despite the co-capitaines' efforts with their whips to keep the Mardi Gras under control.

Capitaine Rider leads the Mardi Gras in their song at each stop during the courir.

Click here to download an MP3 file (499 kb) of the Basile Mardi Gras Song.

Test download of Flash file of song.: basile.swf

The Basile Mardi Gras Song

Sung by Russell Potic Rider and the Basile Mardi Gras
in the Basile Town Park Barn immediately before the start of the courir, February 16, 1999

Capitaine, capitaine, voyage ton flag et hale ton camp.

Chorus: Tout le tour autour du moyeu.

La route est grande, la nuit est longue, et les belles sont pas invitées.
C'est les Mardi Gras, ça vient une fois par an demander la charité.
Une fois par an, c’est pas trop souvent pour vous quand même.

Chorus: C’est hip, c’est hip, c’est hop, et mon cher de camarade.
C’est hip, c’est hip, c’est hop, et mon cher de camarade.

C'est les Mardi Gras ça devient de loin, ça devient de l'Angleterre.

Chorus: Tout le tour autour du moyeu.

C’est les Mardi Gras c’est tout des bons jeunes gens,
Des bons jeunes gens ça devient de bonnes familles.

Chorus: Tout le tour autour du moyeu.

C’est pas des malfecteurs. C’est juste des chamondeurs.

Chorus: C’est hip, c’est hip, c’est hop, et mon cher de camarade.
C’est hip, c’est hip, c’est hop, et mon cher de camarade.

C’est les Mardi Gras, ça demande à la maitresse,
À la maitresse pour une petite poule grasse et du riz ou de la graisse.

Chorus: Tout le tour autour du moyeu.

Pour faire leur grand gumbo ce soir à Grand Basile.

Chorus: C’est hip, c’est hip, c’est hop, et mon cher de camarade.
C’est hip, c’est hip, c’est hop, et mon cher de camarade.

Tu me promettrais ci, tu me promettrais ça, mais tu m’en donneras pas.

Chorus: Tout le tour autour du moyeu.
C’est hip, c’est hip, c’est hop, et mon cher de camarade.
C’est hip, c’est hip, c’est hop, et mon cher de camarade

Capitaine, Capitaine les sauvages ça peut plus chanter à force que leur gorge est sec.

Chorus: Tout le tour autour du moyeu.

Une bonne petite bière fraide [froide] les ferait chanter meilleur.

Chorus: C’est hip, c’est hip, c’est hop, et mon cher de camarade.
C’est hip, c’est hip, c’est hop, et mon cher de camarade

English Translation

Capitain, capitain, wave your flag and let’s get going.
The way is long, the night is long, and the women are not invited.

Chorus: All around the hub.

The Mardi Gras come once a year to ask for charity.
Anyhow, one time a year is not too often for you.

Chorus: It's hip, it's hip, it's hop, and my dear camarade.
It's hip, it's hip, it's hop, and my dear camarade.

The Mardi Gras come from far, they come from England.

Chorus: All around the hub.

The Mardi Gras are all good people
Good people who come from good families.

Chorus: All around the hub.

They are not wrong-doers. They are just beggars.

Chorus: It's hip, it's hip, it's hop, and my dear camarade.
It's hip, it's hip, it's hop, and my dear camarade.

The Mardi Gras ask the mistress,
The mistress for a small fat chicken, some rice, or some grease.

Chorus: All around the hub.

To make their big gumbo this evening in Big Basile.

It's hip, it's hip, it's hop, and my dear camarade.
It's hip, it's hip, it's hop, and my dear camarade.

You promise me this, you promise me that, but you don’t give me anything.

Chorus: All around the hub.
It's hip, it's hip, it's hop, and my dear camarade.
It's hip, it's hip, it's hop, and my dear camarade.

Capitain, Capitain, these wild Indians can no longer sing because their throats are dry.
A good little cold beer would make them sing better.

Chorus: It's hip, it's hip, it's hop, and my dear camarade.
It's hip, it's hip, it's hop, and my dear camarade.

Based on a French transcript by Helena Putnam supplied by the Basile Mardi Gras Association.