"La Chanson de Mardi Gras"
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"La Chanson de Mardi Gras" has many different words. Some Mardi Gras Associations, such as those in Tee-Mamou and Basile, have their own songs with specific wording that the Mardi Gras sing. In other places like Church Point, Mamou, and Eunice, the bands riding along in a wagon with the Mardi Gras perform their versions of the traditional Mardi Gras song.
This page contains a link to an MP3 audio file of Woody Daigle and the Cajun Five playing the Mardi Gras song with their wagon parked near Jim David's barn during the 1999 Church Point Mardi Gras. (The Church Point Mardi Gras shown at left is not a member of the band.)
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While the band was playing, the Mardi Gras danced and carried on in front of the barn. Holding a chicken, Jim stood in the barn loft in front of a window. As soon as the band stopped, Jim tossed the chicken from the window, and the Mardi Gras scrambled to catch it.
The song was recorded using an inexpensive pocket-size tape recorder. Despite this limitation, the excitement of the moment still comes through.
Click here to download the MP3 file (565 kb).
You will need an MP3-capable player, such as the Windows Media Player, to listen to the file.
Here is a transcription of the words you will hear, followed by an English translation:
Les Mardi Gras vient de tout partout, tout le tour du moyeu.
Vient une fois par an pour demander la charité
Une vieille patate, une patate et des gratons.
Les Mardi Gras vient de tout partout, tout le tour du moyeu.
Vient une par an pour demander la charité
Une vieille patate, une patate et des gratons.
Capitaine, capitaine voyage ton flag, tout le tour du moyeu.
Une fois par an pour demander la charité
Et des patates, des patates et des gratons.
Les Mardi Gras vient de l’Angleterre, tout le tour du moyeu.
Vient une fois par an pour demander la charité
Une vieille patate, une patate et des gratons.
The Mardi Gras come from everywhere around the hub.
Once each year to ask for charity
An old potato, a potato and some cracklins.
The Mardi Gras come from everywhere around the hub.
Once each year to ask for charity
An old potato, a potato and some cracklins.
Captain, captain wave your flag, all around the hub.
Once each year to ask for charity.
The Mardi Gras come from England, all around the hub.
Once each year to ask for charity
And potatoes, potatoes and cracklins.
Return to Church Point Mardi Gras Page