Archive Files of Cajun, Creole, and Zydeco Musicians
Posted between 1999 and 2008

The Magnolia Sisters:
Lapin, Lapin: chansons Cajuns et Creoles pour les enfants

Click on the thumbnails below  to access higher resolution photos. The photos were taken at Festivals Acadiens in September 2005.


Photo of Ann Savoy taken at "Save the Music" April 2, 2006. Click for more photos of the Magnolia Sisters at "Save the Music."

Click here to see The Magnolia Sister performing songs from Lapin, Lapin at the Roots Heritage Day April 22, 2006.

With funding from a grant, The Magnolia Sisters have, as the CD notes to Lapin, Lapin accurately explain, "dusted off [a] treasure trove of [children's] songs found in Louisiana field recordings, archives, and old folk song collections."

A few of the songs are familiar like "Danser Codeine" about the fiddle-playing monkey and the two-step "Ding a Ding Ding Dong," popularized by Aldus Roger. "Les Maringouins ont tous mangés ma belle," made popular by Nathan Abshire, is performed by the Magnolia Sisters in the old style with the accordion and fiddle together carrying the melody plus a triangle for rhythm. "Je veux marier" used to be a popular song at Cajun weddings.

"Les ecrevisses dedans le platin" was a stringband number from the 1930s played by the Rayne-bo Ramblers.  "Gumbo Zydeco," which tells how to make a gumbo, is a rollicking two-step that would go over well in any dance hall.

"J'ai passé au long du bois" is based on Ann Savoy's recording made many years ago of Eduis Naquin from Reddell singing his version of a song about a scary trip through the woods.

Lisa Trahan learned the opening song, "The Little Fat Man," from her father, Harry Trahan.

Other cuts on the CD are old songs that most listeners probably have not heard before. The CD includes Creole music from New Orleans: "Misi Banjo," with a Carribean lilt, and "Quand Patate Va Etre Cuire" (which describes the ways Madame Boco cooks sweet potatoes). "Misi Maziro" is a call-response song with African roots. "Cribisse Cribisse" (i.e., écrivisse in Cajun) is a Creole song to the tune of "You Get a Line and I'll Get a Pole."

"Boitine Boiteuse" ("Limping Limper) and "La caille et la perdrix" ("The Meadowlark and the Weasel") are humorous songs with cumulative verses. "Laissez moi s'en aller" has silly lyrics about bizarre circumstances, nonsense verse that children love.

There is, of course, a rabbit song, "Compère Lapin": "C'est ein bête qui connait danser."

Copies of the CD have been distributed to schools and libraries in Southwest Louisiana through the Louisiana Division of Arts Arts in Education Program. In addition to the extensive liner notes that contain French and English lyrics and background for each of the songs, The Magnolia Sisters have also posted further educational resources on their web site.

The CD was supported by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Louisiana State Arts Council, and the Louisiana Division of the Arts, Office of Cultural Development, Department of Culture, Recreation, and Tourism. Because it is not a commercially produced CD, it is available only by ordering it directly from the Magnolia Sisters.

Click here to return to LSUE's first page on the Magnolia Sisters.