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Prairie du Rocher Singers - La Guillann​é​e

from We Are for Egypt by River to River Community Records

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about

Caroling on NewYear’s Eve is an old French medieval custom.“La Guillannée” is a begging song: singers and musicians knock on the door of a wealthy person’s home, sing, and ask to be let inside.The Prairie du Rocher Singers, led by Gerry Franklin, still uphold this tradition every New Year's Eve. Stefan Santiago is of the younger generation of musicians keeping alive the tradition. -JP & SD

lyrics

Bonsoir le maître et la maîtresse, et tout le monde du logis, pour le dernier jour de l’année ô la Guillannée vous nous devez
(Good evening to the master and mistress, and to everybody in the house for the last day of the year, you owe us the New Year’s mistletoe)

La Guillannée vous nous devez dites-nous-le si vous voulez nous rien donner dites-nous-le
(You owe us the New Year’s mistletoe, tell it to us if you don’t want to give us anything, tell it to us)

Bonsoir le maître et la maîtresse, et tous le monde du logis, pour le dernier jour de l’année ô la Guillannée vous nous devez
(Good evening to the master and mistress, and to everybody in the house for the last day of the year, you owe us the New Year’s mistletoe)

La Guillannée vous nous devez dites-nous-le Si vous voulez nous rien donner dites-nous-le
(You owe us the New Year’s mistletoe, tell it to us if you don’t want to give us anything, tell it to us)

On vous demande seulement une échinée
(We’ll only ask you for a pork backbone)

Une échinée n’est pas grande chose ça n’a que de dix pieds de long Nous en ferons une fricassée de quatre-vingt dix pieds de long
(A pork backbone is not a lot, it's only about 10 feet long and we'll make ourselves a stew that is 90 feet long)

Si vous voulez nous rien donner dites-nous-le On vous demande seulement la fille aînée
(If you don’t want to give us anything, tell it to us We’ll only ask you for the oldest daughter)

Nous lui ferons faire bonne chère, nous lui ferons chauffer les pieds Quand nous fûmes au milieu du bois nous fûmes à l’ombre
(We’ll make her make a feast and we’ll make her warm her feet When we were lost in the woods, we were in the shadows)

J’entendais la coucou chantez et la colombe Rossignol du vert bocage ambassadeur des amoureux
(I heard the cuckoo sing and the dove,
Nightingale of the green wooded countryside, ambassador to those in love)

Mais va te dire à ma maîtresse qu’elle a toujours le cœur joyeux qu’elle a toujours le cœur joyeux point de tristesse
(Go tell my mistress to always have a joyous heart Always a joyous heart, no sorrow at all)

Tous les fillettes qui n’ont pas d’amant comment vivent-elles
Ce sont les amours qui les réveillent et qui les empêchent de dormir
(How do all these girls live without a lover
It’s their longing that keeps them wakeful and disturbs their sleep)

Supplions à la compagnie de vouloir bien nous excuser
si nous avons fait quelque folie c’était pour nous désennuyer une autre fois nous prenons garde quand sera temps de revenir
(We supplicate for the forgiveness of the company
If we have pulled any shenanigans, it was just to have some fun Next time we will be more careful, when it’s time to return)

La chandelle de ma cousine elle a fait de grand coton
il y’a toujours moyen de rire pour les filles et les garçons
(The candle of my cousin, she made of large cotton There's always a way to make the girls and boys laugh)

Bonsoir le maître et la maîtresse, et tout le monde du logis,
(Good evening to the master and mistress, and everybody in the house)

Bonne Année
(Happy New Year)

credits

from We Are for Egypt, released November 8, 2022
Artist:The Prairie du Rocher Singers
Traditional; passed down through Southern Illinois oral history
Translated by Stefan Santiago
Performed by:
Lead Vocals by Gerry Franklin
Fiddle and Vocals by Stefan Santiago
Guitar and Vocals by Gabe Doiron
Banjourine and Vocals by Camille Moreddu
Vocals by Yves Dorémieux and Linda Franklin

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River to River Community Records Carbondale, Illinois

Releasing vinyl records and promoting music for Southern Illinois artists.

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