Luka loves to sing and he knows lots of songs in French and in English. He learns lots of songs in English at school (day care) that we also sing with him if he asks us to. And, we have taught him a lot of songs in French. My own family knows a lot of (Anglophone) folk songs, and I like those type of traditional songs. I have worked to learn the same type of songs in French and teach them to Luka. Also, since he was born, we have received and/or bought a lot of CD's with songs in French. Some are traditional and others are newer, but still lively and fun.
When I was pregnant with Luka and Mom and I were in Aix-en-Provence together on our trip to France, I purchased three books called Chansons françaises - volumes 1, 2, and 3. There was a volume 4 published at one time, but I have not been able to find it. Those inexpensive books turned out to be a great investment as Luka adores singing from them and the very colorful pictures that accompany each song. He loves to find the corresponding picture/music when he hears a particular song on one of CD's. We also can sing most of them on our own and often have a sing-a-long before he goes to bed (with Reynald and/or myself). For the few we don't know in those books, Luka has learned the phrase "Celle-là , on ne la connais pas." Often, during the day, Luka will ask for a song or "break into song" on his own.
When he was very little - 2 months - I started him in a baby music class (Musikgarten method at our church) and French class for babies (which is basically singing and Frencnurseryey rhymes). I think that earlier exposurencourageded his genetic propensity for being musical -- on both sides of the family: grandma and great grandma music teachers; mom who sang and played some instruments here and there; papa who played classical guitar; auntie and uncle who are accomplished musicians, etc. I will have great memories of snowshoeing with Luka in the winter and singing lots of songs.
Some of his French favorites are:
- La chanson papa or Papa ne me regarde pas comme ça - or (real title) C'est pas moi from a French CD called Les Questions that is written/sung by a friend of Reynald's cousin in France (they are both educators). Reynald's mom gave us this as a gift and we love it. I have tried to find it online to buy it for others, but I think it was a small production with a regional release. This one we just have on CD and Luka loves to hear it over and over in the car.
- La chanson maman - or (real title) J'appelle Maman - see notes above on La chanson papa.
- Au claire de la lune - with many of these traditional songs he knows several verses because of the books we have that list multiple verses. He particulary likes to sing the part in the second verse in this one where the neighbor bat le briquet.
- Nous n'irons plus au bois - or as it is known at our house Sautez, dansez...! - this one is a favorite when it is heard on CD and I often put it on auto repeat as Luka wants to hear it (and dance to it) again and again.
- Gentil coquelicot - the refrain is particularly fun (Gentil conqu'licot Monsieur....ooops! Ce n'est pas ça Maman - qu'est-ce qu'on dit? ... Monsieur? Oiseaux? ... Gentil conqu'licot Mesdames!)
- Il est né le divin enfant - one of the all time favorites (whether it is Christmas or not) and oft-requested as the "Bébé Jésus" song (which also can apply to "Jesus Loves Me" which is an English favorite, with those great arm motions as well as "Jesus Loves the Little Children"). He loves to review the picture for this song and has learned a lot from it: Jesus was born in a manger, there were kings, shepherds, animals and the baby's mother was Marie (Mary) and his father was Joseph.
- Il était un petit navire - or as we call it, the Matelot song. He like it when the little sailor almost gets eaten....! ;)
- Jeanneton prend sa faucille - this one Luka likes well enough, but if you know what it meant, you'd wonder that it was a kids song!!!!!
- Maman, let p'tits bateaux - those boats don't really have legs, do they?
- Sur le pont d'Avignon, that old favorite (along with a similar one in English, Ring Around the Rosies - always a fun till you grow and find out what it really means!).
- Prom'nons nous dans les bois - a real favorite and kind of (fun) scary too. Lately, we have been replacing the loup (wolf) with a zèbre (zebra) and that always gets a laugh.
- ABC's in French - he's known this since he was 14 months or so - we also sing it when we are putting on a new (kid) tattoo while it transfers.
- Petit Papa Noël - a Christmas song, but we are listening to it a lot lately on the car CD player. He likes to sing the words and when the song ends, to open his arms wide in dramatic style: "Petit Papaaaaaaa Noooooooooooooooël!" He is just tickled when this song comes on the CD.
Others we like include:
Trois jeunes tambours; Il était une bergère; Frère Jacques; Auprès de ma blonde; Compère Guilleri; Colchiques; Le bon roi Dagobert; Il pleut, il pleut bergère; Savez-vous planter les choux?; Ainsi font, font, font; Bon voyage, Monsieur Dumollet; Dans la forêt lointaine; Meunier, tu dors; Malbrough s'en va-t-en geurre.
Some of his English favorites are:
- Wheels on the Bus - we like adding our own verses too: T'Choupi on the bus, Gorille on the bus, Doudou on the bus, Goblet (his Sponge Bob sippy cup) on the bus (Maman, goblet n'a pas de visage), Luka on the Bus, (his) Daddy on the bus, (his) Mommy on the bus, etc. I used to have sing all the (real) verses and all our own verses before he would go to sleep...!
- The Bumblee Bee Song (I learned this one so I could sing it with him - he'd learned it at school): I got a little baby bumblebee, won't my mommy be so proud of me....
- Twinkle Twinkle Little Star (with motions - one of his first songs he could sing all on his own).
- ABC's in English
- A new one lately is the Dinosaur Song (I looked that one up on the Internet too so I could sing it with him): One little dinosaur went out to play, on a spider web one day, he had such enormous fun, he called another dinosaur to come ... HEY DINOSAUR!!!!
- Jingle Bells - I was singing this with him at Christmas and realized he already knew it from school. He still sings it around the house from time to time - I am sure when he hears it everywhere at the holiday season, he will be thrilled.
Updates
06/28/05 - a new song added to Luka's most frequently requested favorites is Pirouette cacahouette and Une souris verte (the part about "un escargot tout chaud !").
