Fais dodo, Colas mon p’tit frère

Info

This lullaby is sung in French-speaking areas of Europe, Canada, and Haiti, as well as in the Cajun areas of Louisiana in the United States. (source) A fais do-do is also a Cajun dance party. (source)

Lyrics - French

(Folk song)

Refrain
Fais dodo*, Colas** mon p’tit frère
Fais dodo, t’auras du lolo***

1. Maman est en haut
Qui fait du gâteau
Papa est en bas
Qui fait du chocolat Refrain

2. Ta sœur est en haut
Qui fait des chapeaux
Ton frère est en bas
Qui fait des nougats Refrain

3. Les gentils oiseaux,
Ont des chants nouveaux,
Pour le p’tit frérot
Qui fait bien dodo Refrain

*Fais dodo is baby talk for “go to sleep” (dodo coming from the French “dormir”)

**Colas is the baby’s name, most likely a nickname for Nicolas, but you can substitute any name into the song.

***lolo is baby talk for “milk” – from the French “lait”. (source)

English Translation - Go to sleep, Colas, my little brother

Refrain
Go to sleep, Colas, my little brother
Go to sleep, tomorrow you’ll have milk

1.Mama is upstairs
Making a cake
Papa is downstairs
Making chocolate Refrain
(source)

2. Your sister is upstairs
Who makes hats
Your brother is downstairs
Who makes nougats Refrain

3. The sweet little birds
Have a new tune
For the little brother Refrain
Who sleeps so well (source)

Recorder Notes G, A, B, C, D’

See also

YouTube

  • Printable & Digital Visuals
  • Song with chords in 2 keys, English version, 2 Orff arrangements, Student Copies (recorder notes GAB and GABCD’) (PDF)
  • MIDI file
  • Listen to the song

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2 thoughts on “Fais dodo, Colas mon p’tit frère”

  1. The translation of the second verse is way off:

    Your sister is upstairs
    Making hats
    Your brother is downstairs
    Making nougats

    No angles, no castles, nothing even close…..I kinda get how the first two lines could get twisted (soeurs/sisters/nuns/angels, chapeaux vs chateaux), but not sure how the second ended up that way.

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