What are the favorite Christmas songs suited to the C tuned accordion down in Cajun land? I can play "The First Noel", "Silent Night", "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer", Santa Claus is Coming to Town", "Jingle Bells" and a couple others, also "Greensleeves" which is kind of a Christmas tune. But none of these are "Cajun". Suggestions?

What do you think of Les Piniers.
That's a song of Adam and Cyp Landreneaux
It's about a Christmas tree.

That's one that works. Thanks

I guess my question is: What songs do Cajuns play at Christmas?

They play booray. Then they shoot Rudolph and party at the neighbor's camp.

Hope this helps.

R!CK

If my experience is common to other Cajuns, we play and listen to the same stuff Bing Crosby sings.

I've never heard of any uniquely Cajun Christmas songs. That doesn't mean there weren't some at one time, but Cajuns seem to have bought into the Coca-Cola version of Santa Claus and the traditional Christmas carols just like everyone else in America.

The unique thing about Christmas for Cajuns is the food: gumbo, pork and rice and gravy, more gumbo, 7 steak and rice and gravy, more gumbo, crabmeat au gratin, more gumbo, and liquor-soaked bread pudding for dessert.

Jude

That's what I kinda thought. I suppose you could play some French carols and hymns, Catholic stuff.

Bing Crosby played Cajun style?...might work!

and oh yeah! That's my menu for Christmas. Beats the hell out of Turkey and mashed potatoes.

Rudolf might make for some good venison gumbo. Can't be much different than caribou (I've had that in Alaska).

What Jude said. Since the now traditional Christmas stuff wasnt part of Cajun culture before Americanization, there werent songs about the rudolph, santa stuff. I've never thought about it, but I bet there were some holiday songs that are now forgotten, shame if so. But any music, family, friends, good food and drink all suffice.

John, I also always figured Rudolph would be good in a gumbo (what isnt), and as a kid I used to want to stay up and shoot a reindeer for the freezer. I'm still waiting for him.

There are two Christmas songs in Ms. Ann Sayoy's book, both introduced by Canray Fontenot. They are simply called " Christmas Drinking Song" and "Another Christmas Drinking Song". Here are some verses from the first one. Sorry about the punctuation.

'Trinquez, Trinquez
Les verres a la main
En espe'rant les autres.
'Trinquez, Trinquez
Les verres a la main
En espe'rant les autres.

Oh, tout les chansons que les hommes ont chant'ees
Me'ritent un coup-z-a' boire.
Oh, tout les chansons que les hommes ont chant'ees
Me'ritent un coup-z-a' boire.

this is in 6/8 time, key of B flat. Has a 'Barber shop quartet' sound, supposedly when sang by a group of inebriated older gentlemen, at least according to Mr. Fontenot.

Fleas Navidad
JB

Perfect (though not for the little ones). I had not looked through Ann's book yet. Got to learn those, I'm sure they can transpose to C easily enough.


J

Remember the Bill Murray movie "Scrooged"? Early in the movie the TV network has an ad for "Bob Goulet's Cajun Christmas", with Goulet singing Silver Bells or something like that while poling a pirogue through a bayou, surrounded by alligators. Still cracks me up when I see it.

What excellent people we have on this board!

Well he did have a French name. Wonder who thought that one up?

Brenda Lee's "Papa Noel" always gets smiles but I have yet to work out the accordion arrangement.