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Farewell to Childhood

from M​é​m​è​re & Me by Robert Sylvain

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  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    Both French and English versions of a dozen Acadian folksongs from Maine in a double CD wallet, shrinkwrapped.

    Includes unlimited streaming of Mémère & Me via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
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    Purchasable with gift card

      $25 USD or more 

     

  • Streaming + Download

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
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      $1 USD  or more

     

  • Buy the Full Digital Album

  • Sheet Music + Digital Album

    70-page spiral-bound songbook with professionally scored vocal sheet music of all 12 songs with melody, chords, lyrics, translations, notes and sources, plus photostats of pages from the original notebook.

    Includes unlimited streaming of Mémère & Me via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 3 days
    Purchasable with gift card

      $39 USD or more 

     

about

This enchanting melody is matched by the heart-wrenchingly sentimental lyrics. The form was a source of great frustration at first because of the seemingly orphaned first two lines which don’t appear in Fr. Anselme’s version. I ended up using them as a sort of refrain in place of the usual response couplet. More recently my friend Martine Gagnon introduced me to a lovely recording by the group Galant Qui Perds Ton Temps, which is probably closer to the way my Mémère intended it, but by that time I was deeply in love with the version I had been playing.
There are a number of endearing departures from standard French, notably “À Dieux” (to the Gods) instead of Adieu—maybe just a misspelling, but an interesting one. Also, the ubiquitous mis- conjugation of Je vais (I am going) to Je va (I is goin’) tells the listener something about where the young narrator is coming from.

lyrics

I made vow when I was young
To be wed to not a one
But now I see and I’ve found a way To leave my home and fly away Adieu to my childish ways Farewell, I’s leaving you today
This band of gold I carry near Wrapped around my finger dear ’Twas my true love who it to me gave For with me to spend our days Goodbye to my childish ways
Fare thee well, I’s leaving today
Oh! here we are around the table My parents and my family Every time now them do I see From my eyes do flow the tears Adieu to my childish ways
Fare thee well, I’s leaving today
Goodbye ma, goodbye pa
Fare thee well my parents sweet
I leave you now in regret and pain Yet I’ll be back to see you again Farewell to my childish ways Goodbye, I’s leaving you today

credits

from M​é​m​è​re & Me, released August 15, 2020

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Robert Sylvain Portland, Maine

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