The Meaning Behind the French Bedtime Lullaby “Fais Do-Do”

Those with French mothers have probably heard this song countless times before bed as children. It’s a coo as much as anything, a portal to drifting off. But what is the origin of the French lullaby, “Fais do-do,” and why is there so much sugar and chocolate involved? Let’s dive in.

First things first, however: let’s explain what the song is not.

Dance Parties

While spelled the same, the French lullaby “Fais do-do” is not to be confused with the loud Cajun dance party, a fais-do-do. Both originate from the same idea: sleep. But one is a rowdy event and the other is a sweet song.

The Cajun dance party version is named after the song, which was used traditionally by the mothers attending the gathering, who would take their infant children to the “cry room” when, say, the babies were hungry or upset, and they would tend to the children and sing them the song. Or, if not the entire song, they would repeat the phrase, Fais do-do, attempting to calm the children to sleep. The hope, some have said, was to get the kids to sleep soon because the worry was the husband would be dancing with someone else.

The Song

The cooing “do-do” is likely a sweet little abbreviation of the French word for “to sleep,” which is “dormir.” Though other historians have called it the shortening of “do si do.” If this explanation is correct, then, that would further link the Cajun dance with the tune. But, then, one wonders what Fais has to do with “do si do”?

In French, “Fais” means do. As in do your homework. Almost like in English as “go,” as in go to sleep. If you type “fais do-do” into Google Translate, it will spit out: “go to sleep.” So, it seems plausible that “go to sleep” and not “go do si do” is the aim of the tune. But let’s move on.

The rest of the lyrics have more to do with baking than anything else. Oh, and the subject of the song below is Colas, which is a name, likely a nickname of Nicholas. But any singer can replace that name with any other.

ENGLISH:

Go to sleep, Colas, my little brother
Go to sleep, tomorrow you’ll have milk
Mama is upstairs making a cake
Papa is downstairs making chocolate
Go to sleep, Colas, my little brother
Go to sleep, tomorrow you’ll have milk

FRENCH:

Fais dodo, Colas mon p’tit frère
Fais dodo, t’auras du lolo
Maman est en haut
Qui fait du gâteau
Papa est en bas
Qui fait du chocolat
Fais dodo, Colas mon p’tit frère
Fais dodo, t’auras du lolo

Chocolate, milk, and cake. What a blast! Yes, those are the things promised for tomorrow if only you’ll just go to sleep tonight. Not a bad deal. In other verses of the song, even more is promised, including candy.

Cajun Country

There is also a Cajun version of the lullaby. Cajun country is located in southern Louisiana and has historically been populated by French immigrants and exiles. That version goes:

FRENCH:

Fais dodo, mo l’aime mo ti chère,
Fais dodo, dodo sans douleur.
Fais dodo, mo l’aime mo ti chère,
Fais dodo, dodo sans douleur.

Maw-Maw gain gateaux,
Paw-Paw gain bonbons
Yé donne sa à toi,
si bébé  dodo.

Fais dodo, la lune dans le ciel-la
Fais dodo, li brille pour toi.
Fais dodo, la lune dans le ciel-la.
Faid dodo, dodo jist pour moi.

ENGLISH:

Go to sleep, I love my dear one.
Go to sleep, sleep without grief.
Go to sleep, I love my little dear one.
Go to sleep, sleep without grief.

Mama has some cake
Papa has candy.
They give that to you
If baby goes to sleep.

Go to sleep. The moon’s in the sky there.
Go to sleep, it shines for you.
Go to sleep, the moon’s in the sky there.
Go to sleep, it shines for you.

In Popular Culture

Iconic children’s songwriter and performer Raffi sings a rendition of the song in which he mimes rocking a baby back and forth in his arms—perhaps that is the do si do others have associated with the song.

Grammy Award-winning singer Lisa Loeb has also recorded a rendition of the song, which is as much of a whisper as a performance.

Check both out below.

Photo by Gettyimages.com