Two Cajun songs have gaps in the lyrics in my songbook. "Take a City Bride" by Gib Guilbeau has a first verse in French which I can’t make out. "Marie" (traditional) is all in French, and this is my attempt at translation from the recording by Ann Savoy. Help with the French (or English!) and additional verses appreciated.

Take a City Bride by Gib Guilbeau

	G		D7 
   I got a house on stilts, five dollar bill 
    			G 
   Setting on the banks of the muddy, muddy bayou 
   		D7 
   Lot better than streets of crowded cars 
   				G 
   Pawn shops and neighborhood bars. 
     

(Chorus)  	  G 
   But your mama and your papa won't let me come courtin' 
  D7					G 
   Say I can't make a good living for their child 
   But the fish bites good, the crawfish are plenty 
   	  D7			G 
   Gonna make a lot of money when I take a city bride.
     

I've got a paint can drum, your pappy's got a big dog 
   Snapping at my heels, get away you mangy hound 
   Lights still burning, ladder by the window 
   Take a chance, gonna make another round. 
     

  Marie (traditional)    

G		      C 
   Est-ce que pas d’oublier, bebe 
   			G 
   Si connais moi je t’aimais 
   			D7 
  Si connais moi je t’aimais, bebe 
  			G 
  Depuis l’age de quatorze ans. 
    

	C 
  Ah, Marie, bebe 
   		G 
   Garde donc quoi t’a fait 
   			D7 
   Garde donc t’a prends quiter, bebe 
   			G 
   Quitez ton pauvre yearnee.

HTML preformat commands added. --JoeClone, 12-Feb-02.