26 Comments
User's avatar
Nutshell News's avatar

I'm listening to this at work, my nervous system is well and truly calmed. Thank you Laura.

Kevin's avatar

Bonjour Laura, merci pour ta reprise, qui est sincèrement excellente d’un point de vue phonétique !

Les quelques imprécisions mineures sont classiques chez les personnes anglophones : certaines consonnes fricatives un peu atténuées, comme dans « ouVRe » ou « chasseuR », et quelques incertitudes de prononciation, par exemple « m-OIN », ou le fait de ne pas prononcer les consonnes muettes, comme dans « cerF ».

I am based in Paris, but I am also a musician and I teach French literature at university, so if you need help, I’d be happy to give you some advice for this beautiful project!

Kevin

Laura Marling's avatar

Thank you!

marianne's avatar

Oh the French crossover is just the best.

Two juggernauts: Chantal Goya (how most us learned the alphabet), and Boby Lapointe, who does a lot of word play, alliteration and tongue twisters! Can’t wait to listen, and happy to give pointers

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKwXqcoSHME

Rohit Kapur's avatar

Just signed up for the substack because aside from the fact that I've been a fan of your music for two-ish decades, no amount of money is too much for the joy you've brought to my daughter as she's moved from infant to toddler. Here's a message I foolishly thought I could send you via Instagram a while back - hopefully it has more luck of being seen here. Norah is now 19 months. :-)

Hi Laura. I saw your story with the prints of the Raffi covers that you did and it made me want to message you to thank you. My daughter Norah is 16 months old and has been listening to Laura Sings Raffi more or less since the day she came home with us. Your album is one of the only things guaranteed to stop her dead in her tracks and have her smiling and laughing, no matter what she was doing before. If my wife or I so much as say the words "baby" and "beluga" together, Norah starts giggling in anticipation.

Anyway, thank you for the album, and for the decades of music you've put out before. You're my favorite artist and my wife and I have seen you live several times in Brooklyn. Someday I look forward to bringing Norah with us. Maybe she'll yell out a request for Baby Beluga. 🙂

P.S.: I hope parenthood is treating you well! Child of Mine brought tears to my eyes, especially when I listened to it while holding my own little potato.

larose36's avatar

lovely hearing from you laura and so excited to dive into raffi (for the first time ever!!). as an english-speaking native who lives in france, i'm wishing you well on your french journey <3 bon courage beauté !!

Coffee Table Dramas's avatar

Ah les français, oui j'adore! 😊

Theresa Keane's avatar

Greetings- congratulations on your work. If I may be so bold, I ask why is France the country you wish to join as a citizen? Aside from Paris of course.....

Laura Marling's avatar

Just hope to live there at some point - big…fan? Culturally…food/music/etc

Addie Mahmassani's avatar

we love you beautiful laura! 🤍

Rachael B's avatar

Jean-Claude Ohms teaches at St Paul's Cathedral (choristers) and the Royal College of Music (junior department) - voice rather than languages, BUT he speaks several languages fluently, is big on pronunciation and I am absolutely sure would know someone both musical and French. Probably shouldn't share his email address on the public internet, but his RCM profile is here: https://www.rcm.ac.uk/junior/rcmjdteachers/details/?id=04476

Carly Hunt's avatar

As someone who's worked in childcare for 20 years, it's refreshing to hear new versions that don't involve YouTube, looking forward to sharing your covers with little ears

Jemma's avatar

This is amazing Laura!

Kira's avatar

Now I wish I had babies to play this to 😅

Andrew Gewirtz's avatar

I love this and kudos to you for lending your voice to this generations’ young ears. I have two sons, both well into their thirties now. When they were young, my wife and I lamented the paucity of quality children’s music, with the notable exceptions of Raffi formidable catalog, Carole King’s album of Maurice Sendak’s musical “Really Rosie” and David Bowie’s narration of “Peter and the Wolf.” Today's generation is so lucky to have you to carry this torch. Cheers.

Amy Grainger's avatar

Oh how marvellous! We have a little French-Canadian baby growing up with these songs and we’ve been wearing out our Raffi vinyl. Hot happy tears over here knowing more tunes are coming. And in French! Magic! Thank you for the music!

Anastasia's avatar

You are singing with the kindness and sweetness of a mother. Maybe we all just need someone to sing children's songs to us.

Michael Nutt's avatar

Ah, Laura, I could listen to you singing the telephone directory! If they still exist … 😂