Born in Regina, Saskatchewan, Connie graduated from Campbell Collegiate in Regina in 1972 and the University of Alberta in 1976 with a BFA degree in theatre. She performed with various theatre groups, including Theatre Passe Muraille, The Mummers, and 25th Street House Theatre, until 1979, when she gave it up to start a full-time music career.
In 1981, she founded her own independent record label, Coyote Entertainment, and has released fourteen albums. In 1997 she was featured performer in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan on the last broadcast of Peter Gzowski's CBC national radio program Morningside.
She has won the Juno Award for best children's album three times. She won it in 1989, 2004, and 2005. However, most of her music is for adults. She co-wrote a song for the animated television series based on the comic strip For Better or For Worse, which debuted in 2000.
She is married to music producer and Hart-Rouge member Paul Campagne. They live in Montreal.
Her song "Wanderlust" was covered by Cosy Sheridan.
In 2003, her television show Wood River Hall debuted on VisionTV.
In 2006, she was made a Member of the Order of Canada.
A Poodle In Paris
Connie Kaldor Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Of course she called it Paris
This wonderful poodle from Paris
Was known as La Grande Fifi
She had her hair cut just so tied with a purple bow
And every dog that she’d meet would bark and bow
For she danced the Cancan every Saturday night
At a club they call “Le Bow Wow”
Ah Fifi had such flair when she danced to the music
Played by her band of Bichon Frise
And the way she could prance in her Cancan dance
Could bring a Dalmatian to its knees
And every Dashchund and Terrier and Corgi
Would beg for each encore she’d allow
And every Bouvier would fight to get a place Saturday night
At a club they call “Le Bow Wow”
Fifi can Cancan and you can Cancan too
Yes you can Cancan too it’s something you can do
Just kick your leg high up in the air kick the other one and there
You can dance the Cancan, you can Cancan too
So if you meet a poodle in Paris
And if she is a beautiful sight
If she seems to say that’s my Champs Élysées
Don’t doubt for a minute she is right
For she eats croissant and chocolate for breakfast
She drinks coffee in a bowl with a baguette
And she has her way in each sidewalk café
They say ici ma Fifi ma chouette
And if you want to see La Grande Fifi
And know why your puppy would give her all its chow
Just go and see her dance some Saturday night
At a club they call “Le Bow Wow”
Fifi can Cancan and you can Cancan too
Yes you can Cancan too it’s something you can do
Just kick your leg high up in the air kick the other one and there
You can dance the Cancan, you can Cancan too
The lyrics to Connie Kaldor's song "A Poodle in Paris" tell a fun story about a poodle named La Grande Fifi who lives in Paris and is known for dancing the Cancan at a club called "Le Bow Wow." The song plays upon the idea of Paris as a glamorous city with fashion, food, and culture that inspire envy and admiration. The poodle, who is named after the city she lives in, further embodies the chic and sophisticated image of Paris with her perfectly coiffed hair and elegant dance moves. The lyrics also suggest a sense of community among the dogs who gather to watch Fifi dance, all of whom seem to appreciate her talent and style.
In addition to the playful imagery of the song, there is also an underlying message about the joy of self-expression and the potential for anyone to find their own talents and passions. The chorus encourages listeners to embrace the idea that they too can dance the Cancan, regardless of who they are or where they come from. This sentiment is reinforced by the fact that the dogs of all breeds who watch Fifi dance are equally enamored by her performance, suggesting that everyone can appreciate excellence and beauty in their own ways.
Overall, "A Poodle in Paris" is a lighthearted and charming song that celebrates the spirit of individuality and creativity, while also nodding to the allure of Parisian culture and style.
Line by Line Meaning
There once was a poodle from Paris
The story begins with a poodle from Paris being introduced
Of course she called it Paris
The poodle named her Paris, which can be inferred from the line
This wonderful poodle from Paris
The singer describes the poodle as a wonderful one
Was known as La Grande Fifi
The poodle had the nickname La Grande Fifi
She had her hair cut just so tied with a purple bow
La Grande Fifi had her hair cut in a certain way and tied with a bow of purple color
And every dog that she’d meet would bark and bow
Other dogs would bark and bow to La Grande Fifi when meeting her
For she danced the Cancan every Saturday night
La Grande Fifi had a habit of dancing the Cancan every Saturday night
At a club they call 'Le Bow Wow'
The name of the club where La Grande Fifi danced Cancan on Saturday nights was 'Le Bow Wow'
Ah Fifi had such flair when she danced to the music
La Grande Fifi had an excellent sense of style while dancing on the music
Played by her band of Bichon Frise
The music was played by a band of Bichon Frise, which is a small French dog breed
And the way she could prance in her Cancan dance
La Grande Fifi had an impressive way of moving in her Cancan dance
Could bring a Dalmatian to its knees
La Grande Fifi's dance moves were so impressive that they could bring a Dalmatian to its knees
And every Dashchund and Terrier and Corgi
Other dog breeds like Dachshund, Terrier, and Corgi were also amazed by her dance moves
Would beg for each encore she’d allow
Other dogs would plead for La Grande Fifi's performances to continue beyond what she had initially planned
And every Bouvier would fight to get a place Saturday night
Some dog breeds like Bouvier would compete to get a place in 'Le Bow Wow' club on Saturday night
Fifi can Cancan and you can Cancan too
The artist encourages the listener to dance Cancan just like La Grande Fifi
Yes you can Cancan too it’s something you can do
The artist reassures the listener that they too can dance Cancan
Just kick your leg high up in the air kick the other one and there
The instructions for performing Cancan dance are simple - kick one leg high up and then the other
You can dance the Cancan, you can Cancan too
The singer repeats the message that anyone can dance the Cancan
So if you meet a poodle in Paris
The artist gives a piece of advice to the listener
And if she is a beautiful sight
If the poodle is attractive in appearance
If she seems to say that’s my Champs Élysées
If the poodle gives the impression that Champs Élysées belongs to her
Don’t doubt for a minute she is right
The singer advises the listener not to doubt the poodle even for a moment
For she eats croissant and chocolate for breakfast
The poodle's luxurious breakfast includes croissant and chocolate
She drinks coffee in a bowl with a baguette
The poodle drinks coffee in a bowl and eats baguette alongside it
And she has her way in each sidewalk café
The poodle has her own way of behaving in sidealk cafés
They say ici ma Fifi ma chouette
People might greet the poodle with the French words 'ici ma Fifi ma chouette'
And if you want to see La Grande Fifi
If anyone wants to see La Grande Fifi
And know why your puppy would give her all its chow
The artist encourages the listener to watch La Grande Fifi dance and understand why their puppy would give her all its food
Just go and see her dance some Saturday night
The advice for seeing La Grande Fifi is to go to 'Le Bow Wow' club on a Saturday night
Fifi can Cancan and you can Cancan too
The song's main message is repeated again in the end
Yes you can Cancan too it’s something you can do
The artist concludes the song by reminding the listener that they too can dance Cancan like La Grande Fifi
Lyrics © Évangeline/APEM
Written by: Connie Isabel Kaldor
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind