Little Evie is a song based on a real little girl who lives in Chatham, Kent, U.K. She is the great-niece of Cootes Paradise bass player Ian Taylor and his wife Josephine, who co-wrote the lyrics. The song was written by Wayne Krawchuk, who was profoundly inspired by Evie’s unwavering enthusiasm for all things Cootes Paradise. Upon the release of the band’s first self-titled CD in 2017, Evie (lovingly called “Little Evie” by family and friends) fell in love with the album, and in particular, the song “Lily’s Pad”. So much so, that she hid the CD from her nanna so that she could play it over and over, singing and dancing to it. The song finally made it out of the shadows and into Hamilton’s Pine Street Studio, where members of Cootes Paradise were invited one by one to record their parts safely, in between lockdowns.
At one point, their self-described biggest fan Evie drew a picture of the band, which was unanimously decided to be the perfect artwork to represent the song. Originally, “Little Evie” was intended as little more than a small gift to share with close friends and family, but the reaction has been so positive, that they’ve been encouraged to distribute it a little more widely, as children of all ages are responding with enthusiasm and affection.
Thanks to the extra time on Wayne’s hands, he dove into the making of a fun video to represent the music. It’s a mixture of animation and live action, featuring Cootes Paradise and some special guests. A few inquiries have already come in by children’s educators asking if they can use the song to sing along and dance to in the classroom – an unexpected outcome, but one that is putting smiles on faces of both the band and the “kids of all ages” who are enjoying Little Evie.
Please visit the Cootes Paradise YouTube channel to see the accompanying video! (Mix of animation and live action...)
lyrics
Little Evie
Who’s got the sunshine in her smile (Who? Little Evie)
Who’s got the sparkly stars in her eyes (I know who, little Evie)
And do you know who is a very, very smart young girl? (Oh, yes. Little Evie)
Do you know who likes to have fun, fun, fun (why yes, little Evie)
She knows her ABCs. She knows her 123s
She likes to dance and sing
She knows her ABCs. She knows her 123s
She likes to dance and sing
Hey, did you say she likes to sing?
Then let’s sing!
La la la la la la x4
Hey, did you say she likes to dance?
Alright, then let’s dance.
Bounce, bounce, bounce, twirl, twirl, twirl x2
Aaaaah, aaaah, aaaah
Oh, but doesn’t she get tired sometimes? So, what then?
She curls up in her bed. She gets a good night sleep
And then, in the morning, she starts all over again!
She’s as cute as can be in her butterfly dress
But don’t let that fool you, she can fight like the best
When she takes to the mat, boys and girls beware
She’s a kickboxing champ, like a dancer with flare
Who’s got the sunshine in her smile
Who’s got the sparkly stars in her eyes
And do you know who is a very, very smart young girl?
And who has her very, very own style?
(Outro) Little Evie x 4
credits
released December 27, 2020
Music by Cootes Paradise
Lyrics by Wayne Krawchuk & Josephine Bassi
Recorded by Michael J. Birthelmer
at Pine Street Studio, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Lead Vocals: Wayne Krawchuk & Sue Leonard
Guitar: Wayne Krawchuk
Piano: Lily Sazz
Bass: Ian Taylor
Sax & Flute: Mark Volkov
Drums & Percussion: Amy Di Nino
Original artwork by Little Evie
Design by Lily Sazz
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