PASSANT PAR PARIS, VIDANT LA BOUTEILLE (French) Passant par Paris, vidant la bouteille, (bis) Un de mes amis me dit à l'oreille, bon, bon, bon, Le bon vin m'endort, l'amour me réveille, Le bon vin m'endort, l'amour me réveille encore Un de mes amis me dit à l'oreille (bis) Jean prend garde à toi, l'on courti' ta belle, bon, bon, bon, Le bon vin… Courtise qui le voudra, je me fie z'en elle. J'ai eu de son cœur la fleur la plus belle Dans un beau lit blanc créé de dentelles. J'ai eu trois garçons tous trois capitaines L'un est à Paris, l'autre à La Rochelle Et l'autre à Bordeaux courtisant les belles Et l' père est ici qui assure la ficelle. Coirault : 2514 J'ai trouvé rival. RADdO : 00207.

GOING THROUGH PARIS Going through Paris, drinking (lit. emptying the bottle),(twice> One of my friends tells me in my hear, well, well, well, The good wine makes me sleep, love awakes me, The good wine makes me sleep, love awakes me again One of my friends tells me in my hear "John, beware, your beloved is being courted" well, well, well, The good wine... "Court may whoever wants to, I trust her I got from her heart the most beautiful flower In a beautiful bed created (1) with lace I had three boys all three captains One is in Paris, the other in La Rochelle The third one in Bordeaux courting the girls And the father's here, insuring (2) the string."

(1) "créé"(created) must be a mishearing, it's usually "gréé" (rigged)
(2) "qui assure la ficelle" might mean "who insures/belays the string" (as it might mean "insuring the dough", "ficelle" being one of the many slang words for money) but I take it to be a mishearing since it's usually sung as "qui hale sur la ficelle" (pulling from the string/rope), the verb "haler" (to haul, to tow) was used in very specific contexts usually related to the navy and "Passant par Paris" isn't a "true" sea shanty.

I took the translation I'd already done in this thread where you can also find the Provençal version of it.

You can hear the recording here
Another recording
Interesting version by the French Canadian band La bottine souriante
Another rendition
Lyrics, score, midi and mp3


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