Hi, I'm putting the accents in (in html) because
whatever you decide to do it's easier to take them out
than put them back in. By the way, there are lots of
French folk songs, but they often pass for children's
songs, that's why 'serious' singers rarely sing them.
Guy Béart is an exception.
About the accents and searching, what about putting
the accents in, but add the non-accented word next to it inside an html tag, so it will be hidden to view, but searchable? Is that too much editing work?
AUX MARCHES DU PALAIS
Aux marches du palais (bis)
Y'a une tant belle fille lon-la,
Y'a une tant belle fille
Elle a tant d'amoureux
Qu'elle ne sait lequel prendre
C'est un p'tit cordonnier
Qui a eu sa préférence
C'est en chaussant son pied
Qu'il lui fit sa demande
La belle si tu voulais
Nous dormirions ensemble
Dans un grand lit carré
Tout orné de taies blanches
Dans le mitan du lit
La rivière est profonde
Tous les chevaux du roi
Pourraient y boire ensemble
Et là nous dormirions
Jusqu'à la fin du mode
Note from Joe Offer - Explanation from Monique P received 1 May 2008:The song was reported as early as 1732 and 1738. The music was different from the tune we sing nowadays (the latter was popularized by Yves Montand's recording in 1955) and was taken from a book published in 1732 but it was inspired by older songs forming the group known as "La Flamande" that had been previously published by Jehan Chardavoine ("Recueil des plus belles et excellentes chansons en forme de voix des villes", 1575). More than 40 versions have been published between 1732 and 1910 according to Patrice Coirault.
Claude Duneton points the hidden sexual meaning of two verses "Aux quatre coins du lit/ le rossignol y chante" = "On the four corners of the bed, the nightingale is singing" (it's mostly known as "Aux quatre coins du lit/un bouquet de pervenches"= ... a bunch of periwinkles") and "Dans la mitan du lit, la rivière est profonde" = "In the middle of the bed, the river is deep", the nightingale and the deep river representing respectively male and female genitals as anybody would guess (actually, "nightingale" is one of the words we call a little boy's willy), then you imagine the singing of the nightingale as suits you best.
In the midi file attached, you can hear two voices successively. Sometimes, in the lowest voice, the "lon la" is omitted so that the highest voice "lon la" can be heard better.Click to play