ADD: french folk song about Normandy-Ma Normandie

Subject: Lyr Req: french folk song about Normandy
From: GUEST,Laura Plummer
Date: 23 May 09 - 09:21 PM

I learned a song in the early 60's which I think was included in the BBC radio programmes for schools - Singing Together. It was a French folk song about Normandy. The tune is clear in my head but the words have faded away - I would really love to sing it again. the phrases 'La Belle France' and 'Normandy where I belong' are the only snatches I can recall.
If any other 50-something out there can give me any information I will be over the moon!!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: french folk song about Normandy
From: Beer
Date: 23 May 09 - 09:52 PM

This sounds very interesting. I'll be watching. Wish i could help.
Beer (adrien)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: french folk song about Normandy
From: Monique
Date: 24 May 09 - 01:57 AM

Is it J'irai revoir ma Normandie? If it is, you have the lyrics there. If it isn't, would you remember anything else?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: french folk song about Normandy
From: gnomad
Date: 24 May 09 - 03:47 AM

If it is the one Monique mentions here is a translation, as remembered though probably from the same lessons:

When hope springs in my heart anew,
And winter flies far, far away,
Beneath the skies of our dear France,
The quiet sun makes perfect day,
When spring returns with bursting leaf,
And swallows greet each radiant dawn, (morn?)
'tis the my heart shall long for home,
Away in Normandy, where I was born.

Oh beauteous sights of other lands,
Swiss valleys fair, and mountains blue,
Italian skies and gondolas,
Their beauty rare I turn to view,
But though I love to see them all,
And rove sweet meadows green with corn,
Yet still my heart will long for home,
Away in Normandy, where I was born.

I think we only got the two verses

Subject: Lyr Add: MA NORMANDIE (Frédéric Bérat)
From: Monique
Date: 24 May 09 - 02:18 PM

Lyr ADD: MA NORMANDIE (1836)
(Frédéric BÉRAT, 1801-1855)


Quand tout renaît à l'espérance,
Et que l'hiver fuit loin de nous,
Sous le beau ciel de notre France,
Quand le soleil revient plus doux,
Quand la nature est reverdie,
Quand l'hirondelle est de retour,
J'aime à revoir ma Normandie !
C'est le pays qui m'a donné le jour.

J'ai vu les champs de l'Helvétie,
Et ses chalets et ses glaciers ;
J'ai vu le ciel de l'Italie,
Et Venise et ses gondoliers.
En saluant chaque patrie,
Je me disais : aucun séjour
N'est plus beau que ma Normandie !
C'est le pays qui m'a donné le jour.

Il est un âge dans la vie,
Où chaque rêve doit finir,
Un âge où l'âme recueillie
A besoin de se souvenir.
Lorsque ma muse refroidie
Aura fini ses chants d'amour,
J'irai revoir ma Normandie !
C'est le pays qui m'a donné le jour.


You can find the lyrics on many web sites. For those who know French, you can find them and some info about Frédéric Bérat on this blog
Lyrics and score in:
- Diapason turquoise 1, Les Presses d'Ile de France, 2001. p.178
- 1000 chants,vol.1, J.E. Berthier, Les Presses d'Ile de France, 1974. p.139 out of print
- Jeunesse qui chante, Les Éditions Ouvrières, 1977, #410 p.175.out of print
- Premier livre des chansons de France, Roland Sabatier, Gallimard Jeunesse, 1984;1996, p.108.

Gnomad, if you could remember the translation of the 3rd verse, it'd be great!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: french folk song about Normandy
From: GUEST,big les
Date: 31 Mar 11 - 06:34 PM

thank you, knew the first line had forgotten the rest,sang it at school 50 odd years ago.had been looking on scottish folk song searches.viva le internet

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: french folk song about Normandy
From: Artful Codger
Date: 01 Apr 11 - 04:45 PM

Apparently, "Ma Normandie" is the former anthem of the province of Normandy, and is the official anthem of the Bailiwick of Jersey, a British Crown dependency consisting of several of the Channel Islands, most notably the Isle of Jersey. Interestingly, since the Bailiwick is a separate entity from both the United Kingdom and France, it's not part of the European Union.

For the dot-challenged, here are a few YouTube clips:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xk8aDQf2mBc (art song treatment)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c94EYKmFnhs (movie clip, background music featuring a vocal trio)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwKpE9e3h-c (folky, with introductory mooing)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: french folk song about Normandy
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Feb 13 - 11:29 AM

I also sang this whilst learning French at Primary School. I loved this song so much and found the accent easy to pick up so early in life. When I got to Secondary School I was asked to sing it when I mentioned that I knew a French song and the teacher got me to record it as she said I had a lovely voice and a good French accent. After that I was forced to join the Choir LOL. I was told by someone at school that the teacher kept that recording and would often play it to her students for years afterwards. It's funny because it came so easily to sing. I just loved the song so much. I am nearly 58 years old now. I still love that song.

Subject: Lyr Add: VERTE CAMPAGNE
From: Mrrzy
Date: 24 Feb 13 - 04:10 PM

Reminds me of another lovely song, Verte Campagne:

Verte campagne
Où je suis né
Douce compagne
De mes jeunes années
La ville pleure
Et ses larmes de pluie
Dansent et meurent
Sur mon cœur qui s'ennuie
Et moi, je rêve de toi, oh mon amie

Verte campagne
Que tu es loin
Douce compagne
De mon premier chagrin
Le temps s'efface
Pour moi, rien n'a changé
Deux bras m'enlacent
Parmi les champs de blé
Et moi, je rêve de toi,oh mon amie

Là, dans la ville toutes ces mains tendues
M'offrent des fleurs et des fruits inconnus
Et moi, je vais le long des rues perdues
Un air de guitare me parle de toi

Verte campagne
Où je suis né
Douce compagne
De mes jeunes années
La ville chante
Eparpille sa joie
La ville chante
Mais je ne l'entends pas
Et moi, je rêve de toi, oh mon amie
Et moi, je rêve de toi, oh mon amie

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: french folk song about Normandy
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 28 Mar 13 - 01:57 PM

Looks like it's the last verse that's missing from gnomad's English translation: it's not all a direct translation anyway: the French version is about the swallows returning (presumably after the winter)and doesn't mention either the dawn or the morn!

Below, my rather literal translation of verse 3: it needs to tweaked a bit to make it scan better, and perhaps re-phrased a bit too!

It is a time in your life
When every dream must finish,
A period when the soul, collected in,
Has need to remember,
When my cooled muse
Has finished its songs of love
I will see again my Normandy,
It is the country where I was born

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: french folk song about Normandy
From: GUEST,Alex
Date: 21 Apr 13 - 09:22 AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HC0zgcb_OwA

Here is a very special recording of my dad singing this song in the 1950s.
Thanks so much for giving me the opportunity to share with you.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: french folk song about Normandy
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 23 Apr 13 - 01:20 PM

Absolutely gorgeous! Thanks for that Alex!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: french folk song about Normandy
From: GUEST,Another guest
Date: 02 Sep 13 - 09:01 PM

I came here hoping for a different song about Normandy. This one I believe was written in the sixties from a folk singer in the region. I have only ever heard it by accidentally finding it on youtube twice about four years ago! It's rather slow and he mentions the coast being grey. This is obviously a long shot but if anyone has a shout about it I'd be enthralled.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: french folk song about Normandy
From: Monique
Date: 03 Sep 13 - 02:47 AM

The only songs I could think of are "Made in Normandy" and "Les plages de Normandie" but neither mentions the coast being grey, they weren't written by folk singers either. If you could give some more clues...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: french folk song about Normandy
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 04 Sep 13 - 03:53 AM

There's a song on YouTube called The Lost Way, Cap Gris-Nez: Gris Nez means Grey Nose. Could it be that one? I seem to remember that Cap Gris Nez was the landmark that cross-channel swimmers would head for! The song is OK, but horrible electronic keyboard backing.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: french folk song about Normandy
From: GUEST,Ham
Date: 26 Sep 17 - 09:46 AM

I remember the a verse from the BBC radio program as:

And when my days of roaming cease
And I have seen this great world's store
I then will take my fill of dreams
And seek in distant lands no more
My muse no more shall need refresh
My songs of love no wakening dawn
For I will be back home again
Away in Normandy where I was born

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: french folk song about Normandy
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 26 Sep 17 - 11:26 AM

I love this song too. My husband and I have been involved in a town twinning arrangement between Linlithgow in West Lothian, and Guyancourt, near Versailles. Music is a big part of any of our twinning weekends, and I introduced this song to our French friends, so we sing an extended bi-lingual version, 3 in French as above, and 3 in English translation.
Oddly enough, the French musicians said they did not know the song and protested a bit, " Of course, we are not Normans!" they said! It seemed that more of the Scots knew it, again from French lessons at school!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: french folk song about Normandy
From: GUEST,Patsyanngee Gee
Date: 17 Feb 18 - 07:25 PM

When hope her cheering smile supplies
And winter flies far, far away
Beneath dear France thy beauteous skies
When spring becomes more sweet and gay,
And nature’s dressed again in green,
The swallow that return is seen.
I love again my beauteous land to see,
The land that gave me, gave me birth,
My Normandy

That’s what I remember, bearing in mind it was 60 years ago! Hope this helps

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: french folk song about Normandy
From: GUEST,Denise Burns
Date: 31 Oct 18 - 09:45 PM

I learned it as above except for last 5 lines:

When nature's dressed again in green
The swallow to return is seen.
I love again the land to see
That gave me, gave me birth
My Normandy

Learned in Scotland 60 yrs ago.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: french folk song about Normandy
From: GUEST,John MacKenzie
Date: 01 Nov 18 - 01:34 PM

One of my mother's friends was called Archie Spiers, and he was married to a French lady called Solange. I remember her singing this at New Year, when I was a mere laddie. That would be about 65 years ago, and the tune stayed with me all that time.

Subject: RE: ADD: french folk song about Normandy-Ma Normandie
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 01 Nov 18 - 06:16 PM

It is a a gorgeous tune!

Subject: RE: ADD: french folk song about Normandy-Ma Normandie
From: GUEST
Date: 18 Feb 19 - 06:56 AM

@Tattie Bogle

Cap Gris Nez isn't in Normandy, I'm afraid, and it's a good 135 kilometres to Le Tréport, which is at the nearest point of the province.

Otherwise, I think all the lyrics quoted here are free translations of Ma Normandie, composed in 1836 by one Frédéric Bérat. Normans get all weepy when they're singing it on a bellyful of cider, pommeau or calvados.

Subject: RE: ADD: french folk song about Normandy-Ma Normandie
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 18 Feb 19 - 10:27 AM

Oui, bien sur! Je m'excuse!

Subject: RE: ADD: french folk song about Normandy-Ma Normandie
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 19 Feb 19 - 01:13 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xttQ76fD5gM

Subject: RE: ADD: french folk song about Normandy-Ma Normandie
From: GUEST,Eileen
Date: 01 Jul 23 - 06:25 PM

This song popped into my head this morning for some reason but I could only remember part of the first verse. Like many of your contributors, I learned it at primary school in the sixties from the ‘Singing Together’ radio programme. Thank you to gnomad and GUEST.Ham for providing the rest of the words and taking me back to my innocent childhood!