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User Name Thread Name Subject Posted
Andy Geliher Lyr Req: Mademoiselle from Armentières (156* d) RE: Mademoiselle of Armenteris 25 Jul 97


The following is quoted from The Long Trail, by John Brophy/Eric Partridge
(no ISBN on my 1965 copy)

The songs in the book, originally published ~1930, were collected by ex-servicemen, from ex-servicemen.
Brophy makes no claim that his work is definitive but the text is at least contempory.

Mademoiselle from Armenteers
Air:
French Music-hall Tune

Mademoiselle from Armenteers,
Parley-vous!
Mademoiselle from Armenteers,
Parley-vous!
Mademoiselle from Armenteers,
She hasn't been ---- for forty years,
Inky-pinky parley-vous.

This song was adopted in 1918 by American troops who that year arrived in France and during the peace-time years that followed innumerable stanzas were invented and perpetuated at and for American reunions of `veterans'. The stanza given above constituted the complete version of the song as sung by British troops in 1914-18 - but three other songs, of which the third may most closely resemble the prototype, were in favour. They are set out on the following pages. In all versions the final line was sometimes begun with `Ninky' instead of `Inky'.

Madam Have You . . . ?
Air:
`Mademoiselle from Armenteers'

Madame, have you any good wine ?
Parley-vous!
Madame, have you any good wine ?
Parley-vous!
Madame, have you any good wine Fit for a soldier of the line ?
Inky-pinky parley-vous.

Oh, yes, I have some very good wine,
Fit for a Soldier of the line

Madame have you a daughter fine ?
Fit for a Soldier of the line

Oh. yes, I have a daughter fine,
Far too good for a bloke from the line.

The Sergeant-Major's having a time
Air:
`Mademoiselle from Armenteers'

The Sergeant-Major's having a time
Parley-vous!
The Sergeant-Major's having a time
Parley-vous!
The Sergeant-Major's having a time
Swinging the lead behind the line,
Inky-pinky parley-vous.
The Sergeant-Major's having a time
Swigging the beer behind the line,

The Sergeant-Major's having a time
---- the girls behind the line.

Skiboo
Air:
Variation of `Mademoiselle from Armenteers'

A German officer crossed the Rhine
Skiboo! skibboo!
A German officer crossed the Rhine
Skiboo! skibboo!
A German officer crossed the Rhine
He was on the lookout for women and wine
Skiboo, skiboo,
Ski-bumpity-bump skiboo!
Oh, landlord have you a daughter fair ?
With lily-white breasts and golden hair ?

Oh, yes, I have a daughter fair.
With lily-white breasts and golden hair ?

But my fair daughter is too young,
To be mucked about by a son of a gun.

Oh father, oh father, I'm not too young,
I've been to bed with the parson's son.

It's a hell of a song that we've just sung,
And the fellow that wrote it ought to be hung.

The origin of all these `Mademoiselle' and `Skiboo' songs may be an untraceabler parody, perhaps written for performance at `men only' smoking concerts, of a German song by the poet J.L.Uhland, `The Landlady's Daughter'.


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