The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #73453   Message #2612855
Posted By: Q (Frank Staplin)
16-Apr-09 - 10:21 PM
Thread Name: Lyr Req: Valparaiso
Subject: Lyr. Add: Nous irons a Valparaiso (Chantey)
The Chanson de Bord (chantey) Nous irons à Valparaiso, posted above with the name Valparaiso, from the singing of Lys Gauty, first appeared in print in Armand Hayet, 1927, "Chansons de Bord," along with 13 other sea songs and chanteys, eash with musical score.
Capitaine Hayet again published these chanteys from the age of sail in his book, "Dictons tirades et chansons des anciens de la voile," several editions.

The chantey is called Hardi les gars vire au guindeau in the collection by Michel Colleu and Nathalie Couilloud, nd, "Chants de Marins à la découverte d'une tradition vivante," Chasse-marée (p. 22, with music).

The lyrics below are in the form published by Capitaine Hayet. Solo 6/8 moderato.

NOUS IRONS À VALPARAISO

1
Hardi les gars!, vire au guindeau
en choeur
Good bye farewell
Good bye farewell
Hardi les gars! adieu Bordeaux!
chorus
Hourra! oh! Mexico
Ho! ho! ho!
Au cap Horn il ne fera pas chaud
chorus
Haul away, hé!
Oula tchalez!
A faire la pêche au cachalot
chorus
Hal' matelot
Hé! ho! hisse hé! ho!
2
Plus d'un y laissera sa peau
chorus
Good bye farewell
Good bye farewell
Adieu, misère, adieu bateau!
chorus
Hourra! oh! Mexico!
Ho! ho! ho!
Et nous irons à Valparaiso
chorus
Haul away, hé!
Oula tchalez!
Où d'autres laisseront leurs os
chorus
Ha! matelot
Hè! ho! hisse hé! ho!
3
Ceux qui r'viendront pavillon haut
chorus
Good bye farewell
Good bye farewell
C'est premier brin de matelot
chorus
Hourra! oh! Mexico!
Ho! ho! ho!
Pour la bordée ils seront à flot
chorus
Haul away, hé!
Oula tchalez!
Bons pour le rack, la fille, le couteau
en choeur
Hal' matelot
Hé! ho! hisse hé! ho!

Notes in "Chants de marins" say this chantey probably belongs to the French whalers of about 1830.
The tune is similar to Blow the Man Down, and Captain Hayet says that in verses 4 and 5 (not printed by Captain Hayet in "Dictons..."), sailors sometimes substituted "Give me some time/ To blow the man down" (I have not seen his original "Chansons de Bord;" these verses may have been included there). Certainly the ships sometimes had crews of sailors hailing from different countries.

There may have been a fair amount of song interchange in whaling and seaport towns among the crews of different fleets.