The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #112409 Message #3468042
Posted By: Genie
18-Jan-13 - 08:46 AM
Thread Name: Origin: Little Shoemaker (French/English/Italian)
Subject: RE: Origin: Little Shoemaker (French/English/Italian)
I'll take your word for it, Monique. The dictionary I have does say it's "allégre," so that's probably not what Clooney is singing. It does, however, give the word "gré" as a noun meaning "liking." So would "Danser à le gré" mean "to dance to my liking" (or, more idiomatically, "to dance for my pleasure" or "to dance any way I like?"
It would be great to find the sheet music and/or a recording by someone else who uses Clooney's French lyrics to the chorus.