On April 4th I sang an alternate version of this song
(Original lyrics: Martin Cayla (1880-1951)
Music: Martin Cayla-Joseph Canteloube (1879 -1957)

LO MÈRLE (Occitan) (Alternate version) Quand lo mèrle sauta al prat Lèva la coèta, lèva la coèta, Quand lo mèrle sauta al prat Lèva la coèta, baissa lo cap. Quand lo nòvi sauta al prat Tomba la vèsta, tomba la vèsta, Quand lo nòvi sauta al prat Tomba la vèsta, baissa lo cap. Quand la nòvia sauta al prat Tomba la rauba, tomba la roba, Quand la nòvia sauta al prat Tomba la rauba, baissa lo cap. Quand lo merle se'n va del prat Baissa la coeta, baissa la coeta, Quand lo merle se'n va del prat Baissa la coeta, mès lèva lo cap.

THE BLACKBIRD When the blackbird jumps into the meadow, It raises its tails, it raises its tail, When the blackbird jumps into the meadow It raises its tails, it hangs its head. When the groom jumps into the meadow He removes his jacket, he removes his jacket, When the groom jumps into the meadow, He removes his jacket, he hangs his head. When the bride jumps into the meadow She removes her gown, she removes her gown, When the bride jumps into the meadow, She removes her gown, she hangs her head. When the blackbird leaves the meadow, It hangs its tail, it hangs its tail, When the blackbird leaves the meadow, It hangs its tail but raises its head.

You can hear this version at 30:08 of this "Los del Sauveterre" recording


Here are the original lyrics penned by Martin Cayla spelled in normalized spelling

Quand lo mèrle sauta al prat Lèva la coèta, lèva la coèta, Quand lo mèrle sauta al prat Lèva la coèta, baissa lo cap. Quand lo merle se'n va del prat Baissa la coeta, baissa la coeta, Quand lo merle se'n va del prat Baissa la coeta, mès lèva lo cap. Aval, darrièr nòstre ostal, Lo mèrle estifla, lo mèrle estifla, Aval, darrièr nòstre ostal, Lo mèrle estifla coma cal. Quand lo nòvi sauta al prat Quita la vèsta, quita la vèsta, Quand lo nòvi sauta al prat Quita la vèsta, baissa lo cap. Quand la nòvia sauta al prat Quita la rauba, quita la roba, Quand la nòvia sauta al prat Quita la rauba, escarta les braç. Quand se tròban totes dos, Quitan la vèsta, quitan la rauba, Quand se tròban totes dos Aquí se manjan de potons.

When the blackbird jumps into the meadow, It raises its tails, it raises its tail, When the blackbird jumps into the meadow It raises its tails, it hangs its head. When the blackbird leaves the meadow, It hangs its tail, it hangs its tail, When the blackbird leaves the meadow, It hangs its tail but raises its head Over there, behind our house, The blackbird whistles, the blackbird whistles Over there, behind our house, The blackbird whistles good and proper. When the groom jumps into the meadow He removes his jacket, he removes his jacket, When the groom jumps into the meadow, He removes his jacket, he hangs his head. When the bride jumps into the meadow She removes her dress/gown, she removes her dress/gown, When the bride jumps into the meadow, She removes her dress/gown and spreads her arms When they're alone (word for word. "they find themselves all two"), They remove their jacket, they remove their gown/dress When they're alone, There "they eat each other with kisses"(lit.!)

Here are some links to YouTube videos

sung

Played on a hurdy gurdy

sung

1st verse only (for obvious reasons) sung and played by K children


Sheet music here. Note: the sheet music is said to be "around" 1920 so the song might be in the public domain in the US. Here it isn't since Canteloube died in 1957, it'll fall in the PD in Jan. 2028. Another sheet music. For sale by AbeBooks so it might disappear one day or another.


Back to Index