This song started as a cabaret song. Now it's known as a children's song.
Normally each line should be repeated.
You can find the lyrics, an English translation, a recording and a sheet music on our Mama Lisa's World page
LE SIRE DE FRAMBOISY (French) - 1855
Ernest Bourget (1814-1864) Laurent de Rillé (1828-1915)
C'était l'histoire du Sire de Framboisy,
Avait pris femme, la plus belle du pays.
Refrain
Et tra, et tra, et tra la la la
Et tra, et tra, et tra la la la (1)
La prit trop jeune, bientôt s'en repentit,
Partit en guerre, afin qu'elle murît.
Revint de guerre après cinq ans et d'mi
N' trouva personne de la cave au chenil.
App'la la belle trois jours et quatre nuits,
Un grand silence, hélas, lui répondit.
Le pauvre Sire courut dans tout Paris
Trouva la dame, dans un bal à Clichy.
Corbleu, princesse, que faites-vous ici,
Voyez, je danse, avecque mes amis
Dans son carosse la r'mène à Framboisy.
Il l'empoisonne avec du vert-de-gris.
Et sur sa fosse il sema du persil,
De cette histoire, la morale, la voici :
À jeune femme il faut jeune mari,
À jeune femme il faut jeune mari.THE LORD OF FRAMBOISY
It was the story of the Lord of Framboisy,
He'd taken as wife the most beautiful girl in the country.
Chorus
And tra, and tra, and tra la la la
And tra, and tra, and tra la la la
[He] Took her too young, [he] soon regretted it
[He] Went to war so that she could mature.
[He] Returned from war after five years and a half,
[He] Found nobody from cellar to kennel.
[He] Called the lady fair during three days and four nights,
A wide silence, alas, answered him.
The poor Lord ran throughout Paris,
[He] Found the lady in a ball in Clichy.
"Egad, princess, what are you doing here?"
"See, I'm dancing with my friends."
In his coach, brings her back to Framboisy.
He poisons her with verdigris.
And on her grave he sowed parsley,
Here is the moral of this tale:
To a young woman, a young husband is needed,
To a young woman, a young husband is needed.
Recording by René Quequignon with Jacques Lesprit, Lucette Arsonval, Jackie Lacour, Charles Raynald, Marcel Féru>. In this version, he came back from war after 15 years and a half(!!!!!).
Recording by Les devanautes (children)
Another recording sung by Aude Husson Patru
You can read the version below on the BNF website
A blog post about the story and a recording on Dastum 44 (in French)
Avait pris femme, le Sire de Framboisy
La prit trop jeune, bientôt s'en repentit
Partit en guerre pour tuer les ennemis
Revint de guerre après sept ans et demi
Dans son domaine tout le monde était parti
Que va donc faire le Sire de Framboisy
Chercha sa femme trois jours et quatre nuits
Trouva Madame dans un bal à Paris
Cordieu Madame, que faites-vous ici ?
J' dans' la polka avec tous mes amis
Cordieu Madame, avez-vous un mari ?
Je suis, Monsieur, veuve de cinq ou six
Corrrrdieu, Madame, cette vie_là va finir !
Qui êt's vous doncques pour me parler ainsi ?
Je suis lui-même… le Sire de Framboisy
La prend, l'emmène au château de Framboisy
Lui tranch' la tête d'une ball' de son fusil
Lui creus' une tomb' avec le bout de son parapluie
De cette histoire, la morale la voici :
À jeune femme il faut jeune mari.The Lord of Framboisy had got himself a wife,
He took her too young, he soon regretted it.
He went to war to kill ennemies
He came back from war after seven years and a half.
In his estate, everybody had left.
What will the Lord of Framboisy do then?
He looked for his wife three days and four nights,
He found Milady in a ball in Paris.
"Gadzooks, Milady, what are you doing here?"
"I'm dancing the polka with all my friends."
"Gadzooks, Milady, do you have a husband?"
"I am, Sir, a widow of five or six of them."
"Gadzooks, Milady, this life is going to end!"
"Who are you to talk to me this way?"
"I am himself… the Lord of Framboisy"
He takes her away to the Framboisy castle,
He cuts her head with a shotgun ball,
He digs her a grave with the tip of his umbrella.
Here is the moral of this tale:
To a young woman, a young husband is needed,
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