Lyr ADD: A La Claire Fontaine

Subject: looking for McGarrigle lyrics ( some mor
From: Lillian
Date: 12 Aug 99 - 06:39 PM

Saw kate and Ann in a concert in Madison Wi around 1996. They sang a French song loosely translated which means:" I have loved you for a long time;I will love you forever." Anyone have any information as to which song this might be and how I can locate it. I looked on their web page but couldn't find anything. I posted before but think I put my request in the wrong place.Sorry. Thanks

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: looking for McGarrigle lyrics ( some
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 12 Aug 99 - 10:47 PM

Would this be "A La Claire Fontaine"? It's on the database under that title (though incomplete) -widespread in Canada.

Malcolm Douglas

Subject: Lyr Add: A LA CLAIRE FONTAINE
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 02 Feb 09 - 11:46 PM

This song can be seen along with a notated melody line in Chansons Populaires du Canada by Ernest Gagnon (Québec: R. Morgan, 1880).

I have indicated some of the variants I found in other books.


A LA CLAIRE FONTAINE

1. A la claire fontaine m'en allant promener,
Je trouvai l'eau si belle que je m'y suis baigné.

CHORUS: Il y a longtemps que je t'aime,
Jamais je ne t'oublierai.

2. Je trouvai l'eau si belle que je m'y suis baigné;
Sous les feuilles d'un chêne* je me suis fait sécher**.

3. Sous les feuilles d'un chêne je me suis fait sécher;
Sur la plus haute branche le rossignol chantait.

4. Sur la plus haute branche le rossignol chantait;
Chante, rossignol, chante, toi qui as le cœur gai.

5. Chante, rossignol, chante, toi qui as le cœur gai;
Tu as le cœur à rire, moi je l'ai à pleurer.

6. Tu as le cœur à rire, moi je l'ai à pleurer;
J'ai perdu ma maîtresse, sans l'avoir mérité.***

7. J'ai perdu ma maîtresse sans l'avoir mérité;
Pour un bouquet de roses**** que je lui refusai.

8. Pour un bouquet de roses que je lui refusai.
Je voudrais que la rose fût encore au rosier.

9. Je voudrais que la rose fût encore au rosier,
Et que le rosier même fût à la mer jeté.*****


[VARIANTS:
* "Et c'est au pied d'un chêne"
** "je me suis reposé
*** "Comment m'en consoler?" or "Sans pouvoir la trouver"
**** "Pour une blanche rose"
***** "Et moi et ma maîtresse dans les mêm's amitiés."]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A La Claire Fontaine (sung by McGarrigles
From: Monique
Date: 03 Feb 09 - 05:10 AM

Alternate versions:
Verse 1 "J'ai trouvé l'eau si claire"
verse 6: "J'ai perdu mon amie sans l'avoir mérité", in which "amie" is pronounced "ami-e". "maîtresse" used to mean the woman a man loved, because she was the mistress (fem. of "master") of his heart and/or his very self but has passed to have only has a sexual meaning nowadays(besides meaning a female primary school teacher). So maybe it's why we now sing it as "amie" (meaning "beloved/fiancée/girlfriend" here) but it's only my opinion.
**** "pour un bouton de rose"
***** "et que le rosier même à la mer fût jeté" or "et que ma douce amie fût encore à m'aimer"

There's a Canadian version with a different chorus and a different tune, and also a Creole version with a different chorus and a different tune.

Here is the Canadian version "Fendez le bois"

À LA CLAIRE FONTAINE
Version québécoise

À la claire fontaine,
M'en allant promener
J'ai trouvé l'eau si belle
Que je m'y suis baigné

Refrain :
Fendez le bois, chauffez le four
Dormez ma belle, il n'est point jour.

Sous les feuilles d'un chêne,
Je me suis fait sécher
Sur la plus haute branche,
Un rossignol chantait

Refrain

Chante rossignol, chante,
Toi qui as le cœur gai
Tu as le cœur à rire,
Moi je l'ai à pleurer

Refrain

J'ai perdu ma promise,
Sans l'avoir mérité
Pour un bouquet de roses,
Que je lui refusais

Refrain

Je voudrais que la rose,
Fût encore au rosier
Et moi et ma promise
Dans les mêmes amitiés.

Refrain


À LA CLAIRE FONTAINE
Version créole

À la claire fontaine m'en allant promener,
j'ai trouvé l'eau si belle que je m'y suis baigné.
Sous la feuille d'un chêne je me suis fait sécher,
sur la plus haute branche un rossignol chantait.

Refrain
Pitit' qui pas connait' chanter
doubout 'aller kaï maman,
Pitit' qui pas connait' chanter
doubout 'aller kaï maman.*

Sous la feuille d'un chêne je me suis fait sécher,
sur la plus haute branche un rossignol chantait.
« Chante rossignol chant 'toi qui a le cœur gai,
tu as le cœur à rire moi je l'ai à pleurer ».

Refrain

« Chante rossignol chant 'toi qui a le cœur gai,
tu as le cœur à rire moi je l'ai à pleurer.
J'ai perdu mon amie sans l'avoir mérité
pour un bouquet de roses que je lui refusai ».

Refrain

« J'ai perdu mon amie sans l'avoir mérité
pour un bouquet de roses que je lui refusai.
Je voudrais que la ros' fut encor 'au rosier
et que le rosier même fut encor' à planter ».

Refrain

Je voudrais que la ros' fut encor 'au rosier
et que le rosier même fut encor' à planter.
La suit' de la chanson j 'crois qu' je l'ai oubliée :
si ça n' vous ennuie pas j' vais la recommencer ».

Refrain


*Petite qui ne sait pas chanter
Va-t-en chez ta maman.

Midi tunes coming soon

---

• A La Claire Fontaine 1
• A La Claire Fontaine 2
• A La Claire Fontaine - Creole
• A La Claire Fontaine - Quebec

Subject: Lyr Add: LA CLAIRE FONTAINE
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 12 Jan 12 - 05:52 PM

À la Claire Fontaine has been called the unofficial anthem of French Canada. Lyrics are known in France, but the tune is quite different from the ones used in Canada (Fowke and Johnston). Marius Barbeau provides three tunes. He calls the song a jongleur song of the XV-XVI centuries which arrived in Canada in the XVII century with the colonists. The most common rhythms are consistent with paddling and portage, hence the song was a favorite with the voyageurs.

À LA CLAIRE FONTAINE
Version coll. by P. Arsenault and T. Gallant

À la claire fontaine m'em allant promener,
J'ai trouve l'eau si belle que je m'y suis baigné.

Refrain:-
Depuis l'aurore du jour, je l'attends,
Celle que j'aime, que mon cœur aime.
Depuis l'aurore du jour je l'attends,
Celle que mon cœur aime tant.

C'est au pied d'un grand chêne, je me suis fait sécher.
Sur la plus haute branche, le rossignol chantait.

Depuis l'aurore ...

Chante, rossignol, chante, toi qui as le cœur gai !
Tu as le cœur à rire, moi je l'ai à pleuer.

J'ai perdu ma maìtresse sans l'avoir mérité,
Pour un bouquet de roses que je lui refusai.

Je voudrais que la rose fût encore au rosier,
Et que le rosier même fût à la mer jeté.

Et que le rosier même fût à la mer jeté.
Je voudrais que la belle fût encore à m'aimer.

Translation by Marius Barbeau in next post.

With musical scores, pp. 23-25.
Marius Barbeau, 1982, En Roulant Ma Boule, Part 2, Répertoire de la chanson folklorique française au Canada, Musées nationaux du Canada.

Fowke, E. F. and Richard Johnson, 1954, Folk Songs of Canada, Waterloo Music Company.

Subject: Lyr Add: A LA CLAIRE FONTAINE (M. Barbeau, trans.)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 12 Jan 12 - 06:06 PM

À la Clare Fontaine
Translation by Marius Barbeau

1
In the crystal clear fountain, as I passed by one day,
I saw the limpid waters, and bathed in their spray.

Refrain:-
Since the pale dawn I have longed for
The one I love, my heart's belovèd.
Since the pale dawn I have longed for
The one that I fondly adore.

2
Beside a lofty oak-tree, in the cool wind I stray,
While from thetop-most branch comes the nightingale's sweet lay.

Refrain:-

3
Nightingale, sing lightly, your heart is so gay,
Your heart is filled with laughter, mine with tears is grey.
4
For I have lost my dear love, lost her- ah! well-a-day !
All for a wreath of roses which I did gainsay.
5
And I would the rose blossoms were still on that tree,
Oh, I would that all roses were swallowed by the sea.
6
Oh, I would the rose-blossoms were in the deepest sea.
I would that my belovèd had not forsaken me.

P. 41, Marius Barbeau, 1964, Folk-Songs of Old Québec, National Museum Bull. No. 75, National Museum of Canada.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A La Claire Fontaine (sung by McGarrigles
From: Monique
Date: 12 Jan 12 - 06:12 PM

There's a version that doesn't say "À la claire fontaine" but "Par derrièr' chez mon père" that we've posted on MLW with an English translation and a link to a sample -I love it!- It's also on The French:Voice of the People thread

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A La Claire Fontaine (sung by McGarrigles
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 12 Jan 12 - 06:38 PM

Forgetting to close. Sorry! Senior-moments day!

Lyr. Add: À La Claire Fontaine

Partial translation of version by Ernest Gagnon (posted by Jim Dixon) by Fowke and Johnston.

1
By the clear running fountain
I strayed one summer day.
The water looked so cooling
I bathed without delay.

Refrain:-
Many long years have I loved you,
Ever in my heart you'll stay.
2
Beneath an oak tree shady
I dried myself that day,
When from the topmost branch
A bird's song came my way.
3
Sing, nightengale, keep singing,
Your heart is always gay.
You have no cares to grieve you,
While I could weep today.
4
You have no cares to grieve you,
While I could weep today,
For I have lost my loved one
In such a senseless way.
5
She wanted some red roses
But I did rudely say
She could not have the roses
That I had picked that day.
6
Now I wish those red roses
Were on their bush today,
While I and my beloved
Still went our old sweet way.

Pp. 134-135, with musical score.
E. F. Fowke and Richard Johnston, 1954, Folk Songs of Canada, Waterloo Music Company Limited.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A La Claire Fontaine (sung by McGarrigles
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Sep 12 - 10:17 PM

The question of the sex of the singer is interesting. Most versions seem by the lyrics to be sung by a man (although most often it's actually sung by a woman!).

If [he] has an "amie" [he] must be masculine (well, maybe not these days, but still...)

However, I have seen a version with "ami", which admittedly doesn't fit the melody quite as well; as noted above, "maîtresse" could refer to either sex (language historians help out here). It has a significant variation in verse 5:

Instead of
   Pour un bouquet de roses que je lui refusai
it has
   Pour un bouquet de roses que trop tôt j'ai donné
i.e. "I gave away my roses too soon".

With the sexual symbolism of flowers common in folk-song, this would give a whole new meaning if sung by a woman.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A La Claire Fontaine (sung by McGarrigles
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 04 Mar 22 - 12:50 PM

The New-York Mirror: A Weekly Journal, Devoted to Literature and the Fine Arts. Vol.14, No. 25, (New York: Dec. 17, 1836), page 200.

--where it is called “Original Canadian Boat Song.” It has musical notation for a melody line plus a simple piano accompaniment, and a rather bad English translation of the lyrics, followed by a long text that mainly describes the lives of the voyageurs, ending with the ascription “—Scottish Magazine.”

I don’t know what to make of this. I have been unable to identify a magazine of the right time period with a title similar to “Scottish Magazine” so maybe they meant it in a generic sense. In any case, I have been unable to find a source of the song older than 1836, but I did find another from the same year:
- - -
Valentine: ou la Nina Canadienne. Comédie en un acte. Hyacinthe Leblanc de Marconnay (Montreal: de l’imprimerie de l’ami du peuple, 1836), page 52.

The text of the song is part of the playscript.

Subject: RE: Lyr ADD: A La Claire Fontaine
From: GUEST,Phil d'Conch
Date: 11 Oct 22 - 06:45 PM

1822 American-English 'translation' with a "Young Julia" line.

“THE CANADIAN BOAT SONG.
        “A la claire Fontaine.”

By the clear fountain's still retreat,
I rov'd with slow and heedless feet;
And in the dark oak's shelt'ring shade,
In sweet and musing thought I stray'd,

        C'est long temps m' amie que je t'aimerai;
        Jamais je ne t'oublierai.

While in the dark oak's shelt'ring shade,
In sweet and musing though I stray'd,
Scarce could I remark with wand'ring eye,
The eagle floating in the sky;
        C'est long temps, &c.

Ah! happy bird I envy thee,
Thy heart is gay, thy heart is free––
Thine eyes with beans of gladness shine,
While dews of sorrow darken mine;
        C'est long temps, &c.

Thine eyes with beans of gladness shine,
While dews of sorrow darken mine––
I've lost my love and strive in vain;
To wake anew the cheerful strain;
        C'est long temps, &c.

I've lost my love and strive in vain;
To wake anew the cheerful strain––
No guilt of mine can envy prove.
And yet alas I've lost my love;
        C'est long temps, &c.

No guilt of mine can envy prove.
And yet alas I've lost my love––
No guilt––save that I once denied
A rose which on my bosom died;
        C'est long temps, &c.

No guilt––save that I once denied
A rose which on my bosom died––
And now I wish in roseate bower,
Was lodged again that luckless flower;
        C'est long temps, &c.

And now I wish in roseate bower,
Was lodged again that luckless flower––
Or that the stalk on which it bloom'd,
Was in the ocean wave entomb'd;
        C'est long temps, &c.

And that the stalk on which it bloom'd,
Was in the ocean wave entomb'd––
And that thy heart, and that thy hand,
Young Julia! Were at my command;
        C'est long temps, &c.
––––
The chorus may be thus rendered
        I've lov'd the long and I love thee yet,
        How can I ever my love forget!”
[Alexandria Gazette & Daily Advertiser, 16 January, 1822]
À La Claire Fontaine
À la claire fontaine

Subject: RE: Lyr ADD: A La Claire Fontaine
From: GUEST,Phil d'Conch
Date: 12 Oct 22 - 06:55 AM

One month before the December, 1836 New-York Mirror; same text and nearly identical voyageur footnotes as the above.

There is a bit more music with the notes:
“(Not Published)”
“This simple accompaniment has been added.”

and “the Scottish Magazine” is capitalized so it does look like it was a publication's name.

[The Albion, British Colonial, and Foreign Weekly Gazette, Vol.4, No.47, New York, 19 November 1836]