Lyr Req: Chanson des Métamorphoses/Transformations

Subject: Lyric req.: Where the deep waters flow..
From:
Date: 10 Dec 97 - 09:09 PM

I think this song is titled "A Song of Transformation" Over beyond my aunts's Where the deep waters flow something about I shall become and eel If you become an eel, an angler I shall be...

I'd love to find this lyric. Thanks.

Subject: RE: Lyric req.: Where the deep waters flow..
From: judy
Date: 10 Dec 97 - 09:53 PM

I don't know that one in particular but there are a lot of Metamorphosis/Transformation songs out there. I know one in French called aptly enough La (or is it Le) Metamorphoses.

judy

Subject: RE: Lyric req.: Where the deep waters flow..
From: Barry
Date: 10 Dec 97 - 10:09 PM

Not much to go on, could you be looking for "The Two Magicians", check it out in the DT. Barry

Subject: Lyr Add: CHANSON DES MÉTAMORPHOSES/TRANSFORMATIONS
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 01 May 09 - 09:40 AM

One version is given in the thread Lyr Req: French folk songs. Also, it is obviously related to the English/Scottish song TWO MAGICIANS/TWA MAGICIANS.

From Forty-four French folk-songs and variants from Canada, Normandy, and Brittany collected and harmonized by Julien Tiersot, English translations by Henry Grafton Chapman (New York: G. Schirmer, 1904):

LA CHANSON DES MÉTAMORPHOSES

1. «Par derrièr' chez ma tante, Il y a-t-un étang. bis
Je me mettrai anguille, Anguille dans l'étang. bis

2. —Si tu te mets anguille, Anguille dans l'étang, bis
Je me mettrai pêcheur: Je t'aurai en pêchant. bis

3. —Si tu te mets pêcheur, Pour m'avoir en pêchant bis
Je me mettrai alouette, Alouette dans les champs. bis

4. —Si tu te mets alouette, Alouette dans les champs, bis
Je me mettrai chasseur: Je t'aurai en chassant. bis

5. —Si tu te mets chasseur, Pour m'avoir en chassant, bis
Je me mettrai nonnette, Nonnett' dans un couvent. bis

6. —Si tu te mets nonnette, Nonnett' dans un couvent, bis
Je me mettrai prêcheur: Je t'aurai en prêchant. bis

7. —Si tu te mets prêcheur, Pour m'avoir en prêchant, bis
Je me donn'rai à toi, Puisque tu m'aimes tant!» bis

L'air de cette chanson a joui d'une telle faveur parmi le peuple canadien qu'un auteur moderne l'a emprunté pour lui adapter des vers d'un sentiment tout autre, et, sous cette nouvelle forme, il a acquis une nouvelle popularité. Par l'effet de cette adjonction de paroles modernes, le mouvement s'étant ralenti pour se conformer à leur sentiment, les chanteurs populaires ont pris l'habitude de le chanter à deux voix: c'est ainsi que je l'ai noté sous la dictée de deux femmes de Beauharnois, dont je reproduis scrupuleusement l'interprétation.

THE SONG OF TRANSFORMATIONS

1. ||: "Over beyond my aunt's, Where the deep waters flow, :||
||: I'm going to be an eel, Where the deep waters flow." :||

2. ||: "If you become an eel, Where the deep waters flow, :||
||: Angler I then shall turn, And I shall get you so." :||

3. ||: "Angler if you should turn, That you might get me so, :||
||: I shall become a lark, Over the fields to go." :||

4. ||: "If you become a lark, Over the fields to go, :||
||: Hunter I then shall turn, And I shall get you so." :||

5. ||: "Hunter if you should turn, That you may get me so, :||
||: I shall become a nun, And to a convent go." :||

6. ||: "If you become a nun, And to a convent go, :||
||: Preacher I then will turn, And I shall get you so." :||

7. ||: "Preacher if you should turn, That you might get me so, :||
||: I shall become your bride, For that you love me so." :||

The air of this song is so great a favorite among the people of Canada, that a modern author has borrowed it and adapted it to verses of an entirely different nature, and under this new form it has achieved new popularity. As a result of this marriage with modern words, the movement has become slower, to fit the sentiment, and popular singers have taken to singing it as a duet. In this shape I took it down from the dictation of two women of Beauharnois, whose interpretation I have carefully reproduced.