Les Chansons de la France

Subject: Les Chansons de la France
From: GUEST,Doc Rock
Date: 20 Sep 01 - 03:01 PM

I would like to hear from people who are researching continental French folk music as well as those who are simply interested in it. I do research (and am a big fan of) on Cajun and Creole music as well as the French music of the Upper Mississippi Valley, in particular songs associated with Mardi Gras and Guignolee. I have conducted a moderate amount of comparative research on French Canadian folk songs (Mardi Gras, Mi-Careme, Guignolee and La Chandeleur), but far less so for France.

J'connais Francaise 'Cadien. Ca fait, si t'as besoin, tu peut ecrire en Francaise, mais j'su pas au courant.

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: Mr Red
Date: 20 Sep 01 - 05:45 PM

I once sang "A la Rochelle" to a french folklorist
she recognised the tune but couldn't make out the words
What is the nearest equivalent French accent to Black Country? (Not Birmingham to those unfamiliar with UK parochialisms)
Still, she thought the tune was really a dance tune from the Massif Central so for my impertinence I had to sing it for kiddies to dance to in the afternoon.
And she still couldn't make out the words, (owr kid).
Good job too, if the kiddies had followed the raunchy words to the shanty I would have been in trouble.
what is a pucelage by the way?

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 20 Sep 01 - 07:34 PM

Staying within the idiom, pucelage = maidenhead.

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: Amos
Date: 20 Sep 01 - 08:29 PM

The few French folksogs I know are pretty standard:

Chevaliers de la Table Ronde
Perrine Etais Servante
Aupres de ma Blonde
A La Claire Fontaine
Les Bouchees A La Reine (really dirty)
plus a few more modern numbers like Georges Brassens and a couple of Francois Hardy's tune which don't qualify as folk, I guess:

Le Petit Cheval Blanc
Monsieur le President
Ton Meilleur Ami
Je Veux Qu'el'qu'un Qui M'Aime

Maybe one or two others tucked in the dustier back corners of memory.

Amos

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: John P
Date: 20 Sep 01 - 09:08 PM

We do a lot of French folk songs, and I have listened to tons of them over the years, but not being concerned about musical scholarship I've never made a study of them. I'm going to a big hurdy-gurdy festival tomorrow, so I'll probably be playing French dance tunes all weekend.

Some recorded sources:
Malicorne, the first five albums or so.
Lo Jai
La Bamboche
Maluzerne
Melusine
Serge Laine and Isla Ross
Gabriel and Marie Yacoub
Telynor (my band)

Some books:
Chansons de la Mer by Gerard Carreau (Les Editions Ouvrieres)
Chansons de France by Marcel Vigneras (D. C. Heath & Company)
The Gambit Book of French Folk Songs by Elizabeth Poston and Paul Arma (Gambit Incorporated)
Songs of France by Jerry Silverman (Mel Bay)
Sixty Folksongs of France by Julien Tiersot (Oliver Ditson Company)
La France Qui Chant by Bernard Fuller (Heinemann Educational Books, Ltd)
Anthologie des Chants Populaires Francais by Joseph Canteloube (Durand & Cie)

John Peekstok

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: GUEST,michael batory
Date: 21 Sep 01 - 04:16 AM

I've been looking for the lyrics of an old song from the Drome region entitled " Le Mai de Clerieux ". Can anyone help? [e-mail]

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: English Jon
Date: 21 Sep 01 - 06:18 AM

1. Lyr req: "Bergeres si tu m'aime" anyone? Please?

2. Frank Dobbins's Oxford book of French Chanson is a pretty good resource. Loads of stuff from Attaignant, Sermissy, Gombert, Mouton etc...

EJ

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 21 Sep 01 - 09:03 AM

Michael: your question was answered last time you asked!  See:  Le Mai de Clerieux

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: GUEST,Michael Batory
Date: 21 Sep 01 - 09:31 AM

Malcolm,

Re: Le Mai de Clerieux

Thankyou so much, I'm really grateful to you. I obviously missed your answer first time around.

All the best,

Michael.

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: Mrrzy
Date: 21 Sep 01 - 11:07 AM

Quelle joie, d'autres francophones! Et qui ecoutent Malicorne, I didn't know anyone else had ever heard of them... Are they on CD en France?

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: English Jon
Date: 21 Sep 01 - 11:32 AM

I've got one of their albums somewhere...

EJ

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 21 Sep 01 - 12:04 PM

The early stuff in particular was great.  I haven't seen the person who has all my vinyl copies for about ten years, but fortunately kept tape backups!  I believe that most, if not all, of the œuvre is now out on CD.

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: Turtle
Date: 21 Sep 01 - 12:22 PM

Moi aussi, j'ecoute Malicorne! Et Tri Yann aussi...Mrrzy, connais-tu cette groupe Bretonne?

Now, I'm looking for the lyrics and music to a round/catch my French mother used to sing, called "In vino veritas". The first two lines are:

In vino veritas, mes freres,
c'est un vieux proverbe latin

and it ends with a line about "trouver la verite dans le vin." Est-ce quelqu'un le connait?

hey, this is fun! It's been a long time since I used my (fading) French.

Turtle

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: Mrs.Duck
Date: 21 Sep 01 - 02:41 PM

At Windy Bottom Festival this year we had a few French songs in the singaround when Maggie produced an old book of same. Il etait un petit navire and Aupres de ma blonde are the only ones I can recall off the top of my head but it was great fun.

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: weepiper
Date: 21 Sep 01 - 03:58 PM

Malicorne are available on cd through Amazon for those interested, and for those who haven't heard them they're well worth a try. A good French-Canadian group that I haven't been able to find in Scotland are Mes Souliers Sont Rouges (I think that's how it's spelt), also La Volee De Casteurs, quite similar to La Bottine...my boyfriend met a French band called Tradicelte when he was gigging near Toulouse who were good too, they had a hurdy-gurdy, two cornemuses, a guitar and songs, they do have at least one cd but I'm not sure how easy it would be to get outside France.

Subject: ADD: J'fais pipi sur le gazon
From: GUEST,Jeanene
Date: 22 Sep 01 - 04:44 AM

How about this French schoolboys' song:

J'fais pipi sur le gazon

J'fais pipi sur le gazon
Pour ambiter les coccinelles;
J'fais pipi sur le gazon,
Pour ambiter les papillons.

Pipi, gazon, papillons, coccinelles,
Pipi, gazon, coccinelles, papillons, 'pillons.

My singable translation:
I go pee pee on the lawn
To annoy the ladybird bugs,
I go pee pee on the lawn
To annoy the butterflies.

Pee pee on the lawn,
The ladybugs, they get pissed off;
Pee pee, on the lawn,
Likewise, the butterflies, 'terflies.

I don't know how old the song is or where it originated. Does someone else know?
Jeanene

---

From Monique:

Hi Joe

Thanks! Here is the midi Guest Jeanene's post. It's the same tune to "Y'a une pie dans le poirier/pommier"/"Y'a un rat" that I posted at the end of the thread.
More to come...later!

Monique


Click to play

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: GUEST,Doc Rock
Date: 23 Sep 01 - 05:10 PM

Thanks for the information on published sources of French folk music. I was interested to hear about the group Mes Souliers Sont Rouge, because that is (more or less) the name of a traditional Cajun children's song that has been covered by Beausoleil and Zachary Richard.

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 01 Jul 04 - 06:46 AM

Refresh

My school will be hosting a jeunne femme francaise this coming school year, and I'm looking for sources of chansons francais that are appropriate for les enfants. Looks like there are some good ones right here on this thread!

Allison

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: Dead Horse
Date: 01 Jul 04 - 10:34 AM

I assume you are already familiar with :-
http://membres.lycos.fr/breric/cajun.htm

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: Les from Hull
Date: 01 Jul 04 - 02:11 PM

The book that Mrs Duck mentioned is called 'Diguedondaine' by Ejnar Kampp published in Copenhagen (Wilhelm Hansen, Musik-Forlag) with 100 songs suitable for children (words, music, chords).

It might be hard to find, though, being a 1970s Danish book about French folksongs. I could maybe copy a page or two and send them by email.

Did you know that the Danish for bookseller is boghandel?

Les

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: Nerd
Date: 02 Jul 04 - 01:21 AM

All of malicorne's albums are or have been on CD; I've got 'em all. There are also two compilation CDs.

The best overall source for French trad songs is a set that is a 920 page harcdcover book and a 15 CD box set by some of the greatest French revival artists: Yacoub, Catherine Perrier, Evelyne Girardon, Jean Francois Dutertre, Jan-Loup Baly, etc, etc. Basically, members of all the groups John P recommended above. Book has melodies, chords and words (Chords have their solfege names, like "re" or "lam").

Title: Anthologie de la Chanson Francaise: La Tradition
Edited by Marc Robine

editions Albin Michel & EPM Musique.

It cost me almost three hundred bucks, but it was worth it!

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 02 Jul 04 - 07:41 AM

I was taught a song at school about Une Bergere [Shepherdess]

Il etait une bergere et ron ron ron petit pat a pon
Il etait une bergere qui gardez sez moutons ron ron,qui gardez sez moutons.

and that's all I remember of that one. There's one I remember even less of, which has a line.

Si le fils de Roi m'aime avec mes sabots dondaine
Oh oh oh, avec mes sabots.

Giok

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: Snuffy
Date: 02 Jul 04 - 09:34 AM

John,

I have vague memories of the first one. I think it's about a drummer boy and the ron ron ron petit pat a pon is supposed to be drumbeats.

I remember the first verse of the other one from a vacation course in Menton in 1968:

En passant par la Lorraine
Avec mes sabots
En passant par la Lorraine
Avec mes sabots
En passant par la Lorraine
Avec mes sabots, dondaine
Oh, oh, oh
Avec mes sabots

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: GUEST,Sheila
Date: 02 Jul 04 - 10:21 AM

There's a charming song, "En roulant ma boule rollant"(?) with apologies for my French.
Sheila

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: Les from Hull
Date: 02 Jul 04 - 05:01 PM

According to my book the Danish for bergère (shepherdess) is 'hyrdepige'. I'm not sure it's suitable for les petits, though. It seems to be a song about kittenicide.

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 02 Jul 04 - 07:04 PM

Here's a site with a great collection of songs by 20th century chansonniers. Unlike their Anglophone equivalent, they aren't referred to as "folk songs", which avoids all kinds of futile arguments - but it's an incredibly rich tradition.

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 02 Jul 04 - 07:26 PM

A good one, McGrath. Another is "ABC de la Chanson Francophone" which has 20,000 lyrics. It also has 'folk' songs scattered through the collection. Paroles
Of course the lyrics are those that are sung now.

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 03 Jul 04 - 06:27 AM

Has anyone heard the "Rough Guide to the Music of France" cd?

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: semi-submersible
Date: 05 Jul 04 - 06:26 PM

For the song beginning "Il etait une bergere," and related rhymes, search at Google for "elle fit un fromage". (This line has no accents to confuse the search.) Half of my first 20 results were versions of this song.

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 05 Jul 04 - 08:04 PM

Il etait une bergère- There was a shepherdess.
Il etait une bergère- There was an easy chair.

Not pertinent, but I always wondered why the word was the same.

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 31 Jul 04 - 12:05 AM

Over 650 traditional French songs here. See site map. Well-organized website. Usual lyrics, etc., but ABC for all airs. Subcategories for lyrics to sailors' songs. About 200 of the songs are Breton. Ogg Vorbis audio.
French traditional

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: Laurent
Date: 31 Jul 04 - 02:12 AM

Bonjour Doc Rock.

Nice to find someone interrested in French Folksongs.

For songs from Center France :
Try www.CMTRA.ORG and look for Millien's "Chansons populaires du Nivernais et du Morvan" (7 books, the first 4 are worth the money to me) and Barbillat-Tourraine's "Chansons populaires du Bas-Berry". Some of Malicorne's song come from this book. All these books contain lyric and scores.
This site sells true French Folk music CDs.

For sea shanties and sea songs : Le chasse-maree

Hope this helps

Laurent

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: The Walrus
Date: 31 Jul 04 - 10:42 AM

As we're on French songs, does anyone have the words to 'Chanson de Crayonne" - the French soldiers' song from the First World War:
"Adieu la vie
"Adieu l'amour
"Adieu a tout les femmes"

Walrus

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 31 Jul 04 - 01:51 PM

Walrus, you can get them at Craonne
"La Chanson de Craonne," author unknown.

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 31 Jul 04 - 03:05 PM

An MP3 of refrain (1) and a midi of La Chanson de Craonne here: Craonne
Good text here: Craonne

Couldn't find a translation.

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: The Walrus
Date: 31 Jul 04 - 04:16 PM

Q,

Many thanks.

Walrus

Subject: ADD: Il était une bergère
From: Monique
Date: 13 May 08 - 09:04 AM

Il était une bergère

Il était une bergère
et ron et ron petit patapon
Il était une bergère
Qui gardait ses moutons ron ron
Qui gardait ses moutons.

Elle fit un fromage, et ron...
Du lait de ses moutons

Le chat qui la regarde
D'un petit air fripon.

Si tu y mets la patte,
Tu auras du bâton,

Il n'y mit pas la patte,
Il y mit le menton.

La bergère en colère,
Tua son p'tit chaton.

Elle s'en fut à confesse,
Pour demander pardon.

Mon père je m'accuse,
D'avoir tué chaton.

Ma fill' pour pénitence,
Nous nous embrasserons.

La pénitence est douce,
Nous recommencerons.


About bergère meaning also easy chair: it was given to these armchairs because of the shepherds scenes showing on the fabric covering these seats.
"Bergère: s'est spécialisé comme terme d'ameublement (1746) et de mode (1752) lié à la mode des bergers au XVIIIème s.: son emploi pour désigner un fauteuil, favorisé par celui de duchesse, est dû aux scènes de bergers représentées sur les tapisseries garnissant ces sièges." (Le Robert.Dictionnaire historique de la langue française -1992)

---

Il était une bergère (Click to play)

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 01 Jun 08 - 04:13 PM

You can hear a recording of "Il était une bergère" (and lots of other French-language songs) at The Virtual Gramophone, a web site of the Library and Archives of Canada.

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: Mrrzy
Date: 02 Jun 08 - 10:30 AM

Wow! I never knew the ending to La Bergere, where it turns from kittencide to child abuse by priests! What a riot!

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Jun 08 - 02:30 PM

This may not be quite what you were seeking, but the thread reminded me of something from long ago.

When I was a boy, I remember hearing a recording by Les Compagnons de la Chanson, a French group that dated from the early 1940's. Among the selections was "The Three Bells" of Swiss composer Jean Villard, a song which was an international success for them. The group had a wonderful, rich harmony that I found haunting, even then, a sound especially well suited to this song.

"The Three Bells" was revived as an American country music-based rendition by The Browns, in 1959 or so.

Subject: LYRICS ADD: LES FILLES DES FORGES
From: Monique
Date: 02 Jun 08 - 07:37 PM

Maybe it wasn't "child" abuse but it certainly was "abuse by taking advantage of a position of authority" (aggravating circumstance according to present French law)
Here is another one in which the priest wants to take advantage of his position:

LES FILLES DES FORGES
(Traditional)

1 Digue, ding don, don, ce sont les filles des forges (bis)
Des forges de Paimpont, digue ding dondaine
Des forges de Paimpont, dingue ding dondon

2 Digue, ding don, don, elles s'en vont à confesse (bis)
Au curé du canton, digue ding dondaine
Au curé du canton, dingue ding dondon

3 Digue, ding don, don, qu'avions-vous fait les filles (bis)
Pour demander pardon, digue ding dondaine
Pour demander pardon, dingue ding dondon

4 Digue, ding don, don, j'avions couru les bals (bis)
Et les jolis garçons, digue ding dondaine
Et les jolis garçons, dingue ding dondon

5 Digue, ding don, don, ma fille pour pénitence (bis)
Nous nous embrasserons, digue ding dondaine
Nous nous embrasserons, dingue ding dondon

6 Digue, ding don, don, je n'embrasse point les prêtres (bis)
Mais les jolis garçons, digue ding dondaine
Qu'ont du poil au menton, dingue ding dondon

7 Digue, ding don, don, mais l'on peut bien être prêtre (bis)
Et être joli garçon, digue ding dondaine
Et être joli garçon, dingue ding dondon

8 Digue, ding don, don, allez-vous en les filles (bis)
Sans avoir de pardon, digue ding dondaine
Sans avoir de pardon, dingue ding dondon

9 Digue, ding don, don, il faut aller à Rome (bis)
Chercher l'absolution, digue ding dondaine
Chercher l'absolution, dingue ding dondon

10 Digue, ding don, don, si je l'avions à Rome (bis)
J' l'aurions bien à Paimpont, digue ding dondaine
J' l'aurions bien à Paimpont, dingue ding dondon

11 Digue, ding don, don, elles s'en vont à l'auberge (bis)
L'auberge de Paimpont, digue ding dondaine
L'auberge de Paimpont, dingue ding dondon

12 Digue, ding don, don, apportez quinze bouteilles (bis)
du cidre et du vin bon, digue ding dondaine
du cidre et du vin bon, dingue ding dondon

13 Digue, ding don, don, elles ont bu quinze bouteilles (bis)
Sans savoir s'il est bon, digue ding dondaine
Sans savoir s'il est bon, dingue ding dondon

14 Digue, ding don, don, apportez la seizième (bis)
Et nous la goûterons , digue ding dondaine
Et nous la goûterons , dingue ding dondon

15 Digue, ding don, don, donnez la dix-septième (bis)
Redoublez la ration, digue ding dondaine
Redoublez la ration, dingue ding dondon


Music and lyrics: Breton tradition - previous to the 19th century. The modern version as sung by Tri Yann goes as far as verse # 6.
The verses from 7 to 12 come from Diapason Turquoise, volume 2, Les Presses de l'Ile de France, Paris.
I found the ones from 13 to 15 on line on Bcld.net, Brocéliande en Bretagne, (http://www.broceliande-pays.com/?Les-filles-des-Forges-de-Paimpont) where they also give another version of the song.

Recording by Tri Yann here
M.P.

---

Click to play

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: Amos
Date: 02 Jun 08 - 07:49 PM

Here's one I learned from some Breton schoolboys about 50 years ago.

Par les champs et par les plaines
S'en allant deux compagnons, compagnons
Qui chantaient ‡ perdre haleine,
Que la vie avait su bon, du bon!
Wui chataient ‡ perdre haleine,
Que la vie avait du bon!!


There was a good deal more to the story but my tattention span was short back then and I never learned it! :D

Trans:

Over fields and over meadows
Two companions go along, go along,
Singing loud enough to lose their voices
How good life is, how good life is.
(bis)

A

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: Barry Finn
Date: 02 Jun 08 - 08:00 PM

Not a French song so much as about an Austraian Priest who goes to Franc. It's pump shanty found in Harlow's Chanting Aboard American ships. Thought it might be of some interest here.

Priests & Nuns

A priest in Austria thought one day
1st Ch. Ho, Ho, Ho
He'd go to France without delay
2nd Ch. Hal-ler-al-le-re. hal-ler-al-le-ra
He'd go to France without delay
3rd Ch. Hal-ler-al-le-re, Ho, Ho

So when the father came to France
Ho, Ho, Ho
T'was seven sick nuns he found by chance
Hal-ler-al-le-re, hal-ler-al-le-ra
Seven sick nuns he found by chance
Hal-ler-al-le-re, Ho, Ho

He saw these nuns in the convent yard
All laying down on benches hard

He gave these nuns his calling card                        
And asked may I come in your yard

To one he asked what he could
I'm priest as well as doctor too

A sick nun then made quick reply
Said treat me father ere I die
                                                         
With cane in hand a walking stick
And he touched that nun so very quick

The others quickly ran to see
And asked the priest what could it be

A medicine stick in my hand I hold
To cure all sick nuns in my fold

Another nun that lay close by
Cried father none so sick as I

He treated all the nuns alike
And said he'd call another night

Their money gone they looked in vain
For the priest that carried the medicine cane

Barry

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: Monique
Date: 02 Jun 08 - 08:18 PM

Oh oh! reminds me of a French bawdy song!

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: Artful Codger
Date: 03 Jun 08 - 05:02 AM

Like "Il était une fillete"? (A ribald but sweet madrigal by Clément Jannequin)

I was taught "Il était une bergère" in French class, but it wasn't until many years later that I ran across the final verses. Odd the teachers hold back on this one, considering they like to teach children "Alouette", a song espousing gleeful, sadistic mutilation.

Just goes to show: many songs sound much better when you don't know what they mean.

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: Mrrzy
Date: 03 Jun 08 - 09:44 AM

OK, I have been corrected, la bergere was an adult, so it's just priests soliciting sex as a penance for confessed sins. Much more palatable!

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: GUEST,TJ in San Diego
Date: 03 Jun 08 - 11:11 AM

In about 1979, I was travelling in the Beaujolais region of France with my wine marketing company. At a early morning stop at Chateau de la Chaize, in Brouilly, we were entertained by a small boy, the son of the maitre de chais, who stood atop an upturned barrel holding a candle while singing a traditional song of the region. I cannot recall the song, but I remember how clear and pure his sound was and that he delivered it with great feeling. Does anyone know this or other such local or regional celebratory songs of France?

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: Monique
Date: 03 Jun 08 - 11:50 AM

It seems that we have one more priest than those. Here he is: Le curé de Pomponne.


LYRICS ADD: LE CURÉ DE POMPONNE
(Traditional)

À confesse m'en suis allée au curé de Pomponne. (bis)
Le curé de Pomponne m'a dit : "Qu'avez-vous fait mignonne ?

(Refrain)
Ah, il m'en souviendra, larira, du curé de Pomponne ! (bis)

Le curé de Pomponne m'a dit : "Qu'avez-vous fait mignonne ?
- Le plus grand péché que j'ai fait, c'est d'embrasser un homme.
(Refrain)

- Le plus grand péché que j'aie fait, c'est d'embrasser un homme.
- Ma fille, pour ce péché-là, il faut aller à Rome !
(Refrain)

- Ma fille, pour ce péché-là, il faut aller à Rome !
- Dites-moi, Monsieur le Curé, faut-y qu' j'emmèn' mon homme ?
(Refrain)

- Dites-moi, Monsieur le Curé, faut-y qu' j'emmèn' mon homme ?
- Ah ! Vous prenez goût au péché, je vous entends, friponne !
(Refrain)

- Ah ! Vous prenez goût au péché, je vous entends, friponne !
- Embrassez-moi cinq ou six fois, et je vous le pardonne.
(Refrain)/Ah vraiment, je m'en souviendrai ! La pénitence est bonne!

"Clé du Caveau" #945
Also p. 69, "1000 chants" by Jean-Edel Berthier, volume 1, Les Presses d'Ile de France, Paris - . The three volumes are out of print. Volumes 2 and 3 can only be found on Ebay as far as I know.
MP

I'll make a midi as soon as can be but in the meanwhile, you can listen to it here it's # 106.

We also have an Occitan song about a priest wanting to confess a young woman but weird things happen in the church so they decide to go away from each other.
Our best-known Occitan bawdy song is also about a priest "confessing" the hero's wife and a baby being born 36 weeks later.

Anyone interested in any of those tells me.

---

Click to play LE_CURE__DE__POMPONNE

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: Monique
Date: 03 Jun 08 - 07:04 PM

Amos, you have it here lyrics and tune.

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: Monique
Date: 07 Jun 08 - 06:22 AM

Guest Jeanene's post on 09/22/01-

This song is sung to the tune to "Y'a une pie dans l' poirier/pommier/un nid" or "Y'a un rat dans l' grenier"

LYRICS ADD: Y'A UNE PIE DANS L' POIRIER
(Children's traditional)

Y'a une pie dans l' poirier
J'entends la mère qui chante
Y'a une pie dans l' poirier
J'entends la mère chanter
J'entends, j'entends
J'entends la mère qui chante,
J'entends, j'entends
J'entends la mère chanter.

"Les plus belles chansons", Ed. Hachette Livres, says it originates in Poitou.

"Le troisième livre des chansons de France" by Claudine and Roland Sabatier, Découverte Cadet Gallimard, 1987, mentions it to be a variant from early 19th century.
M.P.

---

LYRICS ADD: Y'A UN RAT DANS L' GRENIER
(Children's traditional)

Y'a un rat dans l' grenier
J'entends le chat qui miaule
Y'a un rat dans l' grenier
J'entends le chat miauler
J'entends, j'entends
J'entends le chat qui miaule,
J'entends, j'entends
J'entends le chat miauler.

M.P.

Click to play FAIRE__PIPI__SUR__LE__GAZON

It's the same tune to "Y'a une pie dans le poirier/pommier"/"Y'a un rat" that I posted at the end of the thread.

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: Joe Offer
Date: 08 Jun 08 - 02:21 AM

New tunes posted by Monique:

---

Click to play LE_CURE__DE__POMPONNE

Click to play LES_FILLES_DES_FORGES

---

<Click to play FAIRE__PIPI__SUR__LE__GAZON

If I understand correctly, this one tune is for three songs in the thread, "Y'a une pie dans le poirier/pommier" / "Y'a un rat" / "J'fais pipi sur le gazon "

Thanks, Monique. Did I get that correct?

-Joe-

---

Now, this one sounds to me just like "J'fais pipi sur le gazon," so I'm a bit confused.

Click to play YA__UNE__PIE

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: Monique
Date: 08 Jun 08 - 04:09 AM

Joe-
Yes, the three songs are sung to the same tune with a light difference in the duration of certain notes to match the lyrics.

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: Monique
Date: 14 Jun 08 - 11:29 AM

Guest TJ in San Diego, you could check bmarcore chansons à boire or google "chansons à boire". "La Bourguignonne" is one of the most famous but le Château de la Chaize is Beaujolais, not Bourgogne.
We sing "Boire un petit coup c'est agréable", "Chevaliers de la table ronde" "Fanchon" (this is my favorite!) "Il est des nôtres"...

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: GUEST,Murray on Saltspring
Date: 14 Jun 08 - 04:46 PM

Monique's song [le cure de Pomponne] has exactly the same plot [and words] as a fairly old bawdy English song - "A Lovely Maid to a Friar Came", early 18th century perhaps, in several collections.
,

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: Monique
Date: 14 Jun 08 - 06:07 PM

Le curé de Pomponne is in La clé du Caveau and this collection was first printed in 1811 and last in 1872 but I have no idea about how old it actually is.

Subject: D'Ou Viens-Tu, Bergère - French Christmas carol
From: Genie
Date: 14 Dec 08 - 05:11 PM

A woman at a retirement home where I was doing some music yesterday asked me if I knew the French Christmas carol "D'où Viens-Tu, Bergère" (Where Are You Coming From, Shepherdess?). She sang a little of it but could not recall all of it. I was able to find the lyrics on line.


"D'Où Viens-Tu, Bergère"
traditional French Christmas carol
  
I don't know of any equivalent English version of this Christmas carol. This translation given here is literal, not "singable."
 
"D'où viens-tu, bergère,
D'où viens-tu ?
D'où viens-tu, bergère,
D'où viens-tu ?"
"Je viens de l'étable
De m'y promener.
J'ai vu un miracle
Ce soir arrivé.
  
"Where are you coming from, shepherdess
Where are you coming from?
Where are you coming from, shepherdess
Where are you coming from?"
"I'm coming from the stable,
From walking around there.
I saw a miracle happen this evening."

"Qu'as-tu vu, bergère,
Qu'as-tu vu?
Qu'as-tu vu, bergère,
Qu'as-tu vu?"
"J'ai vu dans la crèche
Un petit enfant
Sur la paille fraîche
Mis bien tendrement."
 
"What did you see, shepherdess,
What did you see?
What did you see, shepherdess,
What did you see?"
"I saw in the manger
A small child
Placed very tenderly
On the fresh straw."

"Est-il beau, bergère,
Est-il beau?
Est-il beau, bergère,
Est-il beau?"
"Plus beau que la lune,
Aussi le soleil.
Jamais la nature
N'a vu son pareil."
 
"Is he beautiful, shepherdess,
Is he beautiful?
Is he beautiful, shepherdess,
Is he beautiful?"
"More beautiful than the moon
As well as the sun.
Never has nature
Seen his equal."

"Rien de plus, bergère,
Rien de plus?
Rien de plus, bergère
Rien de plus?"
"Y a le boeuf et l'âne
Qui sont par devant
Avec leur haleine
Réchauffent l'enfant."
 
"Nothing else, shepherdess,
Nothing else?
Nothing else, shepherdess,
Nothing else?"
"The ox and donkey
Are in front
With their breath
Warming up the child."

"Allons-y, bergère, allons-y!
Allons-y, bergère, allons-y!
Portons-lui des langes
Aussi des drapeaux
Et pour sa couchette
Un petit berceau."
 
"Let's go, shepherdess, let's go!
Let's go, shepherdess, let's go!
Let's take him some swaddling clothes
And some blankets
And for his bed
A little crib."

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 14 Dec 08 - 05:34 PM

Probably posted already, but another good site is Chants populaires francais (with cedilla)- Chansons du repertoire traditionnel.
Chants
I just looked up the musical score for Le cure de pomponne there.

Subject: Lyrics: Les Anges Dans Nos Compagnes
From: Genie
Date: 14 Dec 08 - 06:56 PM

I learned this as a teenager when our church choir sang it in the original French as well as in English.   It was nice to find the lyrics online, as I'd forgotten part of the French ones.


Les Anges Dans Nos Compagnes
(traditional French Christmas carol)

The English "singable translation" is "Angels We Have Heard On High," but the translation given here is the literal translation of the French.


Les anges dans nos campagnes
Ont entonné l'hymne des cieux,
Et l'écho de nos montagnes
Redit ce chant mélodieux.

[The angels in our fields
Have started singing the heavenly hymn
And the echo of our mountains
Repeat this melodious song.]

Gloria in excelsis Déo! (x2)
(The syllable "Glo-" in "Gloria, of course, uses 16 different melody notes.)

Bergers, pour qui cette fête,
Quel est l'objet de tous ces chants?
Quel vainqueur, quelle conquête
Mérite ces cris triomphants ?

[Shepherds, for whom this party,
Who are all these songs about?
What victor, what conquest
Merits these triumphant cries?]

Gloria in excelsis Déo! (x2)

Il est né, le Dieu de gloire.
Terre tressaille de bonheur.
Que tes hymnes de victoire
Chantent, célèbrent ton sauveur!

[He is born, the God of glory.
Earth trembles with joy.
Sing your hymns of victory,
Celebrate your savior!]

Gloria in excelsis Déo! (2x)
  
Here is the more common, "singable" translation (found in many hymnals.)

Angels we have heard on high
Sweetly singing o'er the plain,
And the mountains in reply
Echoing their joyous strain.

Gloria in excelsis Déo! (2x)

Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be
Which inspire your heavenly song?

Gloria in excelsis Déo! (2x)

Come to Bethlehem and see
Christ Whose birth the angels sing.
Come, adore on bended knee
Christ the Lord, the newborn King.

Gloria in excelsis Déo! (2x)

See Him in a manger laid,
Whom the choirs of angels praise.
Mary, Joseph, lend your aid,
While our hearts in love we raise.

MIDI

Subject: Chansons Français: Petit Papa Noël
From: Genie
Date: 14 Dec 08 - 11:44 PM

Le Petit Papa Noël

Subject: Chansons Français: Bel Astre Que J'Adore
From: Genie
Date: 15 Dec 08 - 12:10 AM

Bel Astre Que J'Adore (Beautiful Star That I Adore)

(French Christmas carol from the fifteenth century.)


Bel astre que j'adore,

Soleil qui luit pour moi,

C'est toi seul que j'implore,

Je veux n'aimer que toi.

C'est ma plus chère envie,

Seigneur, en ce beau jour,

Où je ne dois la vie

Qu'à ton immense amour.
 
(Beautiful star that I adore
,
Sun that shines for me,

It's you alone that I implore,

I want to love only you.

It's my deepest desire,
 Lord,
On this beautiful day,

That I owe my life

Only to your great love.)

Du fond de cette crèche,
J'entends, rempli de foi,
Ta voix qui ne me prêche
Que cette douce loi.
Divine et pure flamme,
Descends du haut des cieux,
Remplis, remplis mon âme,
Oh ! viens combler mes voeux!
 
(From the bottom of this manger,
I hear, filled with faith,
Your voice which preaches to me
Only this sweet law.
Divine and pure love,
Descend from the heavens,
Fill, fill my soul
Oh! come fulfill my vows!)

Plaisir, honneurs, richesse
Longtemps, m'ont trop charmé ;
Je veux t'aimer sans cesse,
Toi qui m'as tant aimé.
De mon long esclavage
Je suis donc racheté !
À toi seul tout hommage,
Mon coeur, ma liberté !
 
(Pleasure, honors, riches
For a long time seduced me;
I want to love you endlessly,
You who have loved me so.
From my long slavery
I am therefore redeemed!
To you alone all homage,
My heart, my freedom!)

Seigneur, que la mémoire
De tes divins bienfaits,
Le zèle de ta gloire
En moi vive à jamais !
Je veux toujours te suivre,
Je n'ai plus qu'un désir,
Pour toi seul je veux vivre,
Pour toi je veux mourir.
 
(Lord, may the memory
Of your divine kindnesses,
The zeal of your glory
Lives in me forever!
I always want to follow you,
I have but one desire,
For you alone I want to live,
For you I want to die.)

Et vous, choeurs angéliques,
Qui du Seigneur naissant
Chantez dans vos cantiques
L'heureux avènement,
Venez pour moi, saints anges,
Redire au doux Sauveur
Vos hymnes de louange,
Les chants de mon bonheur !
 
(And you, angelic choirs,
Who sing in your hymns
The happy advent
Of the Lord being born,
Come for me, sainted angels,
Repeat to the sweet Savior
Your hymns of praise,
The songs of my happiness!)

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 15 Dec 08 - 12:50 AM

Lyrics to several old French 'Cantiques de Noël here:
French Songs

Also many other French religious songs.

Naxos cd "En la Fëte de Noël, O Holy Night, Carols from French Canada," contains the ond French carol Bel Astre que j'adore, posted above by Genie.

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: GUEST
Date: 15 Dec 08 - 03:34 AM

Another French (children's) Christmas song:

Petit Papa Noël (Little Santa Claus)
I think this is "traditional" but I'm not sure.

C'est la belle nuit de Noël
,
La neige étend son manteau blanc

Et, les yeux levés vers le ciel,

À genoux les petits enfants
.
Avant de fermer les paupières,

Font une dernière prière.
 
(It's a beautiful Christmas night
,
Snow spreads its white coat

And, eyes lifted toward the sky
,
On their knees, small children
,
Before closing their eyes
,
Say a last prayer.
)

Petit Papa Noël,
Quand tu descendras du ciel
Avec des jouets par milliers,
N'oublie pas mon petit soulier,

Mais avant de partir
Il faudra bien te couvrir;
Dehors tu vas avoir si froid
C'est un peu à cause de moi.
 
Little Santa Claus,
When you come down from the sky
With thousands of toys,
Don't forget my little stocking,
But before you leave
You should dress well;
Outside you will be so cold
And it's kind of my fault.

Le marchand de sable est passé;
Les enfants vont faire dodo,
Et tu vas pouvoir commencer
Avec ta hotte sur le dos,
Au son des cloches des églises,
Ta distribution de surprises.
 
 
The sandman has passed;
The children are going to sleep
And you will be able to begin,
With your sack on your back,
To the sound of church bells,
Your distribution of surprises.
 
Refrain
Il me tarde que le jour se lève

Pour voir si tu m'as apporté

Tous les beaux joujoux que je vois en rêve

Et que je t'ai commandés.
 
 
Refrain
I can't wait for daybreak

To see if you brought me

All the lovely toys that I see in my dreams

And that I ordered from you.
 

Refrain
Et quand tu seras sur ton beau nuage

Viens d'abord sur notre maison
Je n'ai pas été tous les jours très sage

Mais j'en demande pardon.
 
 
Refrain
And when you are on your beautiful cloud

Come first to our house
I wasn't always very good
But I ask for your forgiveness.
 
Refrain
 
Refrain
  

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: Monique
Date: 15 Dec 08 - 04:20 AM

"Petit Papa Noël" is not traditional. Lyrics: Raymond Vinci, music: Henri Martinet - 1946. It seems traditional because people born after WW II all have heard it all their lives, so it seems it's always been there but it hasn't.

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: alex s
Date: 15 Dec 08 - 10:31 AM

I saw an interesting band in Concarneau a few years back called Micamac.

Breton musicians with classical influences playing traditional Irish tunes on South American (and other) instruments!
They have released a number of CDs.

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 16 Dec 08 - 02:09 PM

refresh

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: Monique
Date: 16 Dec 08 - 03:52 PM

You can listen to samples of their music on this page and the 4 following ones.

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: GUEST,George Henderson
Date: 17 Dec 08 - 05:59 AM

There is an excellent CD available in Brittany by a group called KANTA. Brigitte Kloareg and her two daughters singing Christmas Songs in various languages including Breton, French, English and Welsh.

Brigitte Lives near Quimperle and is involved in a number of singing circles in the area.

Great natural harmonies. Well worth a listen.

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: Artful Codger
Date: 17 Dec 08 - 06:41 AM

According to La Bible des Noëls Anciens et nouveaux (1790), pp. 77-79, Bel Astre Que J'Adore is sung to the tune "Charmante Gabrielle", purported to have been written by Henri IV. Per online sample pages of a modern book, it also appears in J.B. Weckerlin's 3-volume collection Echos du Temps Passé, though I haven't tried to hunt this up to see if a tune is given.

Claude Nadeau generously provides a free MP3 of an organ (and oboe) rendition of two Breton noëls: "Bel Astre" and "Pe trouz war an douar" (page) (sound clip. The oboe is played by Allison Smith.
Her page also provides words for both, and a translation of the latter from Breton to French. She says that "Bel Astre" is from the region of Guérande.

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: Artful Codger
Date: 17 Dec 08 - 06:57 AM

More on Charmante Gabrielle, from Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898) by E. Cobham Brewer (1810–1897):

Gabrielle (3 syl.; g hard). La Belle Gabrielle. Daughter of Antoine d'Estrées, grand-master of artillery, and governor of the Ile de France. Henri IV., towards the close of 1590, happened to sojourn for a night at the Château de Cœuvres, and fell in love with Gabrielle, then nineteen years of age. To throw a flimsy veil over his intrigue, he married her to Damerval de Liancourt, created her Duchess de Beaufort, and took her to live with him at court.

"Charmante Gabrielle,
Percé de mille dards,
Quand la gloire máppelle
A la suite de Mars."

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: Monique
Date: 17 Dec 08 - 07:57 AM

The tune to "Charmante Gabrielle" was written by Eustache du Caurroy according to Mémoire de la chanson- 1200 chansons du Moyen-Age à 1919 réunies par Martin Pénet- Ed. Omnibus (2001). Du Caurroy was Henri III and Henri IV's choirmaster.

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: GUEST,joe dassin
Date: 21 Dec 08 - 06:14 AM

bonjour je ne parles pas francais et je n ecris pas.j ecoutes la musuic joe dassin les chanson de la francais

Subject: greatsong.net to replace paroles.net
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Jun 09 - 12:20 PM

Hello,


Since the website www.paroles.net (ABC de la Chanson Francophone) is closed and its link is no longer valid, we'll suggest replacing it with www.greatsong.net on your page: http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=39187&messages=59&page=1&desc=yes

www.greatsong.net is as wonderful and powerful as paroles.net, it contains more than 2 million lyrics, more than 500.000 French songs, both old and contemporary, 50.000 lyrics translations (English / French) and it is one of the most popular and visited websites in this area of interest.

We hope that this new website will held your attention, and be beneficial and helpful to your visitors.
        
Best regards,
Frederic Boudouin
[e-mail]

---

Note from Joe Offer: You can still find part of paroles.net through archive.org

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France - new site/link added
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 08 Jun 09 - 02:02 PM

I found www.greatsong.net frustrating. I looked for "Amsterdam," Brel, but only a version by Isabelle Boulay seems to be there. It happens to be the same, but that is not evident from the printing, and many interpreters change the lyrics.
Search for "Il m'a vue nue" led to the version by Piaf, which differs from the Pearly-Chagnon song and Mistinguett version in some lines (although labeled as Mistinguett lyrics); also a few errors.
Moreover, information on composer(s) and date is lacking. Much advertising to navigate around.

Searching is much more difficult than in the late, great, paroles.net.

Subject: Ah, Si Mon Moine Voulait Danser
From: Genie
Date: 03 Sep 09 - 04:03 AM

I forgot about this one. I think it goes back quite a ways. It's actually Canadian (Acadian), and though the lyrics seem to have a rather 'adult' double entendre, it's apparently a different sort of double entendre in that the "moine" can either be a monk or a child's toy top, which is spun as the child sings the song.   

You can hear a MIDI and more about the song here.

Ah, Si Mon Moine Voulait Danser

Ah! Si mon moine voulait danser,
Ah! Si mon moine voulait danser,
Un capuchon je lui donnerais,
Un capuchon je lui donnerais.

Refrain
Danse, mon moine, danse!
Tu n'entends pas la danse.
Tu n'entends pas mon moulin lon la
Tu n'entends pas mon moulin marcher.

Refrain

Etc. (Each verse is the same except for the new "present" she (presumably) would give her "moine" if he would "danser."

Ah! Si mon moine voulait danser
...
Un ceinturon je lui donnerais.

Refrain



Ah! Si mon moine voulait danser!
...
Un chapelet ... .

Refrain

Ah! Si mon moine voulait danser
...
Un froc de bur' ... .

Refrain

Ah! Si mon moine voulait danser,
...
Un beau psautier ... .

Refrain

And finally,

S'il n'avait fait voeu de pauvreté
...
Bien d'autres chose je lui donnerais.

Refrain x2

English:
Ah, if my monk (priest) would like to dance, I would give him a cowl (hood).

... a sash (braided belt)

... a rosary

... a homespun robe

... a beautiful book of psalms*

The chorus says:
Dance, my monk, dance,
Don't you hear the dancing?
Oh, can't you hear my mill over there,
Can't you hear my mill running (turning)?

Finally,

If he hadn't taken the vow of poverty, I'd give him a lot of other things. ; )


I may not be translating the idiom exactly right. Maybe Monique or another fluent French speaker can correct any mistakes I made.



* The book of French Folk Songs I first learned this song from translated "psautier" as "psaltry."

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France - new site/link added
From: MissouriMud
Date: 03 Sep 09 - 10:32 AM

These bring back memories - my grandmother had two 19th century French children folk song books illustrated by Boutet de Monvel entitled Veilles Chansons et Rondes Pour Les Petits Enfants and Chansons de France Pour Les Petits Francais with many of these songs in them.   As children we poured over the books and learned many of the songs - but I have forgotten most. However, I have never forgotten the wonderful but sometimes very graphic illustrations - they gave me nightmares as a child: people being cut in half, people with countless arrows sticking out of them, etc. I had head that at least one of the books had been republished recently. They are a great source of non bawdy versions of French folk tunes and words if you can get your hands on a copy.

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France - new site/link added
From: Monique
Date: 03 Sep 09 - 12:02 PM

Both titles "Vieilles chansons et rondes" and "Chansons de France" have been republished by "L'école des Loisirs", I bought them both for € 5.50 each last year. You can order them at Amazon.
You'll find "Vieilles chansons et rondes" to read on line on The International Children Digital Library.

Genie, your translation is good. Just in "Un froc de bure", "bure" is the thick brown woollen fabric the monks' robes are made of, whether it's homespun or not. My Collins-Robert Fr/Eng dictionary gives "psalter" as the translation for "psautier" = book of psalms

Subject: Ah, Si Mon Moine Voulait Danser
From: Genie
Date: 03 Sep 09 - 01:01 PM

Thanks, Monique. Actually that translation is a combination of what I found in the songbook where I first found the song and what I found at a couple of websites that had the lyrics to the song.   (I studied French for 2 years but we didn't deal a lot with things one might give a friar to get him to "dance" with you.)   It's possible that the book did translate "psautier" as "book of psalms," but it's been at least 20 years since I've seen that book.   

The thing that makes "sac de bur'" hard to look up is that it's a contracted form of "bure."

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France - new site/link added
From: Monique
Date: 03 Sep 09 - 01:13 PM

Whenever you find a word with an apostrophe, it's an "e" missing except for the fem. sing. definite article "la" before a word beginning by a vowel (l'eau-the water - l'ombre-the shadow/shade etc) and "si" (if) before "il": "s'il" = if he. Well, I studied English for 8 years and we didn't deal with friars' stuff either!
But thought it was only for two years, you know your name means "genius" don't you?

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France - new site/link added
From: MissouriMud
Date: 03 Sep 09 - 01:41 PM

Monique -
Thanks for the link to Vieilles Chansons et Rondes

The nastier illustrations must be in the Chansons de France book, although I was as a child bothered by the soldiers jumping (or falling) head first off the tower in "La Tour, Prend Guard" and the dead boy,dog and bug with their feet sticking up in the air in "Le Petit Chasseur." I have no memory of those two songs themselves but the pictures were as fresh as yesterday.

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France - new site/link added
From: Amos
Date: 03 Sep 09 - 01:41 PM

On va la donner une tete gonflee comme ca!!



A

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France - new site/link added
From: Monique
Date: 03 Sep 09 - 02:37 PM

Amos - Diable! À qui?

MissouriMud - There are nasty illustrations in "Chansons de France", "Le bon roi Dagobert" looks like a porcupine with arrows stuck in his body, men are shot and fall down from the ship sails in "Le 31 du mois d'août" and poor Margoton falls into the water with jug and all. "Le petit chasseur" wasn't dead, he'd just fallen because he'd been scared by a cannon shot, then all the ladies of the town brought candies to him. Thierry Klein has them both and many others on his site. We didn't post those two on Mama Lisa's World France page but there are many others and around 200 others are still waiting for me to deal with them (sigh!)

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France - new site/link adde
From: Genie
Date: 03 Sep 09 - 02:39 PM

Ah, yes, Monique, I hadn't thought about that "genius" thing, but it rings a bell.
Actually, I thought both came from the Middle Eastern (Arabic?) word "djin" - as in Aladdin's "genie."

I took "Genie" as a user name instead of "Jeannie," which my grandpa always called me, because I thought it was a less common spelling. No pretentions on my part of being either brilliant or magical. LOL

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France - new site/link added
From: Monique
Date: 18 Oct 09 - 05:39 PM

For those interested in French lyrics: it seems that what used to be on Paroles.net are now on a Russia based site called frmusique

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France - clean kids song
From: sheep-player
Date: 19 Oct 09 - 12:58 PM

1) My favourite song ever, talking about a Kingdom made of sweets, biscuits, chocolate etc. and the last line hails the parents to keep giving sweets to kids. I wonder why i still like singing it...?

DAME TARTINE
Il était une Dame Tartine
Dans un beau palais de beurre frais,
La muraille était de praline,
Le parquet était de croquets,
La chambre à coucher
De crème de lait,
Le lit de biscuit,
Les rideaux d'anis.

Elle épousa Monsieur Gimblette
Coiffé d'un beau fromage blanc,
Son chapeau était de galette,
Son habit était d'vol-au-vent,
Culotte en nougat,
Gilet d'chocolat,
Bas de caramel,
Et souliers de miel.

Leur fille, la belle Charlotte
Avait un nez de massepain,
De superbes dents de compote,
Des oreilles de craquelin,
Je la vois garnir
Sa robe de plaisirs
Avec un rouleau
De pâte d'abricot.

Voici que la fée Carabosse,
Jalouse et de mauvaise humeur,
Renversa d'un coup de sa bosse
Le palais sucré du bonheur.
Pour le rebâtir,
Donnez à loisir,
Donnez, bons parents,
Du sucre aux enfants.

2) Variation on the 'peeing on the grass' song posted previously: how i know it:
Fais pipi, sur l'gazon, pour arroser les coccinelles,
Fais pipi, sur l'gazon, pour arroser les limacons.

3)Childhood songs from memory;
Malbrouk s'en va t'en guerre
Au clair de la lune
Il était un petit homme
Pelot d' Hennebont
La mère Michel

Plenty to choose from, but for pity sake, NOT 'petit papa Noel' :it would make most french adults cringe- same old song every year in France, definitively not traditionel but commercial.
I find the 'petit garcon' just as sweet (if you MUST sing about chritmas)

PETIT GARCON
Dans son manteau rouge et blanc
Sur un traîneau porté par le vent
Il descendra par la cheminée
Petit garçon, il est l'heure d'aller se coucher

Tes yeux se voilent
Ecoute les étoiles
Tout est calme, reposé
Entends-tu les clochettes tintinnabuler ?

Et demain matin petit garçon
Tu trouveras dans tes chaussons
Tous les jouets dont tu as rêvé
Petit garçon il est l'heure d'aller se coucher

Tes yeux se voilent
Ecoute les étoiles
Tout est calme, reposé
Entends-tu les clochettes tintinnabuler ?

Et demain matin petit garçon
Tu trouveras dans tes chaussons
Tous les jouets dont tu as rêvé
Petit garçon il est l'heure d'aller se coucher...

Plenty other at
tous-pour-les-enfants

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France - new site/link added
From: Monique
Date: 19 Oct 09 - 01:15 PM

"Petit garçon" by New Zealand singer Graeme Allwright

Subject: BONNE ET HEUREUSE ANNEE A TOUTES ET A TOUS :)
From: GUEST,digitalman
Date: 14 Jan 10 - 01:12 PM

Je vous souhaite à toute et à tous une excellente annee 2010 !

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France - new site/link added
From: Monique
Date: 20 Feb 10 - 03:17 PM

En passant par la Lorraine avec mes sabots
En passant par la Lorraine avec mes sabots
Rencontrai trois capitaines, avec mes sabots dondaine
Oh, oh, oh ! avec mes sabots

Rencontrai trois capitaines avec mes sabots...
Ils m'ont appelée "Vilaine", avec mes sabots dondaine
Oh, oh, oh ! avec mes sabots.

Ils m'ont appelée "Vilaine", avec mes sabots...
Je ne suis pas si vilaine, ...

Je ne suis pas si vilaine, avec mes sabots...
Puisque le fils du roi m'aime...

Puisque le fils du roi m'aime avec mes sabots....
Il m'a donné pour étrenne....

Il m'a donné pour étrenne avec mes sabots...
Un bouquet de marjolaine...

Un bouquet de marjolaine avec mes sabots...
Je l'ai planté dans la plaine...

Je l'ai planté dans la plaine avec mes sabots...
S'il fleurit je serai reine...

S'il fleurit je serai reine avec mes sabots...
S'il y meurt, je perds ma peine ...


There's a lightly different version here

You have the "ancestor" of this song on the same site, it's C'était Anne de Bretagne

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: GUEST,Obra Theatre Company
Date: 11 Jul 10 - 11:16 AM

Hello Mudcat Forum,

Has anyone come across the lyrics to the occitan song: Mon Doc Ami? As recollected on the Polyphonies Pyreneennes CD and sung by Aude and Coline Garcet-Lacoste.

Any help would be greatly appreciated,

Kate & Hannah

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: Monique
Date: 11 Jul 10 - 04:17 PM

The CD of "Mon doç amic" is called "Montanha sacrata" (Sacred/Holy Mountain) and the group is Vath d'Aspa. You could try to join Coline Garcet-Lacoste through FaceBook to ask (http://www.facebook.com/people/Coline-Garcet-lacoste/1830684283)
"Our friend Google" doesn't know the lyrics.

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: Monique
Date: 11 Jul 10 - 06:21 PM

Would it be this one? (it says that there are 3 more verses but I can't find them anywhere)

MON DOÇ AMIC

Mon doç amic se'n va partir,
Se'n va tà La Rochèla ;
Que harèi jo soleta ací ?
Ò ! Miliça cruèla !
Que harèi jo ? Que'm vau morir
Luenh de mon còr fidèla.

Beutat, esprit, lo men pastor
Be n'avè d'importança ;
Bèra talha e bona faiçon
Quan se targava en dança.
Deus bergèrs, eth, qu'èra la flor,
N'avè parion en França.

Lo matin qui au sòrt cadó,
Eth me disè : « Beròja,
De servir lo rei mon senhor
Be n'aurí la gran'jòia,
Si n'èra la toa dolor
Qui'm hè morir de rauja. »

En m'embraçant eth me digó,
Los uelhs tots plens de larmas :
« Sovien-te de ton servidor
Qui va portar las armas,
Entà meritar ton amor.
Diu ! Las tristas alarmas ! » ...

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: Monique
Date: 12 Jul 10 - 04:04 AM

For those who'd like to know what all this means, here is the more or less literal translation (you must now know that I never was a poet!)

My beloved is going to leave,
He's going to La Rochelle.
What will I do here alone?
O! Cruel army!
What will I do? I'm going to die
Far from my faithful heart.

Beauty, spirit, my shepherd
Had plenty of them.
Lovely waist and good manner (= he was looking very good!)
When he stood in a dance.
He was the flower of the shepherds
There wasn't one like him in France.

On the morning the lots were drawn*
He told me "Pretty,
To serve my lord the king
I'd have great joy
If it weren't for your grief
That makes me die from anger"

While kissing me, he told me
With tearful eyes,
"Remember your servant
Who's going to be a soldier
To deserve your love.
God! What sad alarms!" (?)


*At that time, lots were drawn for young men to be enlisted –for 7 years. They drew a good or bad number but rich young men who drew a bad number could pay someone else to be enlisted in their stead. Plus ça change….

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: GUEST,kane
Date: 14 Apr 11 - 04:34 PM

I'd like to thank Monique for the translations of french into english.
It helped me to refresh my french that i've studied many years ago but
had forgoten quite a bit. Merci beaucoup.

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: Monique
Date: 14 Apr 11 - 04:42 PM

You're welcome!

Subject: J'Fais Pipi (Sur Le Gazon)- Pee Pee On the Lawn
From: Genie
Date: 24 May 11 - 02:14 PM

I realize I have a spelling error (amounting to a mondegreen) in the lyrics to "J'Fais Pipi" that I posted above.

Here are the correct lyrics:


J'fais pipi sur l'gazon

Pour embêter les coccinelles,

J'fais pipi sur l'gazon

Pour embêter les papillons.

Pipi, gazon, papillons, coccinelles
,
Pipi, gazon, coccinelles, papillons,

I do pee pee on the lawn
To annoy the ladybird bugs,
I do pee pee on the lawn
To annoy the butterflies.

Pee pee on the lawn -
The ladybugs, they get pissed off.
Pee pee on the lawn -
Likewise the butterflies.



J'fais pipi sur l'gazon

Pour arroser les coccinelles,

J'fais pipi sur l'gazon

Pour arroser les limaçons

.

Pipi, gazon, limaçons, coccinelles

Pipi, gazon, coccinelles, limaçons


I do pee pee on the lawn
To give the ladybugs a bath.
I do pee pee on the lawn
To water all the little snails.

Pee pee on the lawn -
Snails and ladybugs hate baths!
Pee pee on the lawn,
Likewise the butterflies!



J'fais pipi sur l'gazon

Pour arroser les coccinelles,
J'fais pipi sur l'gazon

Pour embêrer les papillons,

 'pillons.

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: GUEST,Tunesmith
Date: 24 Jun 11 - 07:49 AM

I recently bought a copy of "Chansons de Bord" by Armand Hayet in a UK charity shop. Anyone interested in buying it from me?

Subject: La Guignolee/La Guiannee /La Guillannee, &c.
From: GUEST,Carl in Vermont
Date: 29 May 15 - 12:51 AM

Haven't been able to find the lyrics, anybody have 'em at their fingertips?

Read French mediocrely, speak it worse, understand it less than that when spoken or sung, unless I already know what's being said/sung; wherefore I require some printed words, and they seem to be scarce on the net.

Just discovered Dennis & Jennifer Stroughmatt on YouTube, had run into The Mardi Gras Song before, but never La Guillannée. Still halfway high from their version of Chavaliers de la Table Ronde - ~that~ I could understand because I knew it already - gotta take that Cajuned-up tune to the handful of francophone enthusiasts at the jam I go to. But I want La Guignolée too.

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: Monique
Date: 29 May 15 - 02:49 AM

Is this what you're looking for?

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: GUEST,Alexandra Glynn
Date: 22 Jul 18 - 10:01 PM

Le traineau dingue dingue ding English words you can sing
Words: France
English: Alexandra Glynn © 2018
Melody: French

Refrain:
Ring, sleighbell, ding-a-ding-a-ding,
Papa Noel.
Sing starlight, ding-a-ding-a-ding,
ring, Christmas bell.

Cheeks are glowing rosy
By the chimney ash.
Shoes are waiting, cozy,
On a sequined sash.

Who is romping, whirling
With a toy-filled sack?
Cloak of crimson, twirling,
Something’s on his back!

Hidden, softly sweeping
through the clouds obscure.
Are you really sleeping?
He will know for sure!

Like a gnome illusion
Sneaking as a dream,
At the night’s conclusion
He has left the scene!

Ring, sleighbell, ding-a-ding-a-ding
Papa Noel.
Sing, starlight, ding-a-ding-a-ding
Santa, Farewell!



Refrain:
Le traîneau dingue dingue ding
Du Père Noël
Très bientôt dingue dingue ding
Viendra du ciel

Coeur battant, joues roses
Près d'la cheminée
Les enfants déposent
Leurs petits souliers

Dans sa grande hotte
Qu'il a sur le dos
Père Noël apporte
Des tas de cadeaux

Derrière un nuage
Caché, il attend
Que les enfants sages
Dorment tous vraiment

Comme dans un rêve
Il vient et s'en va
Quand la nuit s'achève
Il est loin déjà

Le traîneau dingue dingue ding
Du Père Noël
Tout là-haut dingue dingue ding
Part dans le ciel

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: GUEST,Garçon
Date: 23 Jul 18 - 04:07 AM

Anyone interested in traditional French song should check out the group Tartine de Clous, an unaccompanied vocal trio from Charente. They're really revitalising the song traditions (particularly langue d'oïl) through thorough research, absorption in field recordings, etc... such as the material collected on a recent 10-CD box set of French music.

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: Monique
Date: 23 Jul 18 - 04:43 AM

You can listen to them here. You'll find the lyrics and an English (literal!) translation of some of them on this thread + "Le petit mercelot" thread.

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: GUEST,Bill
Date: 24 Oct 21 - 06:53 AM

Looking for the same answer. I vaguely remember the following:
In vino vérités mes frères est un vieux proverbe latin
Dieu, pour mieux nous faire aimer nos frères, mit la vérité dans le vin
Le vin est un bien suprême et d’un vieux buveur voici le ……
Ce n’est pas le vin que j’aime c’est la vérité.

Sure there’s more.

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: Monique
Date: 24 Oct 21 - 08:25 AM

Indeed!

LE VIN ET LA VÉRITÉ.

Lyrics: Armand Gouffé (1775-1845). (Source: BNF)
Music: Pierre Gaveaux (1761-1825)
Sheet music
La pipe de tabac (or Le petit matelot).

In vino veritas, mes frères,
Nous dit un proverbe divin.
Dieu, pour nous faire aimer nos verres,
Mit la vérité dans le vin.
J'obéis à sa loi suprême ;
Comme buveur je suis cité :
On croit que c'est le vin que j'aime.
Mes amis, c'est la vérité.

On croit que la philosophie
N'a jamais troublé mes loisirs,
Et qu'à bien jouir de la vie
J'ai toujours borné mes désirs ;
On dit, quand je cours sous la treille,
C'est le plaisir, c'est la gaité
Qu'il va chercher dans la bouteille,
Mes amis, c'est la vérité.

On croit aussi que la tendresse
Fait quelquefois battre mon cœur ;
On croit qu'une jeune maîtresse
Est nécessaire à mon bonheur ;
Quand je trinque avec une belle
Chacun dit : c'est la Volupté,
C'est l'Amour qu'il cherche auprès d'elle...
Eh ! messieurs, c'est la vérité.

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: Mrrzy
Date: 24 Oct 21 - 08:48 AM

There are also about 17 versions of a song about a pond, and 3 ducks, and the king's son aims for the black one but kills the white (ô fils du roi tu es méchant, tu as tué mon canard blanc), and the feathers fly everywhere, and ladies come and gather them, and make featherbeds for to wecome passers-by... All are in that form where you can either sing each line once, or each verse can start by repeating the ladt line of the prior verse so it takes twice as long to sing.

En passant par la Lorraine avec mes sabots is like that. So is A la claire fontaine.

I think those work because all the rhymes are the same (étang, canard blanc, tous les passants / vilaine, marjolaine, reine / promener,baigné, refusé)...?

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: Mrrzy
Date: 25 Oct 21 - 08:57 AM

Just posted lyrics to an old French children's song about being bored bored bored... Dans un amphithéatre.

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: GUEST,PB
Date: 27 Oct 21 - 12:03 PM

Passant par Paris, bouvant la bouteille (bis)
Mon ami m’a dit, m’a dit en oreille
(ch) Le bon vin m’endort, et l’amour me reveille

Mon ami m’a dit, m’a dit en oreille (bis)
Gardez bien a toi, on courtis ta belle
(ch)

Gardez bien a toi, on courtis ta belle,
Courtis ce qui veut, je me fie en elle.

(continue, repeat last line of previous verse as first of next, follow with chorus)

J’ai eu de son coeur la fleur la plus belle.

Dans un grand lit blanc, greé de dentelle

J’ai eu trois garçons, tous sont capitaines

L’un est à Toulon, l’autr’ à la Rochelle

L’plus jeune à Paris, courtisant les belles

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: Monique
Date: 27 Oct 21 - 12:41 PM

It's also on this Mudcat thread with a literal translation + the Occitan version of it.

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: Mrrzy
Date: 27 Oct 21 - 01:42 PM

Another that can be sung a lot faster without repeating lines!

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: Monique
Date: 27 Oct 21 - 03:26 PM

Mrrzy, you want to spoil all the fun! When you sing all together, the longer the song, the better the atmosphere and if you sing alone, the longer it is... the longer you keep the mike -or the attention of the audience!

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: Mrrzy
Date: 27 Oct 21 - 10:59 PM

J'accuse!

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: GUEST,Jack Campin
Date: 28 Oct 21 - 10:05 AM

There is a great collection of French topical broadsides: Pierre Barbier & France Vernillat, Histoire de France par les chansons, 8 volumes, 1956-1961. There seem to have been companion recordings of some of them, which I haven't seen.

Subject: RE: Les Chansons de la France
From: Monique
Date: 28 Oct 21 - 10:45 AM

Jack, there are a very few for sale on Rakuten.com.