Les Chansons de la France

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

New tunes posted by Monique:

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Click to play LE_CURE__DE__POMPONNE

Click to play LES_FILLES_DES_FORGES

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<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-

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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.