Alouette (song)
Encyclopedia
"Alouette" is a popular French Canadian
children's song originating in France about plucking the feathers from a lark
. Although it is in French
, it is well-known among speakers of other languages; in this way it is similar to "Frère Jacques
". Many American doughboy
s learned the song while serving in France during World War I
and brought it home with them.
, 1879). However, Canadian folklorist Marius Barbeau
was of the opinion that the song's ultimate origin was France
.
The songs of the French fur trade were adapted to accompany the motion of paddles dipped in unison. Singing helped to pass the time and made the work seem lighter. In fact, it is likely that the Montreal Agents and Wintering Partners sought out and preferred to hire voyageurs
who liked to sing and were good at it. They believed that singing helped the voyageurs to paddle faster and longer. "Alouette" informs the lark that the singer will pluck its head, nose, eyes and wings and tail. En roulant ma boule sings of ponds, bonnie ducks and a prince on hunting bound. Many of the songs favored by the voyageurs have been passed down to our own era.
Today, the song is used to teach French and English speaking children in Canada and other English speakers learning French around the world the names of body parts. Singers will point or touch the part of their body that corresponds to the word being sung in the song.
, with each verse is built on top of the previous verses, much like the English
carol
"The Twelve Days of Christmas
".
Et le bec
Et la tête
Alouette
O-o-o-oh
The song continues in this fashion, with the italicized phrase (a part of the bird) in each verse being substituted with a new one, with the previous items being recited at the end:
O-o-o-o-oh
Naturally, the literal English translation does not match up well with the meter of the song, so a slightly less literal (but more singable) version would be:
And adding:
The Spanish version goes:
Alondrita, gentil alondrita
te desplumare el copete (and so on)
Alondra being the name of the lark in South America.
If you don't, please tell me that you do.
If you love me, tell me that you love me.
If you don't, please tell me that you do.
Do do do, love me true
Oh oh oh oh
{repeat indefinitely}
French Canadian
French Canadian or Francophone Canadian, , generally refers to the descendents of French colonists who arrived in New France in the 17th and 18th centuries...
children's song originating in France about plucking the feathers from a lark
Lark
Larks are passerine birds of the family Alaudidae. All species occur in the Old World, and in northern and eastern Australia; only one, the Shore Lark, has spread to North America, where it is called the Horned Lark...
. Although it is in French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, it is well-known among speakers of other languages; in this way it is similar to "Frère Jacques
Frère Jacques
"Frère Jacques" , in English sometimes called "Brother John" or "Brother Peter", is a French nursery melody. The song is traditionally sung in a round. When the first singer reaches the end of the first line the next person starts at the beginning...
". Many American doughboy
Doughboy
Doughboy is an informal term for an American soldier, especially members of the American Expeditionary Forces in World War I. The term dates back to the Mexican–American War of 1846–48....
s learned the song while serving in France during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and brought it home with them.
History
French colonists ate horned larks, which they considered a game bird. The song was first published in A Pocket Song Book for the Use of Students and Graduates of McGill College (MontrealMontreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, 1879). However, Canadian folklorist Marius Barbeau
Marius Barbeau
Charles Marius Barbeau, , also known as C. Marius Barbeau, or more commonly simply Marius Barbeau, was a Canadian ethnographer and folklorist who is today considered a founder of Canadian anthropology...
was of the opinion that the song's ultimate origin was France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
The songs of the French fur trade were adapted to accompany the motion of paddles dipped in unison. Singing helped to pass the time and made the work seem lighter. In fact, it is likely that the Montreal Agents and Wintering Partners sought out and preferred to hire voyageurs
Voyageurs
The Voyageurs were the persons who engaged in the transportation of furs by canoe during the fur trade era. Voyageur is a French word which literally translates to "traveler"...
who liked to sing and were good at it. They believed that singing helped the voyageurs to paddle faster and longer. "Alouette" informs the lark that the singer will pluck its head, nose, eyes and wings and tail. En roulant ma boule sings of ponds, bonnie ducks and a prince on hunting bound. Many of the songs favored by the voyageurs have been passed down to our own era.
Today, the song is used to teach French and English speaking children in Canada and other English speakers learning French around the world the names of body parts. Singers will point or touch the part of their body that corresponds to the word being sung in the song.
Structure
"Alouette" usually involves audience participation, with the audience echoing every line of each verse after the verse's second line. It is a cumulative songCumulative song
A cumulative song is a song whose verses are built from earlier verses, usually by adding a new stanza to the previous verse. A simple cumulative song having n verses is structured as-Examples of cumulative songs:* "The Twelve Days of Christmas"...
, with each verse is built on top of the previous verses, much like the English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
carol
Christmas carol
A Christmas carol is a carol whose lyrics are on the theme of Christmas or the winter season in general and which are traditionally sung in the period before Christmas.-History:...
"The Twelve Days of Christmas
The Twelve Days of Christmas (song)
"The Twelve Days of Christmas" is an English Christmas carol that enumerates a series of increasingly grand gifts given on each of the twelve days of Christmas. Although first published in England in 1780, textual evidence may indicate the song is French in origin...
".
Lyrics
- Alouette, gentille Alouette
- Lark, nice lark
- Alouette, je te plumerai
- Lark, I shall pluck you
- Je te plumerai la tête
- I shall pluck your head
- (Je te plumerai la tête)
- (I shall pluck your head)
- Et la tête
- And your head
- (Et la tête)
- (And your head)
- Alouette
- Lark
- (Alouette)
- (Lark)
- O-o-o-oh
- Alouette, gentille Alouette
- Alouette, je te plumerai
- Je te plumerai le bec
- I shall pluck
The song continues in this fashion, with the italicized phrase (a part of the bird) in each verse being substituted with a new one, with the previous items being recited at the end:
- Et le cou
- And your neck
- Et le dos
- And your back
- Et les ailes
- And your wings
- Et les pattes
- And your feet
- Et la queue
- And your tail
- La Conclusion
- The Ending
O-o-o-o-oh
- Alouette, gentille Alouette
- Lark, nice lark
- Alouette, je te plumerai
- Lark, I shall pluck you
Naturally, the literal English translation does not match up well with the meter of the song, so a slightly less literal (but more singable) version would be:
- Little skylark, lovely little skylark
- Little lark, I'll pluck your feathers off
- I’ll pluck the feathers off your head
- I’ll pluck the feathers off your head
- Off your head - off your head
- Little lark, little lark
- O-o-o-o-oh
And adding:
- Off your beak
- Off your neck
- Off your back
- Off your wings
- Off your feet
- Off your tail
In other languages
In SpanishThe Spanish version goes:
Alondrita, gentil alondrita
te desplumare el copete (and so on)
Alondra being the name of the lark in South America.
Lyrics
If you love me, tell me that you love me.If you don't, please tell me that you do.
If you love me, tell me that you love me.
If you don't, please tell me that you do.
Do do do, love me true
Oh oh oh oh
{repeat indefinitely}