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Mon amant revient de guerre, (Battez, tambours! et bats, mon coeur!) Revient de guerre tout à l’heure. «Belle, devant le régiment, Le roi m’a fait capitaine, Parce que j’avais pris Quatre drapeaux flottants! Baise donc ma bouche et mes dents! Et viens t’endormir dès ce soir, Dans mon petit lit qui est frais et si blanc… Ce que les filles aiment, beau soldat, C’est la gloire!» Mon amant revient de guerre, (Battez, tambours! et bats, mon coeur!) Revient de guerre tout à l’heure. «Belle, trois mille écus tournois, Le roi me les a donnés, Parce que j’avais pris Quatre drapeaux de soie! Baise donc toute, baisemoi! Et viens t’endormir à l’instant, Dans mon petit lit où je ferai ta joie… Ce que les filles aiment, beau soldat, C’est l’argent!» Mon amant revient de guerre, (Battez, tambours! et bats, mon coeur!) Revient de guerre tout à l’heure. «Belle, d’un sabre bien tranchant, On m’a coupé l’aiguillette, Pendant que je prenais Quatre drapeaux flottants. Fais toi donc moine en un couvent! D’autres dormiront, la nuit ou le jour, Dans mon petit lit qui est frais et si blanc… Ce que les filles aiment, beau soldat, C’est l’amour!»
Text Authorship:
- by Catulle Mendès (1841 - 1909), "Le retour du beau soldat", written 1892, appears in Lieds de France, no. 14, Paris, Éd. Marpon & Flammarion, first published 1892 [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Louis-Charles-Bonaventure-Alfred Bruneau (1857 - 1934), "Le retour du beau soldat", 1892?, published 1892 [ medium voice and piano ], from Dix Lieds de France, no. 7, Éd. Choudens [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Garrett Medlock) , "The return of the handsome soldier", copyright © 2019, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Garrett Medlock [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2019-01-14
Line count: 36
Word count: 195
My lover is returning from war (Beat, drums! and beat, my heart!) Returning from war in a little while. “Beauty, in front of the regiment The king made me a captain Because I had taken Four floating flags! Kiss then my mouth and my teeth! And come sleep tonight In my little bed which is fresh and so white… What the girls like, handsome soldier, Is glory!” My lover is returning from war (Beat, drums! and beat, my heart!) Returning from war in a little while. “Beauty, three thousand silver coins The king gave to me Because I had taken Four flags of silk! Kiss then everything, kiss me! And come sleep this instant In my little bed where I will make you happy… What the girls like, handsome soldier, Is money!” My lover is returning from war (Beat, drums! and beat, my heart!) Returning from war in a little while. “Beauty, with a sharp sword Someone cut my aiguillette While I was taking Four floating flags. Make yourself then a monk in a convent! Others will sleep night and day In my little bed which is fresh and so white… What the girls like, handsome soldier, Is love!
Text Authorship:
- Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2019 by Garrett Medlock, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
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Based on:
- a text in French (Français) by Catulle Mendès (1841 - 1909), "Le retour du beau soldat", written 1892, appears in Lieds de France, no. 14, Paris, Éd. Marpon & Flammarion, first published 1892
This text was added to the website: 2019-01-14
Line count: 36
Word count: 199