Ribald songs

Translations © by Simon Chalifoux

Song Cycle by Francis Poulenc (1899 - 1963)

View original-language texts alone: Chansons gaillardes

1. La maîtresse volage
 (Sung text)
Language: French (Français) 
Ma maîtresse est volage,
Mon rival est heureux;
S'il a son pucellage,
C'est qu'elle en avait deux.
Et vogue la galère,
Tant qu'elle pourra voguer.

Text Authorship:

  • by Anonymous / Unidentified Author ( 18th century ) , "Les Deux Pucelages", subtitle: "Parodie"

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by Anonymous / Unidentified Author
1. The unfaithful mistress
Language: English 
My mistress is unfaithful,
My rival is happy:
If he took her virginity,
It's because she had two.
So sails the ship
As long as it can sail.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2013 by Simon Chalifoux, (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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This text was added to the website: 2013-09-26
Line count: 6
Word count: 28

Translation © by Simon Chalifoux
2. Chanson à boire
 (Sung text)
Language: French (Français) 
Les rois d'Egypte et de Syrie, 
Voulaient qu'on embaumât leurs corps,
Pour durer plus longtemps morts.
Quelle folie!

Buvons donc selon notre envie,
Il faut boire et reboire encore.
Buvons donc toute notre vie,
Embaumons-nous avant la mort. 

Embaumons-nous; 
Que ce baume est doux.

Text Authorship:

  • by Anonymous / Unidentified Author ( 18th century )

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by Anonymous / Unidentified Author
2. Drinking song
Language: English 
The kings of Egypt and Syria
Wanted their bodies to be embalmed
Wishing to last longer, dead.
What a mess!

Let us drink according to our desire,
We should drink over and over again.
Let us drink during our lifetime
Embalm ourselves before death
Because that balm is sweet!

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2013 by Simon Chalifoux, (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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This text was added to the website: 2013-09-26
Line count: 9
Word count: 49

Translation © by Simon Chalifoux
3. Madrigal
 (Sung text)
Language: French (Français) 
Vous êtes belle come un ange,
Douce comme un petit mouton;
Il n'est point de coeur, Jeanneton,
Qui sous votre loi ne se range.
Mais une fille sans têtons
Est une perdrix sans orange.

Text Authorship:

  • by Anonymous / Unidentified Author ( 18th century )

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by Anonymous / Unidentified Author
3. Madrigal
Language: English 
You are as beautiful as an angel,
Sweet as a little lamb;
There is no man, Jeanette,
Who doesn't follow your rule.
But a girl without breasts
Is a partridge without orange.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2013 by Simon Chalifoux, (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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This text was added to the website: 2013-09-26
Line count: 6
Word count: 32

Translation © by Simon Chalifoux
4. Invocation aux Parques
 (Sung text)
Language: French (Français) 
Je jure, tant que je vivrai,
De vous aimer, Sylvie. 
Parques, qui dans vos mains tenez 
Le fil de notre vie,
Allongez, tant que vous pourrez,
Le mien, je vous en prie.

Text Authorship:

  • by Anonymous / Unidentified Author ( 18th century )

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by Anonymous / Unidentified Author
4. Invocation of the fates
Language: English 
I swear, as long as I live,
To love you, O Sylvie;
Fates, who in your hands holds
The thread of our Life,
Elongate mine, as long as you can,
I beg you.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2013 by Simon Chalifoux, (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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This text was added to the website: 2013-09-26
Line count: 6
Word count: 33

Translation © by Simon Chalifoux
5. Couplets bachiques
 (Sung text)
Language: French (Français) 
Je suis tant que dure le jour 
Et grave et badin tour à tour.
Quand je vois un flacon sans vin,
Je suis grave, je suis grave,
Est-il tout plein, je suis badin.

Je suis tant que dure le jour
Et grave et badin tour à tour.

Quand ma femme me tient au lit,
Je suis sage, je suis sage,
Quand ma femme me tient au lit,
Je suis sage toute la nuit.

Si catin au lit me tient 
Alors je suis badin
Ah! belle hôtesse, versez-moi du vin 
Je suis badin, badin, badin.

Text Authorship:

  • by Anonymous / Unidentified Author ( 18th century )

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Note for stanza 3, lines 1 and 3. Some editions have "Quand ma femme dort au lit"

by Anonymous / Unidentified Author
5.
Language: English 
Throughout the day, I am
Serious and playful.
When I see an empty bottle
I am serious, O I am serious;
Is it full, I am playful.

Throughout the day,
Serious and playful.

When my wife takes me to bed,
I behave, I behave,
When my wife takes me to bed,
I behave all night long.

If a prostitute comes into my bed,
Then I am playful.
Ah! Beautiful hostess, pour me some wine,
I am playful, playful, playful.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2013 by Simon Chalifoux, (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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This text was added to the website: 2013-09-26
Line count: 15
Word count: 79

Translation © by Simon Chalifoux
6. L'offrande
 (Sung text)
Language: French (Français) 
Au dieu d'Amour une pucelle
Offrit un jour une chandelle,
Pour en obtenir un amant.
Le dieu sourit de sa demande
Et lui dit: Belle en attendant
Servez-vous toujours de l'offrande.

Text Authorship:

  • by Anonymous / Unidentified Author ( 18th century )

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by Anonymous / Unidentified Author
6. The offering
Language: English 
To the god of Love, a virgin
One day offered a candle
Hoping to obtain a lover.
The god heard the request,
And replied, "Beauty, while waiting,
Make good use of this offering."

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2013 by Simon Chalifoux, (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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This text was added to the website: 2013-09-26
Line count: 6
Word count: 33

Translation © by Simon Chalifoux
7. La belle jeunesse
 (Sung text)
Language: French (Français) 
Il fut s'aimer toujours 
Et ne s'épouser guère.
Il faut faire l'amour 
Sans curé ni notaire.

Cessez, messieurs, d'être épouseurs,
Ne visez qu'aux tirelires, 
Ne visez qu'aux tourelours,
Cessez, messieurs, d'être épouseurs,
Ne visez qu'aux cœurs 
Cessez, messieurs, d'être épouseurs,
Holà messieurs, ne visez plus qu'aux cœurs.

Pourquoi se marier, 
Quand la femme des autres
Ne se font pas prier 
Pour devenir les nôtres.
Quand leurs ardeurs,
Quand leurs faveurs,
Cherchent nos tirelires,
Cherchent nos tourelours,
Cherchent nos cœurs.

Text Authorship:

  • by Anonymous / Unidentified Author ( 18th century )

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by Anonymous / Unidentified Author
7. The pretty young woman
Language: English 
We only need to love each other
and never marry.
We must make love
without priest or notary.

Stop, sirs, don't marry!
Aim only for the cash;
Aim only for the pleasure.
Stop, sirs, don't marry,
Aim only for the hearts.

Why should we marry,
If we don't need to beg
The wives of other man
To become ours.

When their passions,
When their favors,
Look for our money,
Look for our pleasures,
Look for our hearts.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2013 by Simon Chalifoux, (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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This text was added to the website: 2013-09-26
Line count: 18
Word count: 77

Translation © by Simon Chalifoux
8. Sérénade
 (Sung text)
Language: French (Français) 
Avec une si belle main,
Que servent tant de charmes,
Que vous tenez du dieu malin,
Bien manier les armes.
Et quand cet Enfant est chagrin 
Bien essuyer ses larmes.

Text Authorship:

  • by Anonymous / Unidentified Author ( 17th century )

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by Anonymous / Unidentified Author
8. Serenade
Language: English 
With a hand so beautiful,
That offers so many charms,
That you received from the malicious god,
You must handle a weapon well.
And when that child is sad
Wipe all of its tears.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2013 by Simon Chalifoux, (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.
    Contact: 

Based on:

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This text was added to the website: 2013-09-26
Line count: 6
Word count: 34

Translation © by Simon Chalifoux