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Le roi a fait battre tambour,
Le roi a fait battre tambour,
Pour voir toutes ses dames,
Et la première qu'il a vue
Lui a ravi son âme !
« Marquis, dis-moi, la connais-tu ?
Marquis, dis-moi, la connais-tu ?
Qui est cett' joli dame ? »
Et le marquis lui a répondu :
« Sire roi, c'est ma femme ! »
« Marquis, tu es plus heureux qu'moi,
Marquis, tu es plus heureux que moi
D'avoir femme si belle ;
Si tu voulais me l'accorder,
Je me chargerais d'elle ! »
« Sir' , si vous n'étiez pas le roi,
Sir' , si vous n'étiez pas le roi,
J'en tirerais vengeance !
Mais puisque vous êtes le roi,
A votre obéissance ! »
« Marquis, ne te fâche donc pas,
Marquis, ne te fâche donc pas,
T'auras ta récompense ;
Je te ferai dans mes armées
Beau maréchal de France ! »
-- « Habille-toi bien proprement,
» Habille-toi bien proprement,
Coiffure à la dentelle ;
Habille-toi bien proprement,
Comme une demoiselle !
« Adieu, ma mie, adieu, mon cœur,
Adieu, ma mie, adieu, mon cœur,
Adieu, mon espérance ;
Puisqu'il te faut servir le roi,
Séparons-nous d'ensemble ! »
La reine a fait faire un bouquet,
La reine a fait faire un bouquet,
De belles fleurs de lys...
Et la senteur de ce bouquet
A fait mourir marquise !
...
Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-8 of the original text.
Note: Déodat de Séverac and Ferrari add a refrain consisting of variations on and segments of the word "Rataplan"
Composition:
- Set to music by Gustave Ferrari (1872 - 1948), "Le Roy a fait battre tambour", published 1911, stanzas 1-8 [ voice and piano ], B. Schott's Söhne, Mainz
Text Authorship:
- possibly from Volkslieder (Folksongs) , no title
- possibly by Paul de Froment de Beaurepaire (1872 - 1914), no title
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Garrett Medlock) , copyright © 2019, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Ted Perry , Garrett Medlock [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 45
Word count: 255
The king had the drum beaten,
The king had the drum beaten
To see all of his kingdom’s ladies
And the first that he saw
Stole away his soul.
Marquis, tell me, do you know her?
Marquis, tell me, do you know her?
Who is this pretty lady?
The Marquis answered him:
Sire, that is my wife.
Marquis, you are luckier than me,
Marquis, you are luckier than me
To have such a beautiful wife.
If you wanted to give her to me
I would take care of her.
Sire, if you were not the king,
Sire, if you were not the king
I would get my revenge,
But since you are the king,
I am at your command.
Marquis do not be angry then,
Marquis do not be angry then,
You will have your reward;
I will make you in my armies
The fine marshall of France.
Dress yourself up properly,
Dress yourself up properly,
Your hairstyle done up with lace.
Dress yourself up properly
Like a young maiden.
Goodbye my soul, goodbye my heart,
Goodbye my soul, goodbye my heart,
Goodbye my hope!
Since you must serve the king,
We separate from each other.
The queen had a bouquet made,
The queen had a bouquet made
Of beautiful lily flowers;
And the scent of this bouquet
Made the marquise die.
...
Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-8 of the original text.
Translations of title(s):
"Le roi a fait battre tambour" = "The king had the drum beaten"
"Le Roy a fait battre tambour" = "The king had the drum beaten"
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.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in French (Français) from Volkslieder (Folksongs) and possibly by Paul de Froment de Beaurepaire (1872 - 1914)
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This text was added to the website: 2019-01-07
Line count: 45
Word count: 256