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Sur la mer qui brame Le bateau partit, Tout seul, tout petit, Sans voile, à la rame. Si nous chavirons Plus ne reviendrons Sur les avirons Tirons ! La mer est méchante ; Mais l'homme joyeux N'a pas froid aux yeux. Elle gueule. Il chante. Si nous chavirons, Nous le sentirons Sur les avirons Tirons ! Sur la mer qui rage Le bateau dansa. Nous connaissons ça, Et bren pour l'orage ! Point ne chavirons. Nous en reviendrons. Sur les avirons Tirons ! Sur la mer qui roule Et vomit l'embrun Le ciel lourd et brun En trombe s'écroule. Si nous ne virons, Nous y périrons. Sur les avirons Tirons ! ... ... ... ...
Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-4,7-10 of the original text.
Composition:
- Set to music by Alfredo Casella (1883 - 1947), "En ramant", op. 9 no. 3 (1905), stanzas 1-4,7-10 [ voice and piano ], from Trois Lyriques, no. 3
Text Authorship:
- by Jean Richepin (1849 - 1926), "En ramant", written 1886, appears in La Mer, in 5. Les gas, no. 2, Paris, Maurice Dreyfous, first published 1886
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Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Peter Low) , "While rowing", copyright © 2025, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Peter Low [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2008-07-13
Line count: 40
Word count: 132
On the wailing sea the boat sets off, alone and very small, with no sail, just with oars. If we capsize, we won't return. Pull, let's pull on the oars! The sea is wicked; but the joyful man is not chicken-hearted. She yells. He sings. If we capsize, we will suffer. Pull, let's pull on the oars! On the raging sea the boat dances. We're familiar with that, to hell with the storm! We won't capsize. We will survive. Pull, let's pull on the oars! On the sea that rolls and vomits spray, the heavy dark sky descends in a waterspout. If we don't change direction we will perish. Pull, let's pull on the oars! ... ... ... ...
Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-4,7-10 of the original text.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2025 by Peter Low, (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.
Based on:
- a text in French (Français) by Jean Richepin (1849 - 1926), "En ramant", written 1886, appears in La Mer, in 5. Les gas, no. 2, Paris, Maurice Dreyfous, first published 1886
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This text was added to the website: 2025-09-08
Line count: 35
Word count: 146