My son is taking piano lessons. This week his first song to work on was the children's song, Alouette. You know, the one sung in French. As he was playing this morning, I was singing away...
Alouette je te plumerai
Alouette, gentille Alouette
Alouette je te plumerai
Je te plumerai la tête
Je te plumerai la tête
Et la tête, et la tête
O-o-o-o-oh!"
And so on. Just a pretty little French song, right? Well, I don't speak French, so when my inquisitive 9 year old son asked me what it meant, of course I had to look it up. Here's what Wikipedia had to say...
- Alouette, gentille Alouette
- Skylark, nice skylark
- Alouette, je te plumerai
- Skylark, 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)
- O-o-o-oh
WHAT? It goes on to say that it was sung as a French Canadian song that trappers would sing as they paddled down rivers to pass the time. Skylarks were eaten as game birds during that time, so evidently they were hungry as they traveled downriver. Although after finishing this song, I can't imagine anyone being hungry. Here are the other additions to the verses, added one on top of the other, like we do with "The Twelve Days of Christmas".
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
Et le coeur
And your heart
Et les poumons
And your lungs
Et le cerveau
And your brain
O-o-o-o-oh
- Alouette, gentille Alouette
- Skylark, nice skylark
- Alouette,
- Skylark,
- 'Tu es un torse saignant
I left the translation for that last line out. You can look it up if you want to. But since I have peeps from Australia, and possibly even Great Britain, that sometimes read my blog, I will refrain so they don't think I'm cussing (or I guess they'd say "cursing", but hey, I'm from the South) on my blog. And only the Lord knows what kind of freaks I'd get on here if they happened to Google that phrase.
You're going to look it up, aren't you? So now that I have now ruined this precious little song for you I'll say that I figured if I had to learn about it, so did you. That's homeschoolin' for you. You're welcome.
I was going to go eat lunch now, but...um...(turning green)...I think I've lost my appetite.
16 comments:
Songbirds for supper? Quelle horreur!!
Okay. That made me laugh. I needed that laugh :)
yikes!
see... you homeschoolin' girls still need to learn stuff whether you want to or not! i'd rather not learn. pretty sad, aren't i?
Oh YUCK and I just always thought it was a sweet little song!! Guess I was wrong huh!
Um...EWWWWWWWWWWW!
Not sure if I want to lookthat up or not...I just ate..hehe
OK that is so funny. Just goes to show how things change over the the years. It is a sweet sounding little French song. Provided, I guess, you don't know French. My sister was a French major in college...I'm going to have to ask her about that.
Oh, this is too funny. My girls learned Alouette first also. I never knew.
I admit, I looked it up!
oh my goodness!
My kids will love it!
Oh wow! That's just all I can say.
Oh wow! That's just all I can say.
that totally cracked me up! sorry, but true :)
some of those songs little "hush little baby" even and "rockaby baby" are just cruel....but they were tougher back then eh?
so nice to meet you - I'll certainly be back!
Oh my gosh! I've always thought it was a pretty song...until now. Homeschooling opens your eyes to so many things...love it!
Kim
Well now that's just disgusting. I remember singing that song in French class in first grade.
We learned that song in French class in high school! I've taught it to Brady but I use it to teach him the body parts like eyes, nose, ears, mouth! He loves to sing it in the car!
Those crazy French Canandians!
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