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French folksong, Minnesota Historical Society, music and words, Theodore C. Blegen, U. of Moncton Male Choir, voyageurs
Jongleur *
* from the Encyclopædia Britannica [i]
This song is almost identical to “C’est le vent frivolant.” With folksongs, substituion is not uncommon. One changes the melody, but keeps the same lyrics or words or keeps the melody and gives it new words.
According to Theodore C. Blegen, this is a rollicking “jongleur” song. Jongleurs could be described as minstrels, but some also “juggled” balls and where therefore particularly entertaining.
04 En roulant ma boule (click on the title to hear the song) [ii] Chorus En roulant ma boule roulant, Rolling my ball… En roulant ma boule (2: repeat chorus) 1. Derrière chez nous y-a-t’un étang (a pond), En roulant ma boule. Trois beaux canards (ducks) s’en vont baignant (are bathing), Rouli-roulant, ma boule roulant. Chorus 2. Le fils du roi s’en va chassant, En roulant ma boule. Avec son grand fusil d’argent, Rouli-roulant, ma boule roulant. Chorus 3. Visa le noir, tua le blanc, En roulant ma boule. O, fils du roi tu es méchant, Rouli-roulant, ma boule roulant. Chorus 4. D’avoir tué mon canard blanc, En roulant ma boule. Par-dessous l’aile, il perd son sang, Rouli-roulant, ma boule roulant. Chorus 5. Et toutes ses plumes s’en vont au vent, Trois dames s’en vont les ramassant, En roulant ma boule. Rouli-roulant, ma boule roulant Chorus 6. C’est pour en faire un lit de camp, En roulant ma boule. Pour y coucher tous les passants, Rouli-roulant, ma boule roulant. Chorus 1. At the back of our house, there is a pond, Three lovely ducks are bathing in it. 2. The king’s son is going hunting, With his large silver gun. 3. Aims for the black duck, kills the white, O you, the king’s song, you are bad. 4. You have killed my white duck, Beneath his wing, he’s losing blood. 5. All of his feathers are blowing in the wind, Three ladies go about picking them up. 6. It’s to make a feather bed. For all those who are passing by.
Jongleurs, minstrels
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