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This song is an enumerative song. In each stanza, a body part is added.

Here, a lark (une alouette) loses first its head, then its eyes, its beak, its back, its neck .

12 Alouette (please click on the title to hear the music)

CHORUS

Alouette, gentille alouette, Lark, gentle lark,

Alouette, je t’y plumerai. (2) I’ll take your feathers off.

1. Je t’y plumerai la tête. (4) I’ll take the feathers off your head

Et la tête, et la tête. And your head, and your head.

Alouette, alouette, oh!

CHORUS

2. Je t’y plumerai les yeux. (4) I’ll take the feathers off your eyes

Et les yeux, et les yeux, And your eyes, and your eyes

Et la tête, et la tête.

Alouette, alouette, oh!

3. Je t’y plumerai le bec. (4) I’ll take the feathers off your beak

Et le bec, et le bec, And your beak, and your beak

Et les yeux, et les yeux, (2)

Et la tête, et la tête. (2)

4. Je t’y plumerai le dos. (4) I’ll take the feathers off you back

Et le dos, et le dos, And your back, and your back

Et le bec, et le bec, (2) beak, eyes, head

Et les yeux, et les yeux, (2)

Et la tête, et la tête. (2)

5. Je t’y plumerai le cou. (4) I’ll take the feathers off your neck

Et le cou, et le cou, And your neck, and your neck

Et le dos, et le dos, (2) back, beak, eyes, head

Et le bec, et le bec, (2)

Et les yeux, et les yeux, (2)

Et la tête, et la tête. (2)

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Theodore C. Blegen, Songs of the Voyageurs (St. Paul: Minnesota Historical Society, 1998[1966]), p. 46.

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