Plantons la vigne
This song dates back to the 16th century and is from the region of Champagne.
A lot of the actual lines use made up verbs based on different parts of the growing and drinking of wine. It doesn't all have a real meaning.
Plantons la vigne
Let's Plant the Vine
Chanson traditionnelle
Traditional Song
(French)
(English)
1. Plantons la vigne,
La voilà la jolie vigne,
Vigni, vignons, vignons le vin,
La voilà la jolie vigne au vin,
La voilà la jolie vigne !
2. De vigne en pousse,
La voilà la jolie pousse,
Poussi, poussons, poussons le vin,
La voilà la jolie pousse au vin,
La voilà la jolie pousse !
3. De pousse en feuille,
La voilà la jolie feuille,
Feuilli, feuillons, feuillons le vin,
La voilà la jolie feuille au vin,
La voilà la jolie feuille !
4. De feuille en fleur,
La voilà la jolie fleur,
Fleuri, fleurons, fleurons le vin,
La voilà la jolie fleur au vin,
La voilà la jolie fleur !
5. De fleur en graine,
La voilà la jolie graine,
Graini, grainons, grainons le vin,
La voilà la jolie graine au vin,
La voilà la jolie graine !
6. De graine en mûre,
Le voilà la jolie mûre,
Mûri, mûrons, mûrons le vin,
La voilà la jolie mûre au vin,
La voilà la jolie mûre !
8. De mûre en grappe,
La voilà la jolie grappe,
Grappi, grappons, grappons le vin,
La voilà la jolie grappe au vin,
La voilà la jolie grappe !
9. De grappe en cueille,
La voilà la jolie cueille,
Cueilli, cueillons, cueillons le vin,
La voilà la jolie cueille au vin,
La voilà la jolie cueille !
10. De cueille en hotte,
La voilà la jolie hotte,
Hotti, hottons, hottons le vin,
La voilà la jolie hotte au vin,
La voilà la jolie hotte !
11. De hotte en cuve,
La voilà la jolie cuve,
Cuvi, cuvons, cuvons le vin,
La voilà la jolie cuve au vin,
La voilà la jolie cuve !
12. De cuve en tonne,
La voilà la jolie tonne,
Tonni, tonnons, tonnons le vin,
La voilà la jolie tonne au vin,
La voilà la jolie tonne !
13. De tonne en verre,
Le voilà le joli verre,
Verri, verrons, verrons le vin,
Le voilà le joli verre au vin,
Le voilà le joli verre !
14. De verre en bouche,
La voilà la jolie bouche,
Bouchi, bouchons, bouchons le vin,
La voilà la jolie bouche au vin,
La voilà la jolie bouche !
14. De bouche en ventre,
Le voilà le joli ventre,
Ventri, ventrons, ventrons le vin,
Le voilà le joli ventre au vin,
Le voilà le joli ventre !
15. De ventre en terre,
La voilà la jolie terre,
Terri, terrons, terrons le vin,
La voilà la jolie terre au vin,
La voilà la jolie terre !
16. De terre en plante,
La voilà la jolie plante,
Planti, plantons, plantons le vin,
La voilà la jolie plante au vin,
La voilà la jolie plante !
(Ici on peut revenir au début de la chanson et la recommencer.)
1. Let's plant the vine,
Here is the pretty vine,
Let's vine, let's vine, let's vine the wine*,
Here is the pretty vine for the wine,
Here is the pretty vine!
2. From vine to growth,
Here is the pretty growth,
Let's grow, let's grow, let's grow the wine,
Here is the pretty growth for wine,
Here is the pretty growth!
3. From growth to leaf,
Here is the pretty leaf,
Let's leave, let's leave, let's leave the wine,
Here is the pretty leaf for the wine,
Here is the pretty leaf!
4. From leaf to flower,
Here is the pretty flower,
Let's flower, let's flower, let's flower the wine,
Here is the pretty flower for the wine,
Here is the pretty flower!
5. From flower to seed,
Here is the pretty seed,
Let's seed, let's seed, let's seed the wine,
Here is the pretty seed for the wine,
Here is the pretty seed!
6. From seed to berry,
Here is the pretty berry,
Let's berry, let's berry, let's berry the wine,
Here is the pretty berry for the wine,
Here is the pretty berry!
8. From berry to cluster,
Here is the pretty cluster,
Let's cluster, let's cluster, let's cluster the wine,
Here is the pretty cluster for the wine,
Here is the pretty cluster!
9. From cluster to harvesting,
Here is the pretty harvesting,
Let's harvest, let's harvest, let's harvest the wine,
Here is the pretty harvesting for the wine,
Here is the pretty harvesting!
10. From harvesting to basket,
Here is the pretty basket,
Let's basket, let's basket, let's basket the wine,
Here is the pretty basket for the wine,
Here is the pretty basket!
11. From basket to vat,
Here is the pretty vat,
Let's vat, let's vat, let's vat the wine,
Here is the pretty vat for the wine,
Here is the pretty vat!
12. From vat to barrel,
Here is the pretty barrel,
Let's barrel, let's barrel, let's barrel the wine,
Here is the pretty barrel for the wine,
Here is the pretty barrel!
13. From barrel to glass,
Here is the pretty glass,
Let's glass, let's glass, let's glass the wine,
Here is the pretty glass for the wine,
Here is the pretty glass!
14. From glass to mouth,
Here is the pretty mouth,
Let's mouth, let's mouth, let's mouth the wine,
Here is the pretty mouth for the wine,
Here is the pretty mouth!
14. From mouth to stomach,
Here is the pretty stomach,
Let's stomach, let's stomach, let's stomach the wine,
Here is the pretty stomach for the wine,
Here is the pretty stomach!
15. From stomach to earth,
Here is the pretty earth,
Let's earth, let's earth, let's earth the wine,
Here is the pretty earth for the wine,
Here is the pretty earth!
16. From earth to plant,
Here is the pretty plant,
Let's plant, let's plant, let's plant the wine,
Here is the pretty plant for the wine,
Here is the pretty plant!
(Here one can go back to the beginning and sing it all over again.)
Notes
*This line is based on the French conjugation of verbs. The 1st word doesn't exist, it's just based on the last word of the 1st line of each verse adding a final "i" to the root of the word. The 2nd word translates to "Let's + verb", though most are not actual verbs but are based on the last word of the 1st line of the verse with an "-ons" ending.
A "hotte" is a large and high basket with straps to be carried on your back. They used to be made of vim or wood but were later made of plastic. In France, Santa is said to carry a "hotte" overflowing with toys, not a bag -though it looks the same!
*****
There are several versions of this song. Some are shorter, some longer according on what steps of vine and grape growing and wine making and drinking people choose to sing about. The structure is always the same. You'll find below a pretty comprehensive version of the song in which you can choose the verses you'd like to sing.
Comprehensive Longer Version
1. Plantons la vigne, (Let's plant the vine)
La voilà la jolie vigne, (Here is the pretty vine)
Vigni, vignons, vignons le vin, (Let's vine, let's vine, let's vine the wine)
La voilà la jolie vigne au vin, (Here is the pretty vine for wine)
La voilà la jolie vigne. (Here is the pretty vine)
2. De vigne en terre… (From vine to earth…)
3. De terre en plante… (From earth to plant…)
4. De plante en pousse… (From plant to shoot…)
5. De pousse en branche… (From shoot to branch…)
6. De branche en feuille… (From branch to leaf…)
7. De feuille en fleur… (From leaf to flower…)
8. De fleur en graine… (From flower to seed…)
9. De graine en mûre… (From seed to berry…)
10. De mûre en grappe… (From berry to cluster…)
11. De grappe en cueille… (From cluster to picking…)
12. De cueille en hotte… (From picking to basket…)
13. De hotte en cuve… (From basket to vat…)
14. De cuve en foule… (From vat to treading…)
15. De foule en presse… (From treading to pressing…)
16. De presse en tonne… (From pressing to barrel…)
17. De tonne en perce… (From barrel to tap…)
18. De perce en broc… (From tap to pitcher…)
19. De broc en verre… (From pitcher to glass…)
20. De verre en goûte… (From glass to tasting…)
21. De goûte en trinque… (From tasting to toast…)
22. De trinque en bouche… (From toast to mouth…)
23. De bouche en ventre… (From mouth to belly…)
34. De ventre en pisse… (From belly to pee…)
35. De pisse en terre… (From pee to earth…)
36. (Back to Verse 3)
They go from verse 1 "vigne" (vine) to "pousse" (shoot), to "grappe" (bunch), to tonne" (barrel), to "cuve" (vat) to "verre" (glass) to "bouche" = (mouth) and the 3rd line is "bouchi, bouchons, débouchons le vin" = ~ let's cork, let's cork, let's uncork the wine (because "bouche" as a noun means mouth, but as a verb it means "to cork" referring to a bottle).
Thanks!
Thanks!
Thanks and Acknowledgements
Translated by Monique Palomares and Lisa Yannucci.
