C'est l'aviron
This song originated in Western France in La Rochelle, a port on the Atlantic coast. It's also known by the title "M'en revenant de la jolie Rochelle".
There's an English version of this song called Pull On the Oars.
This is a Voyageur Song. The Voyageurs were French-Canadian indentured servants who were involved in the fur trade, transporting fur by canoe.
C'est l'aviron
It's the Oar
Chanson de voyageurs
Voyageur Song
(French)
(English)
M'en revenant de la jolie Rochelle,
M'en revenant de la jolie Rochelle,
J'ai rencontré trois jolies demoiselles.
Refrain
C'est l'aviron qui nous mène, qui nous mène,
C'est l'aviron qui nous mène en haut.
J'ai rencontré trois jolies demoiselles
J'ai rencontré trois jolies demoiselles
J'ai point choisi, mais j'ai pris la plus belle.
(Refrain)
J'ai point choisi, mais j'ai pris la plus belle
J'ai point choisi, mais j'ai pris la plus belle
J' l'y fis monter derrièr' moi, sur ma selle.
(Refrain)
J' l'y fis monter derrièr' moi, sur ma selle
J' l'y fis monter derrièr' moi, sur ma selle
J'y fis cent lieues sans parler avec elle.
(Refrain)
J'y fis cent lieues sans parler avec elle
J'y fis cent lieues sans parler avec elle
Au bout d' cent lieues, ell' me d'mandit à boire.
(Refrain)
Au bout d' cent lieues, ell' me d'mandit à boire
Au bout d' cent lieues, ell' me d'mandit à boire
Je l'ai menée auprès d'une fontaine.
(Refrain)
Je l'ai menée auprès d'une fontaine
Je l'ai menée auprès d'une fontaine
Quand ell' fut là, ell' ne voulut point boire.
(Refrain)
Quand ell' fut là, ell' ne voulut point boire
Quand ell' fut là, ell' ne voulut point boire
Je l'ai menée au logis de son père.
(Refrain)
Je l'ai menée au logis de son père
Je l'ai menée au logis de son père
Quand ell' fut là, ell' buvait à pleins verres.
(Refrain)
Quand ell' fut là, ell' buvait à pleins verres
Quand ell' fut là, ell' buvait à pleins verres
À la santé de son père et sa mère.
(Refrain)
À la santé de son père et sa mère
À la santé de son père et sa mère
À la santé de ses sœurs et ses frères.
(Refrain)
À la santé de ses sœurs et ses frères
À la santé de ses sœurs et ses frères
À la santé d' celui que son cœur aime.
(Refrain)
On my way back from pretty La Rochelle city
On my way back from pretty La Rochelle city,
I met three pretty young ladies.
(Chorus)
It's the oar that leads us, that leads us,
It's the oar that leads us to the Upper Country*
I met three pretty young ladies,
I met three pretty young ladies,
I didn't choose, but I took the prettiest.
(Chorus)
I didn't choose, but I took the prettiest,
I didn't choose, but I took the prettiest,
I had her mount behind me on my saddle.
(Chorus)
I had her mount behind me on my saddle,
I had her mount behind me on my saddle,
I rode a hundred leagues without speaking with her.
(Chorus)
I rode a hundred leagues without speaking with her,
I rode a hundred leagues without speaking with her,
After a hundred leagues, she asked for a drink.
(Chorus)
After a hundred leagues, she asked for a drink,
After a hundred leagues, she asked for a drink,
I lead her to a fountain.
(Chorus)
I lead her to a fountain,
I lead her to a fountain,
When she got there, she didn't want to drink.
(Chorus)
When she got there, she didn't want to drink,
When she got there, she didn't want to drink,
I lead her to her father's dwelling.
(Chorus)
I lead her to her father's dwelling,
I lead her to her father's dwelling,
When she got there, she drank many glassfuls.
(Chorus)
When she got there, she drank many glassfuls,
When she got there, she drank many glassfuls,
To her father and mother's health.
(Chorus)
To her father and mother's health,
To her father and mother's health,
To her sisters' and her brothers' health.
(Chorus)
To her sisters' and her brothers' health,
To her sisters' and her brothers' health,
To the health of the one her heart loves.
(Chorus)
Notes
*The Upper Country, (Le Pays d'en Haut in French) was a vast territory west of Montreal including the Great Lakes and wherever the French explored in Canada.
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