Lo guilanèu
This song is from Limousin.
Lo guilanèu
The New Year's Gift
New Year's Song
New Year's Song
(Occitan)
(English)
Rivats, rivats, son arrivats
Lo guilanèu lor fau donar
Lo guilanèu lor fau donar
Gentil senhor
Lo guilanèu lor fau donar
Aus compahons!
De las pomas de las peras
Lo guilanèu lor fau donar
Lo guilanèu lor fau donar
Gentil senhor
Lo guilanèu lor fau donar
Aus compahons!
Daus jaques, de la borsada
Lo guilanèu lor fau donar
Lo guilanèu lor fau donar
Gentil senhor
Lo guilanèu lor fau donar
Aus compahons!
Daus cacaus, de las nosilhas…
Lo guilanèu lor fau donar
Lo guilanèu lor fau donar
Gentil senhor
Lo guilanèu lor fau donar
Aus compahons!
De l'argent blanc, de las saunas…
Lo guilanèu lor fau donar
Lo guilanèu lor fau donar
Gentil senhor
Lo guilanèu lor fau donar
Aus compahons!
Lèva-te, vièlha, dau fogier
Per copar de l'an un quartier
Lo guilanèu lor fau donar
Gentil senhor
Lo guilanèu lor fau donar
Aus compahons!
Arrived, arrived, they have arrived
The New Year's gift you must give to them,
The New Year's gift you must give to them,
Gentle sir
The New Year's gift you must give to them,
To the companions.
Apples, pears,
The New Year's gift you must give to them,
The New Year's gift you must give to them,
Gentle sir
The New Year's gift you must give to them,
To the companions.
Chestnuts in "jaques"*, in purses**
The New Year's gift you must give to them,
The New Year's gift you must give to them,
Gentle sir
The New Year's gift you must give to them,
To the companions.
Walnuts, hazelnuts,
The New Year's gift you must give to them,
The New Year's gift you must give to them,
Gentle sir
The New Year's gift you must give to them,
To the companions.
White coins, billon coins***
The New Year's gift you must give to them,
The New Year's gift you must give to them,
Gentle sir
The New Year's gift you must give to them,
To the companions.
Get up, old woman, from the fireside
To cut a piece (of pork fat) from this year
The New Year's gift you must give to them,
Gentle sir
The New Year's gift you must give to them,
To the companions.
Notes
"Guilanèu" (guilanneu, guillanée and other guiannée, guillonnée, guillounnée etc.) means, "New Year's gift". The word comes from the phrase "Au gui l'an neuf" (lit. "To the mistletoe the new year") itself coming from the Celtic/Gaelic phrase "O ghel an heu" (May the wheat germinate), words exchanged as New Year's wishes in older times just like the current, "Bonne année !" (Happy New Year!).
For more information about it, read the very interesting article from Christian Souchon's website and for those who understand French, here's one from Wikipedia.
*"jaques" (pr. [za'ke] = "zah'key") dried and smoked then rehydrated.
**"de la borsada" = boiled
***billon: an alloy of a precious metal (most commonly silver, but also gold) with a majority base metal content (such as copper). It's used chiefly for making coins, medals, and token coins.
Thanks and Acknowledgements
Translation and notes by Monique Palomares.
