Trois jeunes tambours
This song is from the time of Louis XV (mid-18th century) and was popular among soldiers.
Trois jeunes tambours
Three Young Drummers
Chanson enfantine
Children's Song
(French)
(English)
Trois jeunes tambours
S'en revenaient de guerre
Trois jeunes tambours
S'en revenaient de guerre
Et ri et ran, rapataplan
S'en revenaient de guerre.
Le plus jeune a
Dans sa bouche une rose,
Le plus jeune a
Dans sa bouche une rose,
Et ri et ran, rapataplan
Dans sa bouche une rose.
La fille du roi
Était à sa fenêtre,
La fille du roi
Était à sa fenêtre,
Et ri et ran, rapataplan
Était à sa fenêtre.
Joli tambour
Donne-moi donc ta rose,
Joli tambour
Donne-moi donc ta rose,
Et ri et ran, rapataplan
Donne-moi donc ta rose.
Fille du roi,
Donnez-moi votre cœur,
Fille du roi,
Donnez-moi votre cœur,
Et ri et ran, rapataplan
Donnez-moi votre cœur,
Joli tambour,
Demand'-le à mon père,
Joli tambour,
Demand'-le à mon père,
Et ri et ran, rapataplan
Demand'-le à mon père.
Sire le roi,
Donnez-moi votre fille,
Sire le roi,
Donnez-moi votre fille,
Et ri et ran, rapataplan
Donnez-moi votre fille.
Joli tambour,
Tu n'es pas assez riche,
Joli tambour,
Tu n'es pas assez riche,
Et ri et ran, rapataplan
Tu n'es pas assez riche.
J'ai trois vaisseaux
Dessus la mer jolie,
J'ai trois vaisseaux
Dessus la mer jolie,
Et ri et ran, rapataplan
Dessus la mer jolie.
L'un chargé d'or,
L'autre de pierreries,
L'un chargé d'or,
L'autre de pierreries,
Et ri et ran, rapataplan
L'autre de pierreries.
Et le troisième
Pour promener ma mie,
Et le troisième
Pour promener ma mie,
Et ri et ran, rapataplan
Pour promener ma mie.
Joli tambour,
Dis-moi quel est ton père,
Joli tambour,
Dis-moi quel est ton père,
Et ri et ran, rapataplan
Dis-moi quel est ton père.
Sire le roi,
C'est le roi d'Angleterre,
Sire le roi,
C'est le roi d'Angleterre,
Et ri et ran, rapataplan
C'est le roi d'Angleterre.
Joli tambour,
Je te donne ma fille,
Joli tambour,
Je te donne ma fille,
Et ri et ran, rapataplan
Je te donne ma fille.
Sire le roi,
Je vous en remercie,
Sire le roi,
Je vous en remercie,
Et ri et ran, rapataplan
Je vous en remercie.
Dans mon pays,
Il y en a d'aussi jolies*
Dans mon pays,
Il y en a d'aussi jolies
Et ri et ran, rapataplan
Il y en a d'aussi jolies.
Three young drummers
Were coming back from war,
Three young drummers
Were coming back from war,
And ri and ran, rapataplan *
Were coming back from war.
The youngest had
A rose in his mouth,
The youngest had
A rose in his mouth,
And ri and ran, rapataplan,
A rose in his mouth.
The king's daughter
Was at her window,
The king's daughter
Was at her window,
And ri and ran, rapataplan,
Was at her window.
Nice drummer,
Give me your rose,
Nice drummer,
Give me your rose,
And ri and ran, rapataplan,
Give me your rose.
King's daughter,
Give me your heart,
King's daughter,
Give me your heart,
And ri and ran, rapataplan,
Give me your heart.
Nice drummer,
Ask my father for it,
Nice drummer,
Ask my father for it,
And ri and ran, rapataplan,
Ask my father for it.
Your majesty,
Give me your daughter,
Your majesty,
Give me your daughter,
And ri and ran, rapataplan,
Give me your daughter.
Nice drummer,
You're not rich enough,
Nice drummer,
You're not rich enough,
And ri and ran, rapataplan,
You're not rich enough.
I've got three ships
Out on the good sea,
I've got three ships
Out on the good sea,
And ri and ran, rapataplan,
Out on the good sea.
One loaded with gold,
The other with jewels,
One loaded with gold,
The other with jewels,
And ri and ran, rapataplan,
The other with jewels.
And the third one
Is to take out my sweetheart,
And the third one
Is to take out my sweetheart,
And ri and ran, rapataplan,
Is to take out my sweetheart.
Nice drummer,
Tell me who your father is,
Nice drummer,
Tell me who your father is,
And ri and ran, rapataplan,
Tell me who your father is.
Your majesty,
He's the king of England,
Your majesty,
He's the king of England,
And ri and ran, rapataplan,
He's the king of England.
Nice drummer,
I give you my daughter,
Nice drummer,
I give you my daughter,
And ri and ran, rapataplan,
I give you my daughter.
Your majesty,
I thank you for this,
Your majesty,
I thank you for this,
And ri and ran, rapataplan,
I thank you for this.
In my country,
There are girls just as pretty
In my country,
There are girls just as pretty
And ri and ran, rapataplan,
There are girls just as pretty.
Notes
*In French, "rapataplan" is the sound that drums make, the way "rat-a-tat-tat" represents the sound of drums in English.
*Alternate last line: Dans mon pays, il y en a de plus jolies. (In my country, there are prettier girls.)
Sheet Music
Thanks and Acknowledgements
Many thanks to Jade Kite for contributing this song! Translated by Monique and Lisa.
Many thanks to Lila Pomerantz for the drawing.
Merci!