Un kilomètre à pied ça use, ça use
"All French-speaking children know this march-song." -Manuel
Un kilomètre à pied ça use, ça use
One Kilometer on Foot Wears Out Your Shoes for Good
Chanson enfantine
Children's Song
(French)
(English)
Un kilomètre à pied ça use, ça use,
Un kilomètre à pied ça use les souliers.
Deux kilomètres à pied ça use, ça use,
Deux kilomètres à pied ça use les souliers… etc.
One kilometer on foot is wearing, is wearing,
One kilometer on foot, wears out your shoes for good.
Two kilometers on foot, is wearing, is wearing,
Two kilometers on foot, wears out your shoes for good… etc.
Notes
Lucie Lasseel sent us a longer version that some people sing:
Un kilomètre à pied, ça use, ça use
Un kilomètre à pied, ça use les souliers.
La peinture à l'huile c'est bien difficile
mais c'est bien plus beau
que la peinture à l'eau.
Deux kilomètres à pied etc....
English Translation
One kilometer on foot is wearing, is wearing,
One kilometer on foot, wears out your shoes for good.
Oil painting's not easy, it would drive you crazy*,
But it is more fine,
Than watercolor lines.
Two kilometers on foot etc...
*Literally:
Oil painting is very difficult,
But it's more beautiful,
Than watercolor painting.
*****
This song is sometimes sung as a bus song on long rides.
Sheet Music
Thanks and Acknowledgements
Many thanks to Manuel Dávila Christiaens for contributing this song. Many thanks also to Lucie Lasseel for completing the song. Thanks to Monique Palomares for the English translation and the midi tune.
Many thanks to Gracie Gralike for the illustration!
Merci beaucoup!