Happy New Year! It’s New Year’s Eve, so time to talk about one of my favorite French traditions: drinking songs!
The French are known for their reserve, and for drinking responsibly (mostly). But they do love their drinking songs! And I love them for it. Anytime there is a French fête, it’s an excuse for some melodic revelry.
At a major fête, one might start off with Joyeux Enfants de la Bourgogne, and run the gambit, finishing off with the crowd swaying to an emotional rendition of La Vie en Rose.
I wish I knew the words to all of them—I do know a few. But the French will know every verse and chorus.
One memorable evening a while back we went to a small, country restaurant with our friends Jean-Marie (French) and Marion (Dutch). There were only two tables, quite close together: the four of us, and a party of 12, celebrating a birthday. Darn, there went our quiet evening, we thought. The raucousness started with the Ban Bourguignon (a clapping/chanting number that is a Burgundy classic) and escalated from there. One of the revelers jumped up and led us all in song, and pretty soon, after perhaps just a bit of wine, our group was singing and clapping right along with them. Eventually Jean-Marie abandoned us entirely and joined the French table!
So in spite of the fact that it is New Year’s Eve and it is yet again only the two of you (or just you and the dog), just like last night, sitting alone by the fire: pop open a bottle, crank up a youtube video, and sing along to a rousing French drinking song!
And if you want the real French experience when you visit, learn a chorus or two of the favorite songs, so you can join in when the occasion arises. Below is one of my favorites. It tells a story, and has an easy chorus and amusing lyrics. Salut!
The French version is below, followed by the English translation (You can sing along on Youtube here):
Chevaliers de la Table Ronde (Knights of the Round Table)
Chevaliers de la Table Ronde,
Goûtons voir si le vin est bon.
Chevaliers de la Table Ronde,
Goûtons voir si le vin est bon.
Goûtons voir, oui, oui, oui,
Goûtons voir, non, non, non,
Goûtons voir si le vin est bon.
Goûtons voir, oui, oui, oui,
Goûtons voir, non, non, non,
Goûtons voir si le vin est bon.
S’il est bon, s’il est agréable,
J’en boirai jusqu’à mon plaisir.
S’il est bon, s’il est agréable,
J’en boirai jusqu’à mon plaisir.
J’en boirai, oui, oui, oui,
J’en boirai, non, non, non,
J’en boirai jusqu’à mon plaisir.
J’en boirai, oui, oui, oui,
J’en boirai, non, non, non,
J’en boirai jusqu’à mon plaisir.
J’en boirai cinq ou six bouteilles,
Une femme sur les genoux.
J’en boirai cinq ou six bouteilles,
Une femme sur les genoux.
Une femme, oui, oui, oui,
Une femme, non, non, non,
Une femme sur les genoux.
Une femme, oui, oui, oui,
Une femme, non, non, non,
Une femme sur les genoux.
Toc, toc, toc, qui frappe à la porte?
Je crois bien que c’est le mari!
Toc, toc, toc, qui frappe à la porte?
Je crois bien que c’est le mari!
Je crois bien, oui, oui, oui,
Je crois bien, non, non, non,
Je crois bien que c’est le mari!
Je crois bien, oui, oui, oui,
Je crois bien, non, non, non,
Je crois bien que c’est le mari!
Si c’est lui, que le Diable l’emporte,
Car il vient troubler mon plaisir.
Si c’est lui, que le Diable l’emporte,
Car il vient troubler mon plaisir.
Car il vient, oui, oui, oui,
Car il vient, non, non, non,
Car il vient troubler mon plaisir.
Car il vient, oui, oui, oui,
Car il vient, non, non, non,
Car il vient troubler mon plaisir.
Quand je meurs, je veux qu’on m’enterre
Dans une cave où il y a du bon vin.
Quand je meurs, je veux qu’on m’enterre
Dans une cave où il y a du bon vin.
Dans une cave, oui, oui, oui,
Dans une cave, non, non, non,
Dans une cave où il y a du bon vin.
Dans une cave, oui, oui, oui,
Dans une cave, non, non, non,
Dans une cave où il y a du bon vin.
Les deux pieds contre la muraille
Et la tête sous le robinet.
Les deux pieds contre la muraille
Et la tête sous le robinet.
Et la tête, oui, oui, oui,
Et la tête, non, non, non,
Et la tête sous le robinet.
Et la tête, oui, oui, oui,
Et la tête, non, non, non,
Et la tête sous le robinet.
Et si le tonneau se débouche,
J’en boirai jusqu’à mon loisir.
Et si le tonneau se débouche,
J’en boirai jusqu’à mon loisir.
J’en boirai, oui, oui, oui,
J’en boirai, non, non, non,
J’en boirai jusqu’à mon loisir.
J’en boirai, oui, oui, oui,
J’en boirai, non, non, non,
J’en boirai jusqu’à mon loisir.
Et les quatre plus grands ivrognes
Porteront les quatre coins du drap.
Et les quatre plus grands ivrognes
Porteront les quatre coins du drap.
Porteront, oui, oui, oui,
Porteront, non, non, non,
Porteront les quatre coins du drap.
Porteront, oui, oui, oui,
Porteront, non, non, non,
Porteront les quatre coins du drap.
Sur ma tombe, je veux qu’on inscrive,
«Ici gît le roi des buveurs».
Sur ma tombe, je veux qu’on inscrive,
«Ici gît le roi des buveurs».
«Ici gît», oui, oui, oui,
«Ici gît», non, non, non,
«Ici gît le roi des buveurs».
«Ici gît», oui, oui, oui,
«Ici gît», non, non, non,
«Ici gît le roi des buveurs».
La morale de cette histoire,
C’est à boire avant de mourir.
La morale de cette histoire,
C’est à boire avant de mourir.
C’est à boire, oui, oui, oui,
C’est à boire, non, non, non,
C’est à boire avant de mourir.
C’est à boire, oui, oui, oui,
C’est à boire, non, non, non,
C’est à boire avant de mourir.
Knights of the Round Table
Knights of the round table,
Let’s taste to see if the wine is good.
Knights of the Round Table,
Let’s taste to see if the wine is good.
Let’s taste, yes, yes, yes,
Let’s taste, no, no, no,
Let’s taste to see if the wine is good.
Let’s taste, yes, yes, yes,
Let’s taste, no, no, no,
Let’s taste to see if the wine is good.
If it’s good, if it’s enjoyable,
I’ll drink to my pleasure.
If it’s good, if it’s enjoyable,
I’ll drink to my pleasure.
I’ll drink, yes, yes, yes,
I’ll drink, no, no, no,
I’ll drink to my pleasure.
I’ll drink, yes, yes, yes,
I’ll drink, no, no, no,
I’ll drink to my pleasure.
I’ll drink five or six bottles,
With a woman in my lap (lit: on my knees).
I’ll drink five or six bottles,
With a woman in my lap.
With a woman, yes, yes, yes,
With a woman, no, no, no,
With a woman in my lap.
With a woman, yes, yes, yes,
With a woman, no, no, no,
With a woman in my lap.
Tap, tap, tap who’s knocking at the door?
I do believe it’s the husband!
Tap, tap, tap who’s knocking at the door?
I do believe it’s the husband!
I do believe, yes, yes, yes,
I do believe, no, no, no,
I do believe it’s the husband!
I do believe, yes, yes, yes,
I do believe, no, no, no,
I do believe it’s the husband!
If it’s him, let the Devil take him,
For he’s coming to disturb my pleasure.
If it’s him, let the Devil take him,
For he’s coming to disturb my pleasure.
For he’s coming, yes, yes, yes,
For he’s coming, no, no, no,
For he’s coming to disturb my pleasure.
For he’s coming, yes, yes, yes,
For he’s coming, no, no, no,
For he’s coming to disturb my pleasure.
When I die, I want to be buried
In a cellar where there’s good wine.
When I die, I want to be buried,
In a cellar where there’s good wine.
In a cellar, yes, yes, yes,
In a cellar, no, no, no,
In a cellar where there’s good wine.
In a cellar, yes, yes, yes,
In a cellar, no, no, no,
In a cellar where there’s good wine.
My two feet against the wall
And my head under the spigot.
My two feet against the wall
And my head under the spigot.
And my head, yes, yes, yes,
And my head, no, no, no,
And my head under the spigot.
And my head, yes, yes, yes,
And my head, no, no, no,
And my head under the spigot.
And if the barrel uncorks,
I’ll drink to my leisure.
And if the barrel uncorks,
I’ll drink to my leisure.
I’ll drink, yes, yes, yes,
I’ll drink, no, no, no,
I’ll drink to my leisure.
I’ll drink, yes, yes, yes,
I’ll drink, no, no, no,
I’ll drink to my leisure.
And the four biggest drunkards
Will carry the four corners of the shroud.
And the four biggest drunkards,
Will carry the four corners of the shroud.
Will carry, yes, yes, yes,
Will carry, no, no, no,
Will carry the four corners of the shroud.
Will carry, yes, yes, yes,
Will carry, no, no, no,
Will carry the four corners of the shroud.
On my tomb, I want it inscribed,
“Here rests the king of drinkers.”
On my tomb, I want it inscribed,
“Here rests the king of drinkers.”
“Here rests,” yes, yes, yes,
“Here rests,” no, no, no,
“Here rests the king of drinkers.”
“Here rests,” yes, yes, yes,
“Here rests,” no, no, no,
“Here rests the king of drinkers.”
The moral of this story
Is to drink before you die.
The moral of this story
Is to drink before you die.
Is to drink, yes, yes, yes,
Is to drink, no, no, no,
Is to drink before you die.
Is to drink, yes, yes, yes,
Is to drink, no, no, no,
Is to drink before you die.
* * * * *
I talk to my cat , Vino Bambino, sometimes (you know you do it too). This week I assured him: the new year is going to be great. Everyone is going to get vaccinated quickly, Trump is going to give up his zany conspiracy theories and go away quietly, our new leaders are going to quickly bring us peace, prosperity, equality and restore unity to our country in nothing flat. Here was his reaction:
Oh well, BONNE ANNEE anyway, hope you have the happiest of new years, or at least one that is way better than this pesky one!
Now, what to serve after dinner for your NY dessert? Bourbon balls, of course! These can be made in about 10 minutes ( the recipe says to let the dough sit overnight, I'm not sure why, because really you can just eat the dough out of the bowl with a spoon on the spot, in case of a chocolate emergency).
RECIPE: Double Chocolate Bourbon Balls
I've never understood why chocolate bourbon balls are traditionally made with vanilla wafers. So I was happy to find this recipe, which calls for Nabisco famous chocolate wafer cookies. Here in France I used Belvita, a dry, not too sweet, chocolate whole grain breakfast cookie, which worked fine. But I think any crunchy chocolate cookie will do.
The recipe is here. If you want to French it up, use cognac instead of bourbon!
In the COMMENTS: In response to the chocolate quotes, our readers shared some of their own. From Martin: “Je me presse de rire de tout, de peur d’être obligé d’en pleurer.” —Beaumarchais (I hurry to laugh at everything, for fear of having to cry). From Herm: "There are good ships. There are wood ships. The ships that sail the sea, but the best ships are friendships and they will always be!" —anonomous. Tom, a very happy birthday to you!
And finally, to wrap up our feature on gifts: If you are looking for a small gift for a friend who loves the South, let me tell you about a present my friend Sandi gave me. She has created an easel calendar of Charleston piazzas she photographed. I think it captures the very essesnce of historic Charleston. It's available on Etsy for $13. Next I think we must get Sandi to France to shoot the French doorways!
Natalia has a beautiful gift idea too: who knew that the famous Paris bookstore, Shakespeare and Co.,had an outline bookshop? Natalia scored a copy of Little Bookshop on the Seine with its stamp inside and a beautiful Emily Dickinson poem.
