Hourra Mes Boués Hourra! (French)

Interesting Facts about the Hourra Mes Boués Hourra!

Two french “Hourra” shanty include Hourra Mes Boués Hourra! give us Stan Hugill this one “Hourra, Mes Boues, Hurra!”, can be found in several french collections, Hayet, Bernard Roy, etc…, but Stan Hugill seems to favor Captain Hayet, and decided to give credit for saving this fantastic shanty from oblivion. Jean Loro, one of his friends of Stan Hugill teaches him to sing the second refrain often sung as: “Hourra, mes boues, hourra!”. This is a hauling shanty (chanson a hisser).

The song will be reconstructed by myself as the halyard shanty.

The source of this sea shanty

In comparing to the original text from Captain Hayet’s “Chansons De Bord”(1934), Stan Hugill gives nine verses instead of the original eleven, also the melody is a little bit different, but of course keeps the same dynamics. Due to the involvement of Jean Loro, I decided to reconstruct Stan Hugill’s melody and version, to keep the uniqueness of the song which seems to be known from the personal experience of Stan Hugill.

The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 137).

The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 137).

The Record of the Hourra Mes Boués Hourra!

You also can find this record on my YouTube channel here or directly listen below. Additionally, if you want to share your opinion about the record or share your opinion you can do it in my Facebook forum here, or leave a comment at the bottom of this blog article.

Hourra, Mes Boués, Hourra! - Halyard Shanty

The musical notation

hourra-mes-boues-hourra music notation

The full lyrics

Hourra, Mes Boués, Hourra!

Derrière chez nous y’a un petit bois
– Hour-RA, mes boues, hour
RA!
Cueillis deux fraises, en mangis trois
– TRA la, la la, la la LA, la la!

* 2 *

Avec une fillett’ de quinze ans.
Sa mere arrive au meme instant,

* 3 *

Que faites-vous a mon enfant?
J’suis en train d’ lui compter les dents.

* 4 *

Il lui en manqu’ une sur le d’vant
Il lui en manqu’ une sur le d’vant

* 5 *

Que je lui pose bellement.
Que je lui pose bellement

* 6 *

Il m’en manqu’une egalement!
Il m’en manqu’une egalement!

* 7 *

Donnez-moi z’en, marin galant.
Donnez-moi z’en, marin galant

* 8 *

J’les pose qu’a cells de quinze ans.
J’les pose qu’a cells de quinze ans

* 9 *

Le vieilles pour le commandant!
Le vieilles pour le commandant!

Related to this sea shanty

A Long Time Ago (E)

Stormalong Lads Stormy

De Runer Von Hamborg

Et Nous Irons a Valparaiso (French) – Brake Windlass Shanty

Interesting Facts about the Et Nous Irons a Valparaiso

Et Nous Irons a Valparaiso is another French hauling shanty that originally comes from Captain A. Hayet’s version (Chansons de Board; 1927). Fortunately, I found the book by A. Hayet mentioned by Stan Hugill. This song is a combination of “Goodbye, Fare-ye-well” and “Blow The Man Down”. Unusually consist of four solos and refrains. H. Jacques says that this shanty was a traditional one among the seamen of the sailing ships which loaded saltpeter in Chilean ports, but the song is much older, potentially beginning of the nineteenth century, sung by whalers of the south seas.

The song will be reconstructed by myself as the brake windlass shanty.

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “Chansons de Board” by Armand Hayet (1st ed p 52, 53, 54). In the comparison process, I did discover some of the musical notations were different than in Stan Hugill’s book, so I took precedence of older sources, and for reconstruction used original notes from “Chansons de Board”. This shanty I will try to reconstruct this in the original version of Captain A. Hayet’s “Chansons de Board”.

The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 129, 130).

The Record of the Et Nous Irons a Valparaiso

You also can find this record on my YouTube channel here or directly listen below. Additionally, if you want to share your opinion about the record or share your opinion you can do it in my Facebook forum here, or leave a comment at the bottom of this blog article.

Et Nous Irons a Valparaiso - Capstan Shanty

The musical notation

et-nous-irons-a-valparaiso music notation

The full lyrics

Et Nous Irons a Valparaiso

Hardi! les gars, vire au guindeau
– Good bye, farewell!
– Good bye, farewell!
Hardi! les gars, adieu Bordeaux!
– Hourra! o-h! Mexico!
– 0h! -oh! oh!
Au Cap Horn il ne fera pas chaud
– Haul away, he!
– Oula tchalez!
A faire la peche au cachalot
– Hal’ matelot
– He! ho! hisse he! ho!

* 2 *

Plus d’un y laissere sa peau
– Good bye, farewell!
– Good bye, farewell!
Adieu misere, adieu bateau!
– Hourra! oh! Mexico!
– 0h! oh! oh!
Et nous irons a Valparaiso
– Haul away, he!
– Oula tchalez!
Ou d’autres laisseront leurs os
– Hal’ matelot
– He! ho! hisse he! ho!

* 3 *

Ceux qui r’viendront pavillon haut
– Good bye, farewell!
– Good bye, farewell!

C’est premier brin de matelot
– Hourra! 0h! Mexico!
– 0h!
oh! oh!
Pour la bordee ils seront a flot
– Haul away, he!
– Oula tchalez!
Bons pour le rack, la fille, le couteau
– Hal’ matelot
– He! ho! hisse he! ho!

Related to this sea shanty

Bound for the Rio Grande (Cecil Sharp Version)

Rio Grande (B)

A Long Time Ago (C)

As-Tu-Connu Le Per’ Lanc’lot (French)

Interesting Facts about the As-Tu-Connu Le Per’ Lanc’lot

A French shanty As-Tu-Connu Le Per’ Lanc’lot, Stan Hugill learned from Jean Loro a fine French “matelot” who had sailed in many of the “Borde” Vessels. Mentioned French matelot, Johan Halvorsen sang this shanty at halyards. Stan Hugill added to his version several verses from Captain A. Hayet’s version (Chansons de Board; 1927). Fortunately, I found the book by A. Hayet mentioned by Stan Hugill, so I can inform you, that, verses: 1, 4, 6, 7, and 8 come from “Chansons de Board”. What is really interesting to many people is why in French shanties (taking into account French cultural independence ), the English refrain was sung.

This was because, during the American War of Independence (1775), many of New England’s whale ports were blocked by English ships. As a result, many New Bedford whaling families have asked to be moved to Milford Haven and Dunkirk, where they have formed the nucleus of the whaling industry of England and France. This was the reason why many French shanties, especially those sung on whalers, have English choruses.

The song will be reconstructed by myself as the halyard shanty.

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 127, 128).

The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 127, 128).

The Record of the As-Tu-Connu Le Per’ Lanc’lot

You also can find this record on my YouTube channel here or directly listen below. Additionally, if you want to share your opinion about the record or share your opinion you can do it in my Facebook forum here, or leave a comment at the bottom of this blog article.

As-Tu-Connu Le Per' Lanc'lot - Halyard Shanty

The musical notation

as-tu-connu-le-per-lanclot music notation

The full lyrics

As-Tu-Connu Le Per’ Lanc’lot

As tu conu le Pere Lancelot?
– GoodBYE, fa-re-well! goodBYE, fa-re-well!
Qui fail la peche aux cachalots,
– HourRA! oh, MexiCO-o-o-o!

* 2 *

Il a trois filles qui font la peau,
Il a trois filles qui font la peau,

* 3 *

L’une a Lorient, l’autre a Bordeaux,
La troisieme est a Colombo,

* 4 *

Il donne la goutte a ses mat’lots,
A coups de barre et de guindeau.

* 5 *

Il mange la viande, nous laiss’ les os,
Il boit du vin et toi de l’eau.

* 6 *

A la manoeuvre le bosco
Te dresse a coups de cabillot.

* 7 *

Le lieutnant t’envoie la-haut.
A coups de bottes dans le dos.

* 8 *

Le lieutnant t’envoie la-haut.
A coups de bottes dans le dos.

Related to this sea shanty

A Long Time Ago (E)

Stormalong Lads Stormy

De Runer Von Hamborg