3 February

Pierre

Auprès de ma blonde (also known as Le Prisonnier de Hollande) is a military march from 1704 which became very popular in eighteenth-century France.

The story of the song

Auprès de ma blonde is often attributed to André Joubert du Collet, a lieutenant in the Royal Navy during the reign of Louis XIV. Taken prisoner by the Dutch, he is said to have composed the song in 1704, after his release.

To thank the king, André Joubert du Collet offered Louis XIV a song that he had composed in captivity as a tribute to his wife, "ma blonde".

Indeed, at the time the song was composed, blonde meant "girlfriend" or "companion". Curiously, this meaning has remained common in Quebec. Therefore, the French used to say "He's going to get married with his blonde" (his fiancée).

The song became popular during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and entered the popular repertoire.

Auprès de ma blonde. Photo Masson-Simon via Envato Elements

Auprès de ma blonde. Photo Masson-Simon via Envato Elements

The wars of Louis XIV

This military march refers to the various conflicts of the 17th century, and quickly became very popular at the time among the French troops. (learn more about the Franco-Dutch War)

History records that the soldiers of the Duke of Villars, Marshal of France (1653 - 1734), sang it as they entered Le Quesnoy in 1712.

It became the marching song of the Champagne regiment, and was then adopted by the general public. Then, like many others, it became a children's song.

Louix XIV crosses the Rhine. By Adam Frans van der Meulen

Louix XIV crosses the Rhine. By Adam Frans van der Meulen

Auprès de ma blonde

Lyrics, music, free download... let's learn more about the popular song:

Auprès de ma blonde

The lyrics in French

The original song of Auprès de ma blonde has 11 verses and a chorus.

Couplet 1

Aux jardins de mon père,

Les lilas sont fleuris;

Aux jardins de mon père,

Les lilas sont fleuris;

Tous les oiseaux du monde

Viennent y faire leurs nids.


Refrain

Auprès de ma blonde,

Qu'il fait bon, fait bon, fait bon.

Auprès de ma blonde,

Qu'il fait bon dormir !


Couplet 2

Tous les oiseaux du monde

Viennent y faire leurs nids;

Tous les oiseaux du monde

Viennent y faire leurs nids;

La caille, la tourterelle

Et la jolie perdrix.


Couplet 3

La caille, la tourterelle

Et la jolie perdrix

La caille, la tourterelle

Et la jolie perdrix

Et ma jolie colombe,

Qui chante jour et nuit...


Couplet 4

Et ma jolie colombe,

Qui chante jour et nuit

Et ma jolie colombe,

Qui chante jour et nuit

Elle chante pour les filles

Qui n'ont pas de mari.


Couplet 5

Elle chante pour les filles

Qui n'ont pas de mari.

Elle chante pour les filles

Qui n'ont pas de mari.

Pour moi ne chante guère,

Car j'en ai un joli...


Couplet 6

Pour moi ne chante guère,

Car j'en ai un joli,

Pour moi ne chante guère,

Car j'en ai un joli,

“Dites-moi donc la belle,

Où donc est votre mari ?”


Couplet 7

“Dites-moi donc la belle,

Où donc est votre mari ?”

“Dites-moi donc la belle,

Où donc est votre mari ?”

Il est dans la Hollande,

Les Hollandais l'ont pris.


Couplet 8

Il est dans la Hollande,

Les Hollandais l'ont pris,

Il est dans la Hollande,

Les Hollandais l'ont pris.

“Que donneriez-vous, belle,

Pour avoir votre ami ?”


Couplet 9

Que donneriez-vous, belle,

Pour avoir votre ami ?

Que donneriez-vous, belle,

Pour avoir votre ami ?

Je donnerais Versailles,

Paris et Saint-Denis.


Couplet 10

Je donnerais Versailles,

Paris et Saint-Denis,

Je donnerais Versailles,

Paris et Saint-Denis,

Les tours de Notre-Dame

Et le clocher de mon pays.


Couplet 11

Les tours de Notre-Dame

Et le clocher de mon pays,

Les tours de Notre-Dame

Et le clocher de mon pays,

Et ma jolie colombe,

Pour avoir mon mari.

Translation of the lyrics into English

Here is an approximative translation into English:

Verse 1

In my father's gardens,
The lilacs are in bloom;
In my father's garden,
The lilacs are in bloom;
All the birds of the world
Come to make their nests.


Chorus

By my blonde's side,
It's so good, so good, so good.
By my blonde's side,
How good it is to sleep!


Verse 2

All the birds of the world
Come to make their nests;
All the birds in the world
Come to make their nests;
The quail, the turtle-dove
And the pretty partridge.


Verse 3

The quail, the turtle-dove
And the pretty partridge
The quail, the turtle-dove
And the pretty partridge
And my pretty dove,
Who sings day and night...


Verse 4

And my pretty dove,
Who sings day and night
And my pretty dove,
Singing day and night
She sings for the girls
Who have no husband.


Verse 5

She sings for the girls
Who have no husband.
She sings to the girls
Who have no husband.
For me hardly sings,
For I have a nice one...


Verse 6

For me hardly sings,
For I have a nice one,
For me hardly sings,
For I have a nice one,
"Tell me, pretty one,
Where is your husband?"


Verse 7

"So tell me, pretty one,
Where's your husband?"
"Tell me, girl, where's your husband?
Where is your husband?"
He's in Holland,
The Dutch have taken him.


Verse 8

He is in Holland,
The Dutch have taken him,
He's in Holland,
The Dutch have taken him.
"What would you give, pretty one,
To have your friend?"


Verse 9

What would you give, pretty one,
To have your friend?
What would you give, pretty one,
To have your friend?
I would give Versailles,
Paris and Saint-Denis.


Verse 10

I would give Versailles,
Paris and Saint-Denis,
I would give Versailles,
Paris and Saint-Denis,
The towers of Notre-Dame
And the bell tower of my country.


Verse 11

The towers of Notre-Dame
And the bell tower of my country,
The towers of Notre-Dame
And the bell tower of my country,
And my sweet dove,
To get my husband.


Download the Lyrics for FREE!

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Auprès de ma blonde © French Moments

French Nursery Rhymes

My challenge for the year 2023 is to publish 80 French Nursery Rhymes lyrics and descriptions (list below). Come back as time goes by to discover the new articles:

French Nursery Rhymes Cover by French Moments
French Nursery Rhymes
A la claire fontaine © French Moments
Ah ! dis-moi donc bergère © French Moments
Ah ! Les crocodiles © French Moments
Ah ! vous dirai-je, maman © French Moments
Ainsi font, font, font © French Moments
Alouette gentille alouette © French Moments
Au clair de la lune © French Moments
Au feu les pompiers © French Moments
Au royaume de Diguedondaine © French Moments
Auprès de ma blonde © French Moments
Aux marches du palais © French Moments
Blanc Blanc Blanc belle rose © French Moments
Bon voyage Monsieur Dumollet © French Moments
Buvons un coup ma serpette est perdue © French Moments
C'est la mère Michel © French Moments
C'était Anne de Bretagne © French Moments
Cadet Rousselle © French Moments
Car c’est un bon camarade © French Moments
Chère Élise © French Moments
Chevaliers de la table ronde © French Moments
Colchiques dans les prés © French Moments
Compagnons de la Marjolaine © French Moments
Dame Tartine © French Moments
Dans les prisons de Nantes © French Moments
Dansons la capucine © French Moments
Dodo, l'enfant do © French Moments
En passant par la Lorraine © French Moments
Fais dodo © French Moments
Fleur d’épine © French Moments
Frère Jacques © French Moments
Gentil coquelicot © French Moments
Il court, il court, le furet © French Moments
Il était un petit cordonnier © French Moments
Il était un petit navire © French Moments
Il était une bergère © French Moments
Il pleut, il pleut, bergère © French Moments
J'ai du bon tabac © French Moments
J'ai un gros nez rouge © French Moments
J'fais pipi sur le gazon © French Moments
Je te tiens par la barbichette © French Moments
Joyeux anniversaire © French Moments
La bonne aventure ô gué © French Moments
La danse des canards © French Moments
La légende de saint Nicolas © French Moments
Le bon roi Dagobert © French Moments
Le carillon de Vendôme © French Moments
Le coucou © French Moments
Le facteur n'est pas passé © French Moments
Le fermier dans son pré © French Moments
Le temps des cerises © French Moments
Le temps du muguet © French Moments
Le vieux MacDonald © French Moments
Les filles de La Rochelle © French Moments
Maman les p'tits bateaux © French Moments
Malbrough s'en va-t-en guerre © French Moments
Meunier, tu dors © French Moments
Mignonne allons voir si la rose © French Moments
Mon âne © French Moments
Mon père m'a donné un mari © French Moments
Ne pleure pas Jeannette © French Moments
Nous n'irons plus au bois © French Moments
Ô gai, vive la rose © French Moments
Passe passe passera © French Moments
Pirouette Cacahuète © French Moments
Plantons la vigne © French Moments
Pomme de reinette et pomme d'api © French Moments
Pomme, pêche, poire, abricot © French Moments
Promenons-nous dans les bois © French Moments
Savez-vous planter les choux ? © French Moments
Sur la route de Dijon © French Moments
Sur la route de Louviers © French Moments
Sur le pont d'Avignon © French Moments
Sur le pont du nord © French Moments
Tout va très bien madame la marquise © French Moments
Trois jeunes tambours © French Moments
Un éléphant ça trompe énormément © French Moments
Un kilomètre à pied © French Moments
Un, deux, trois, nous irons au bois © French Moments
Une chanson douce © French Moments
Une poule sur un mur © French Moments
Une souris verte © French Moments
V'la le bon vent © French Moments
Voici le mois de mai © French Moments
Y avait dix filles dans un pré © French Moments
About the author

Pierre is a French/Australian who is passionate about France and its culture. He grew up in France and Germany and has also lived in Australia and England. He has a background teaching French, Economics and Current Affairs, and holds a Master of Translating and Interpreting English-French with the degree of Master of International Relations, and a degree of Economics and Management. Pierre is the author of the Discovery Course on the Secrets of the Eiffel Tower and the Christmas book "Voyage au Pays de Noël".

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