Il était un petit cordonnier is a traditional French song that is said to have originated in Anjou.
About the cordonnier
Do you know the origin of the words cordonnier and cobbler? Oh, it's very simple.
They come from the city of Cordoba in Spain. There, they used to make a very famous leather, the cordovan. So, Cordoba, cordovan.. which led to cobbler in English and cordonnier in French!
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Il était un petit cordonnier
Lyrics, music, free download... let's learn more about the popular song:
The lyrics in French
The original song of Il était un petit cordonnier has 5 verses.
We have decided to restrict the song to the first three verses as we feel that the last two verses are not suitable for a young audience.
Couplet 1
Il était un petit cordonnier (bis)
Qui faisait fort bien les souliers. (bis)
Il les faisait si juste,
Qu'il n'y'avait rien de plus juste.
Il les faisait tout drets, pas plus qu'il n'en fallait.
Couplet 2
Quand à la ville il s'en allait (bis)
Son petit cuir il achetait. (bis)
Il l'achetait si juste,
Qu'il n'y'avait rien de plus juste.
Il l'achetait tout dret, pas plus qu'il n'en fallait.
Couplet 3
Puis il allait au cabaret (bis)
Sa petite goutte il buvait. (bis)
Il la buvait si juste,
Qu'il n'y'avait rien de plus juste.
Il la buvait tout dret, pas plus qu'il n'en fallait.
"Dret" is a slang word meaning something (or someone) that is straight, upright, perpendicular, or on the right side. It derives from "droit".
Translation of the lyrics into English
Here is an approximative translation into English:
Verse 1
There was a little shoemaker (bis)
Who made shoes very well. (bis)
He made them so right,
That there was nothing more just.
He made them so right,
No more than he needed.
Verse 2
When he went to town (bis)
His little leather he bought ( bis)
He bought it so right,
That there was nothing more just.
He bought it so right,
No more than he needed.
Verse 3
Then he went to the cabaret (bis)
His little drop he drank ( bis)
He drank it so right,
That there was nothing more just.
He drank it so right,
No more than he needed.
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