Alouette (song)

Alouette is a popular children's song about plucking a skylark, a kind of small bird. It originated with the French Canadian fur trade. Although it is in French, it is well known among speakers of other languages; in this way it is similar to Frère Jacques. Many American doughboys learned the song while serving in France during World War I and brought it home with them.

The songs of the French fur trade were adapted to accompany the motion of paddles dipped in unison. Singing helped to pass the time and made the work seem lighter. In fact, it is likely that the Montreal Agents and Wintering Partners sought out and preferred to hire voyageurs who liked to sing and were good at it. They believed that singing helped the voyageurs to paddle faster and longer. Alouette informs the lark that the singer will pluck its head, nose, eyes and wings and tail. En roulant ma boule sings of ponds, bonnie ducks and a prince on hunting bound. Many of the songs favored by the voyageurs have been passed down to our own era. The French ate skylarks, which they considered a game bird. The song originated in France.

It was parodied by Allan Sherman as Al and Yetta, which is about an older couple watching television according to a strict routine.

A modified version of the song, referring to "lightning (fast) French alopecia, from the song of the same name", appears in Call of the West, an episode of The Goon Show, sung by Hercules Grytpype-Thynne and Count Jim Moriarty.

In cartoons, Pepé Le Pew and Loopy de Loop sing or hum the tune.

Structure

Alouette usually involves audience participation, with the audience echoing every line of each verse after the verse's second line. It is a cumulative song, with each verse is built on top of the previous verses, much like the English carol The Twelve Days of Christmas.

Lyrics

Alouette, gentille Alouette

Skylark, nice skylark

Alouette, je te plumerai

Skylark, I shall pluck you

Je te plumerai la tête

I shall pluck your head

(Je te plumerai la tête)

(I shall pluck your head)

Et la tête

And your head

(Et la tête)

(And your head)

Alouette

Skylark

(Alouette)

(Skylark)

O-o-o-oh

Alouette, gentille Alouette

Alouette, je te plumerai

Je te plumerai le bec

I shall pluck your beak

(Je te plumerai le bec)

Et le bec

(Et le bec)

Et la tête

(Et la tête)

Alouette

(Alouette)

O-o-o-oh

The song continues in this fashion, with the italicized phrase (a part of the bird) in each verse being substituted with a new one, with the previous items being recited at the end:

• Et le cou

And your neck

• Et le dos

And your back

• Et les ailes

And your wings

• Et les pattes

And your feet

See also

• Montreal Alouettes
• Skylark