Ça Ira
"Ah ! ça ira" (French: "Oh, it'll be fine") is an emblematic song of the French Revolution, first heard in May 1790. It underwent several changes in wording, all of which used the title words as part of the refrain.
Original version
The author of the original words "Ah ! ça ira, ça ira, ça ira", Ladré, was a former soldier who made a living as street singer.
The music is a popular contredanse air called le Carillon national, and was composed by Bécourt, a violinist (according to other sources: side drum player) of the théâtre Beaujolais. The queen Marie Antoinette herself is said to have often played the music on her harpsichord.
The title and theme of the refrain were inspired by Benjamin Franklin, in France as a representative of the Continental Congress, and who was very popular among the French people. When asked about the American Revolutionary War, he would always reply, in somewhat broken French, "Ça ira, ça ira" ("It'll be fine").
The song became popular during the "journée des brouettes" ("Wheelbarrow Day") which preceded the Fête de la Fédération.
| Ah, ça ira ! | |
| Ah ! ça ira, ça ira, ça ira | Ah ! It'll be fine, It'll be fine, It'll be fine |
| Le peuple en ce jour sans cesse répète, | The people on this day repeat over and over, |
| Ah ! ça ira, ça ira, ça ira | Ah ! It'll be fine, It'll be fine, It'll be fine |
| Malgré les mutins tout réussira. | In spite of the mutineers everything shall succeed. |
| Nos ennemis confus en restent là | Our enemies, confounded, stay petrified |
| Et nous allons chanter « Alléluia ! » | And we shall sing Alleluia |
| Ah ! ça ira, ça ira, ça ira | Ah ! It'll be fine, It'll be fine, It'll be fine |
| Quand Boileau jadis du clergé parla | When Boileau in the past spoke about the clergy |
| Comme un prophète il a prédit cela. | Like a prophet he predicted this. |
| En chantant ma chansonnette | By singing my little song |
| Avec plaisir on dira : | With pleasure, people shall say, |
| Ah ! ça ira, ça ira, ça ira | Ah ! It'll be fine, It'll be fine, It'll be fine |
| Suivant les maximes de l’évangile | According to the precepts of the Gospel |
| Du législateur tout s’accomplira. | Of the lawmaker everything shall be accomplished |
| Celui qui s’élève on l’abaissera | The one who is elevated shall be brought down |
| Celui qui s’abaisse on l’élèvera. | The one who is brought down shall be elevated |
| Le vrai catéchisme nous instruira | The true catechism shall instruct us |
| Et l’affreux fanatisme s’éteindra. | And the awful fanaticism shall wither away |
| Pour être à la loi docile | At being obedient to Law |
| Tout Français s’exercera. | Every Frenchman shall train |
| Ah ! ça ira, ça ira, ça ira | Ah ! It'll be fine, It'll be fine, It'll be fine |
| Pierrette et Margot chantent la guinguette | Pierrette and Margot sing the guinguette |
| Réjouissons-nous, le bon temps viendra ! | Let us rejoice, good times will come ! |
| Le peuple français jadis à quia, | The French people used to have nothing to say |
| L’aristocrate dit : « Mea culpa ! » | The aristocrat say Mea culpa! |
| Le clergé regrette le bien qu'il a, | The clergy regrets its wealth, |
| Par justice, la nation l’aura. | By justice, the Nation shall have it. |
| Par le prudent Lafayette, | Thanks to the careful Lafayette, |
| Tout le monde s'apaisera. | Everyone shall be appeased. |
| Ah ! ça ira, ça ira, ça ira | Ah! It'll be fine, It'll be fine, It'll be fine |
| Par les flambeaux de l’auguste assemblée, | By the torches of the August assembly, |
| Ah ! ça ira, ça ira, ça ira | Ah ! It'll be fine, It'll be fine, It'll be fine |
| Le peuple armé toujours se gardera. | The armed people always shall guard themselves. |
| Le vrai d'avec le faux l’on connaîtra, | Right shall be told from wrong, |
| Le citoyen pour le bien soutiendra. | The citizen shall fight for Good. |
| Ah ! ça ira, ça ira, ça ira | Ah ! It'll be fine, It'll be fine, It'll be fine |
| Quand l’aristocrate protestera, | When the aristocrat shall protest, |
| Le bon citoyen au nez lui rira, | The good citizen will laugh at him, |
| Sans avoir l’âme troublée, | Without troubling his soul, |
| Toujours le plus fort sera. | Always the strongest shall be. |
| Petits comme grands sont soldats dans l’âme, | Small ones and great ones all have the soul of a soldier, |
| Pendant la guerre aucun ne trahira. | During war none shall treason. |
| Avec cœur tout bon Français combattra, | WIth heart all good French shall fight, |
| S’il voit du louche, hardiment parlera. | If he sees something fishy he shall speak with courage. |
| Lafayette dit : « Vienne qui voudra ! » | Lafayette says "come if you will!" |
| Sans craindre ni feu, ni flamme, | Without fear for fire or flame, |
| Le Français toujours vaincra ! | The French always shall win! |
Sans-culotte version
At later stages of the revolution, many sans-culottes used several much more aggressive stanzas, calling for the lynching of the nobility and the clergy.
| Ah, ça ira ! | |
| Ah! ça ira, ça ira, ça ira | Ah! It'll be fine, It'll be fine, It'll be fine |
| les aristocrates à la lanterne! | aristocrats to the lamp-post |
| Ah! ça ira, ça ira, ça ira | Ah! It'll be fine, It'll be fine, It'll be fine |
| les aristocrates on les pendra! | the aristocrats, we'll hang them! |
| Si on n’ les pend pas | If we don't hang them |
| On les rompra | We'll break them |
| Si on n’ les rompt pas | If we don't break them |
| On les brûlera. | We'll burn them |
| Ah! ça ira, ça ira, ça ira | Ah! It'll be fine, It'll be fine, It'll be fine |
| les aristocrates à la lanterne! | aristocrats to the lamp-post |
| Ah! ça ira, ça ira, ça ira | Ah! It'll be fine, It'll be fine, It'll be fine |
| les aristocrates on les pendra! | the aristocrats, we'll hang them! |
| Nous n’avions plus ni nobles, ni prêtres, | We have no more nobles nor priests |
| Ah ! ça ira, ça ira, ça ira, | Ah! It'll be fine, It'll be fine, It'll be fine |
| L’égalité partout régnera. | Equality will reign everywhere |
| L’esclave autrichien le suivra, | The Austrian slave shall follow him |
| Ah ! ça ira, ça ira, ça ira, | Ah! It'll be fine, It'll be fine, It'll be fine |
| Et leur infernale clique | And their infernal clique |
| Au diable s’envolera. | Shall go to hell |
| Ah! ça ira, ça ira, ça ira | Ah! It'll be fine, It'll be fine, It'll be fine |
| les aristocrates à la lanterne! | aristocrats to the lamp-post |
| Ah! ça ira, ça ira, ça ira | Ah! It'll be fine, It'll be fine, It'll be fine |
| les aristocrates on les pendra! | the aristocrats, we'll hang them! |
| Et quand on les aura tous pendus | And when we'll have hung them all |
| On leur fichera la pelle au cul | We'll stuff a spade up their arse |
Further develoments
The song survived past the Reign of Terror, and during the Directory it became mandatory to sing it before shows. It was forbidden under the Consulate.
Trivia
- The ship of the line La Couronne was renamed Ça Ira in 1792 in reference to this song.
- An alternate "sans-culotte"-like version was sung by Edith Piaf for the soundtrack of the film Si Versailles m'était conté, by Sacha Guitry.
- The song is also sung in the Richard E. Grant film The Scarlet Pimpernel where the lyrics are sung as:
Ah Ça Ira Ça Ira Ça Ira Over in France there's a revolution Ah Ça Ira Ça Ira Ça Ira Watch what you say or you'll lose your head Ah Ça Ira Ça Ira Ça Ira Pass some time, see an execution! Ah Ça Ira Ça Ira Ça Ira Une deux trois and you fall down dead Ah Ça Ira Ça Ira Ça Ira Hear the tale of Marie Antoinette-a! Ah Ça Ira Ça Ira Ça Ira A bloodier sight you have never seen!
- Used as the Quick March of the 14th Regiment of Foot, The West Yorkshire Regiment. At the Battle of Famars, the 14th attacked the French to the music of Ça Ira; the regiment was later awarded the tune as a battle honour and regimental quick march. It has since been adopted by the Yorkshire Regiment.
External links
- Ça ira (1954) - Edith Piaf
- (mp3) Original version