Marche Henri IV

Vive Henri IV

"Marche Henri IV", alternatively "Vive Henri IV" or "Vive le roi Henri", is a popular French song celebrating King Henry IV of France (also known as Le Bon Roi Henri, "Good King Henry"). The melody comes from Thoinot Arbeau's work Orchesographie; it is the Branle Couppé "Cassandre", while the lyrics were written for a comedy opera in 1770.[1] At later dates, more lyrics were added to the song.[2] The song refers to the first Bourbon King of France, Henry IV (Henry III of Navarre), who had ended the Wars of Religion and restored peace to France (hence his sobriquet). Additional lyrics supporting either the Revolutionary or Restorationist causes were sung during the course of the French Revolution.

Lyrics

French lyricsLiteral English translation

Vive Henri quatre
Vive ce Roi vaillant
Ce diable à quatre
A le triple talent:
De boire et de battre,
Et d'être un vert galant.
De boire et de battre,
Et d'être un vert galant.

Long live Henry IV
Long live this valiant king
This fourfold devil
Of three talents:
Of drinking, fighting
And womanising.
Of drinking, fighting
And womanising.

Au diable guerres,
Rancunes et partis !
Comme nos pères
Chantons en vrais amis,
Au choc des verres,
Les roses et les lys.
Au choc des verres,
Les roses et les lys.

To hell with wars,
Grudges and partisanship!
Like our fathers
Let us sing as true friends,
Clink the glasses,
The roses and the lilies.
Clink the glasses,
The roses and the lilies.

Chantons l'antienne
Qu'on chantera dans mille ans ;
Que Dieu maintienne
En paix ses descendants
Jusqu'à ce qu'on prenne,
La Lune avec les dents.
Jusqu'à ce qu'on prenne,
La Lune avec les dents.

Let us sing the refrain
That we will sing in a thousand years:
May God maintain
His descendants in peace
Until we take the moon
With our teeth.[3]
Until we take the moon
With our teeth.

Vive la France!
Vive le roi Henri!
Qu'à Reims on danse
En disant comme Paris:
Vive la France!
Vive le roi Henri!
Vive la France!
Vive le roi Henri!

Long live France!
Long live king Henry!
To Reims we dance
Singing as they do in Paris:
Long live France!
Long live king Henry!
Long live France!
Long live king Henry!

In other works

See also

References

  1. "Vive Henri IV!", accessed 2017-12-10, http://www.henri-iv.culture.fr/medias/en/pdf/0/756_10.pdf
  2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4h5M78YVN8M
  3. i.e. achieve the impossible
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