Biron
This song goes back to the early 1600's. It commemorates Charles de Gontaut, Duke of Biron and Marshal of France. He was sentenced to death and executed in 1602 for plotting with the King of Spain against his old friend, Henry IV, King of France. The tune is from a 16th century carol called, "Joseph est bien marié".
Biron
Biron
Chanson à accumulation
Cumulative Song
(French)
(English)
Quand Biron voulut danser,
Quand Biron voulut danser,
Ses souliers fit apporter,
Ses souliers fit apporter,
Ses souliers tout ronds
"Vous danserez Biron !"
Quand Biron voulut danser,
Quand Biron voulut danser,
Sa perruque fit apporter,
Sa perruque fit apporter,
Sa perruque à la turque
Ses souliers tout ronds
"Vous danserez Biron !"
Quand Biron voulut danser,
Quand Biron voulut danser,
Son habit fit apporter,
Son habit fit apporter,
Son habit de petit-gris,
Sa perruque à la turque,
Ses souliers tout ronds
"Vous danserez Biron !"
Quand Biron voulut danser,
Quand Biron voulut danser,
Ses jarretières fit apporter,
Ses jarretières fit apporter,
Ses jarretières de lisière,
Son habit de petit-gris,
Sa perruque à la turque,
Ses souliers tout ronds
"Vous danserez Biron !"
Quand Biron voulut danser,
Quand Biron voulut danser,
Sa chemise fit apporter,
Sa chemise fit apporter,
Sa chemise de Venise,
Ses jarretières de lisière,
Son habit de petit-gris,
Sa perruque à la turque,
Ses souliers tout ronds
"Vous danserez Biron !"
Quand Biron voulut danser,
Quand Biron voulut danser,
Ses beaux bas fit apporter,
Ses beaux bas fit apporter,
Ses beaux bas d' fil de soie,
Sa chemise de Venise,
Ses jarretières de lisière,
Son habit de petit-gris,
Sa perruque à la turque,
Ses souliers tout ronds
"Vous danserez Biron !"
Quand Biron voulut danser,
Quand Biron voulut danser,
Sa veste fit apporter
Sa veste fit apporter
Sa belle veste à paillettes,
Ses beaux bas d' fil de soie,
Sa chemise de Venise,
Ses jarretières de lisière,
Son habit de petit-gris,
Sa perruque à la turque,
Ses souliers tout ronds
"Vous danserez Biron !"
Quand Biron voulut danser,
Quand Biron voulut danser,
Sa culotte fit apporter
Sa culotte fit apporter
Sa culotte à la mode,
Sa belle veste à paillettes,
Ses beaux bas d' fil de soie,
Sa chemise de Venise,
Ses jarretières de lisière,
Son habit de petit-gris,
Sa perruque à la turque,
Ses souliers tout ronds
"Vous danserez Biron !"
Quand Biron voulut danser,
Quand Biron voulut danser,
Ses manchettes fit apporter
Ses manchettes fit apporter
Ses manchettes fort bien faites,
Sa culotte à la mode,
Sa belle veste à paillettes,
Ses beaux bas d' fil de soie,
Sa chemise de Venise,
Ses jarretières de lisière,
Son habit de petit-gris,
Sa perruque à la turque,
Ses souliers tout ronds
"Vous danserez Biron !"
Quand Biron voulut danser,
Quand Biron voulut danser,
Son chapeau fit apporter
Son chapeau fit apporter,
Son chapeau en clabaud,
Ses manchettes fort bien faites,
Sa culotte à la mode,
Sa belle veste à paillette,
Ses beaux bas d' fil de soie,
Sa chemise de Venise,
Ses jarretières de lisière,
Son habit de petit-gris,
Sa perruque à la turque,
Ses souliers tout ronds
"Vous danserez Biron !"
Quand Biron voulut danser,
Quand Biron voulut danser,
Son pourpoint fit apporter
Son pourpoint fit apporter,
Son pourpoint fait au point,
Son chapeau en clabaud,
Ses manchettes fort bien faites,
Sa culotte à la mode,
Sa belle veste à paillettes,
Ses beaux bas d' fil de soie,
Sa chemise de Venise,
Ses jarretières de lisière,
Son habit de petit-gris,
Sa perruque à la turque,
Ses souliers tout ronds
"Vous danserez Biron !"
Quand Biron voulut danser,
Quand Biron voulut danser,
Son épée fit apporter,
Son épée fit apporter
Son épée affilée,
Son pourpoint fait au point,
Son chapeau en clabaud,
Ses manchettes fort bien faites,
Sa culotte à la mode,
Sa belle veste à paillettes,
Ses beaux bas d' fil de soie,
Sa chemise de Venise,
Ses jarretières de lisière,
Son habit de petit-gris,
Sa perruque à la turque,
Ses souliers tout ronds
"Vous danserez Biron !"
Quand Biron voulut danser,
Quand Biron voulut danser,
Son violon fit apporter,
Son violon fit apporter
Son violon, son basson,
Son épée affilée,
Son pourpoint fait au point,
Son chapeau en clabaud,
Ses manchettes fort bien faites,
Sa culotte à la mode,
Sa belle veste à paillettes,
Ses beaux bas d' fil de soie,
Sa chemise de Venise,
Ses jarretières de lisière,
Son habit de petit-gris,
Sa perruque à la turque,
Ses souliers tout ronds
"Vous danserez Biron !"
When Biron wanted to dance,
When Biron wanted to dance,
He had his shoes brought,
He had his shoes brought,
His very round shoes,
"You will dance, Biron!"
When Biron wanted to dance,
When Biron wanted to dance,
He had his wig brought,
He had his wig brought,
His wig in the Turkish style,
His very round shoes,
"You will dance, Biron!"
When Biron wanted to dance,
When Biron wanted to dance,
He had his coat brought,
He had his coat brought,
His squirrel fur-coat,
His wig in the Turkish style,
His very round shoes,
"You will dance, Biron!"
When Biron wanted to dance,
When Biron wanted to dance,
He had his garters brought,
He had his garters brought,
His hemmed garters,
His squirrel fur-coat,
His wig in the Turkish style,
His very round shoes,
"You will dance, Biron!"
When Biron wanted to dance,
When Biron wanted to dance,
He had his shirt brought,
He had his shirt brought,
His Venetian shirt,
His hemmed garters,
His squirrel fur-coat,
His wig in the Turkish style,
His very round shoes,
"You will dance, Biron!"
When Biron wanted to dance,
When Biron wanted to dance,
He had his fine stockings brought,
He had his fine stockings brought,
His fine silk-yarn stockings,
His Venetian shirt,
His hemmed garters,
His squirrel fur-coat,
His wig in the Turkish style,
His very round shoes,
"You will dance, Biron!"
When Biron wanted to dance,
When Biron wanted to dance,
He had his jacket brought
He had his jacket brought
His beautiful, spangled jacket,
His fine silk-yarn stockings,
His Venetian shirt,
His hemmed garters,
His squirrel fur-coat,
His wig in the Turkish style,
His very round shoes,
"You will dance, Biron!"
When Biron wanted to dance,
When Biron wanted to dance,
He had his breeches* brought
He had his breeches brought
His chic, breeches,
His beautiful, spangled jacket,
His fine silk-yarn stockings,
His Venetian shirt,
His hemmed garters,
His squirrel fur-coat,
His wig in the Turkish style,
His very round shoes,
"You will dance, Biron!"
When Biron wanted to dance,
When Biron wanted to dance,
He had his cuffs brought,
He had his cuffs brought,
His very well-made cuffs,
His chic, breeches,
His beautiful, spangled jacket,
His fine silk-yarn stockings,
His Venetian shirt,
His hemmed garters,
His squirrel fur-coat,
His wig in the Turkish style,
His very round shoes,
"You will dance, Biron!"
When Biron wanted to dance,
When Biron wanted to dance,
He had his hat brought
He had his hat brought,
His droopy hat,
His very well-made cuffs,
His chic, breeches,
His beautiful, spangled jacket,
His fine silk-yarn stockings,
His Venetian shirt,
His hemmed garters,
His squirrel fur-coat,
His wig in the Turkish style,
His very round shoes,
"You will dance, Biron!"
When Biron wanted to dance,
When Biron wanted to dance,
He had his doublet brought
He had his doublet brought,
His stitch sewn doublet,
His droopy hat,
His very well-made cuffs,
His chic, breeches,
His beautiful, spangled jacket,
His fine silk-yarn stockings,
His Venetian shirt,
His hemmed garters,
His squirrel fur-coat,
His wig in the Turkish style,
His very round shoes,
"You will dance, Biron!"
When Biron wanted to dance,
When Biron wanted to dance,
He had his sword brought,
He had his sword brought,
His sharp sword,
His stitch sewn doublet,
His droopy hat,
His very well-made cuffs,
His chic, breeches,
His beautiful, spangled jacket,
His fine silk-yarn stockings,
His Venetian shirt,
His hemmed garters,
His squirrel fur-coat,
His wig in the Turkish style,
His very round shoes,
"You will dance, Biron!"
When Biron wanted to dance,
When Biron wanted to dance,
He had his violin brought,
He had his violin brought,
His violin, his bassoon,
His sharp sword,
His stitch sewn doublet,
His droopy hat,
His very well-made cuffs,
His chic, breeches,
His beautiful, spangled jacket,
His fine silk-yarn stockings,
His Venetian shirt,
His hemmed garters,
His squirrel fur-coat,
His wig in the Turkish style,
His very round shoes,
"You will dance, Biron!"
Notes
*Breeches are short trousers that end just below the knee. They were worn by men until the early 1800's.
Re. the line, "Ses jarretières de lisière" - literally means "His garters made of selvage- a self-finished edge of fabric that keeps the fabric from unraveling or fraying.
In this recording you can hear the 1st through 6th verses sung and then the last verse.
MP3: Monique Palomares
Quand Biron voulut danser,
Quand Biron voulut danser,
Son veston fit apporter,
Son veston fit apporter,
Son veston un peu long,
Sa perruque à la turque,
Ses bretelles en dentelle,
Ses culottes rouge carotte,
Ses souliers de papier,
Son accordéon,
"Vous danserez, Biron !"
English Translation
When Biron wanted to dance,
When Biron wanted to dance,
He had is jacket brought,
His jacket a little long,
His wig in the Turkish style,
His suspenders made of lace,
His carrot-red breeches,
His paper shoes,
His accordion,
"You will dance, Biron!"
Thanks!
Thanks and Acknowledgements
Many thanks to Monique Palomares for contributing and translating this song (with Lisa), the comments, the midi, the sheet music and the mp3 recording.
Merci beaucoup !
