Avril près de finir
This song is from the Vivarais region. People sing it when they go from house to house asking for eggs in May.
Avril près de finir
April, Almost Over
Chanson de mai
May Song
(French)
(English)
Avril près de finir n'a pas besoin d'escorte.
Nous sommes tous venus frapper à votre porte
Le mois de mai va commencer
Et nous venons vous l'annoncer.
Refrain
En chantant ce joli mois de mai
Ses fleurs et sa rosé-e,
En chantant ce joli mois de mai
Qui vient et nous réveille.
Nous avons "caminé"* tout au clair de la lune,
Une douzaine d'œufs ferait notre fortune.
Apportez-nous la collation
Sans oublier le saucisson.
(Refrain)
Fillettes qui dormez, réveillez-vous contentes,
Vous pourrez écouter vos doux amis qui chantent.
Si vous voulez vous "marider"*,
Ils sont là pour vous épouser.
(Refrain)
April, almost over, doesn't need an escort.
We've all come to knock at your door.
The month of May will soon begin,
We come to announce this to you.
(Chorus)
Singing this pretty month of May,
Its flowers and its dew,
Singing this pretty month of May
That comes and wakes us up.
We have walked under the moonlight,
A dozen eggs would make our fortune.
Bring us a light meal
Without forgetting the dried sausage.
(Chorus)
Young girls who sleep, wake up happy,
You'll be able to hear your sweethearts sing.
If you want to get married,
They're here to marry you.
(Chorus)
Notes
*These two words, caminé and marider, are gallicized Occitan words. There's an "all French" version that goes "Nous somm's venus ici tout au clair de la lune" (We've come here under the moonlight) and where they use the proper French verb "marier".
Thanks and Acknowledgements
Translated by Monique Palomares and Lisa Yannucci.
