Au temps jadis [first line] (AU1998-1071-006)

Dublin Core

Title

Au temps jadis [first line] (AU1998-1071-006)

Description

Excerpt from interview of Alberta Gagné (TC1998-1071-006) by Martha Pellerin. Part of a project (VFC1998-0007) on Franco-American song in New England funded by the Vermont Folklife Center and undertaken by Pellerin. Interview is one in a series of six conducted between 1995-01-09 and 1995-12-06 as an effort to document the French language song repertoire of Gagné.

“Au temps jadis” (“In the old days”) is a song which originated in France, probably in the late 1800s or more likely in the early 1900s. The cataloguer has come across only two other versions: the first is a recording by the French Pyrenees traditional music trio Eths Bandolets, titled “L’ancienne méthode,” which includes an additional verse, recorded on their 2004 CD titled Drin de tot. The other version is a somewhat more distantly related song text of the same title from the VFC1998-0007 Martha Pellerin Collection. MS2008-3095-030 Irma Labonté Songbook 1 of 1, pp. 69-72.

Abstract

In the old days, we lived as brothers, looking out for each other’s welfare; that was the old method. But it’s not the same nowadays: everyone operates only within their own socio-economic rank, you are disrespected if you are not rich, that’s the way with folks who are up to date. In the past, when you courted, it was a matter of two or three days and within eight days you got married; that was the old method. But it’s not the same nowadays: courtships go on for three or four years and often you’re wasting your time, that’s way with young folks who are up to date. In the past, when one got married, the wife promised her husband to never love another than him; that was the old method. But these days, she still promises, but her promises are worthless to him, because often she prefers her neighbor; that’s the way with women who are up to date.

Source

VFC1998-0007 Martha Pellerin Collection. TC1998-1071 interview with Alberta Gagné. Vermont Folklife Center Archive, Vermont Folklife Center, Middlebury, Vermont, United States of America.

Date

1995-07-10

Rights

Copyright (c) Vermont Folklife Center

Relation

Full Interview: vfc1998-0005_tc1998-1071

Language

fra

Identifier

vfc1998-0007_tc1998-1071-007

Song Item Type Metadata

Supplied Title

Au temps jedis (first line)

First Line

Au temps jedis on vivait comme des frexes on se regardait

Transcription

(BEGIN SINGING)

Au temps jadis on vivait comme des frères, on se regardait,

Et tour à tour on s'entraidait, c'était l'ancienne méthode.

Mais ce n'est plus la même chose à présent.

Tous chacun se tient bien dans son rang,

On est mal vu quand on n'a pas d'argent,

Voilà les gens à la mode.

 

Autrefois quand on s'faisait la cour,

On s'entretenait deux ou trois jours,

Et on était marié sur huit jours,

C'était l'ancienne méthode.

Mais ce n'est plus la même chose à présent,

On se fréquente deux, trois ou quatre ans,

Et bien souvent on perd son temps,

Voilà les jeunes gens à la mode.

 

Autrefois quand on s'mariait,

A son mari la femme promettait,

Que jamais autre que lui elle aimerait,

C'était l'ancienne méthode.

Mais aujourd'hui elle lui promet bien,

Mais ses promesses ne lui servent à rien,

Car bien souvent elle aime mieux son voisin,

Voilà les femmes à la mode.


(END SINGING)

 

Translation

strophic, eight-line verses, three verses

Interviewer

Pellerin, Martha

Original Format

sound cassette (analog)

Files

vfc1998-0007_tc1998-1071-001a_007.mp3

Citation

“Au temps jadis [first line] (AU1998-1071-006),” Vermont Folklife Center Digital Collections, accessed December 27, 2024, https://vtfolklifearchive.org/collections/items/show/292.

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