Le chignon de ma sœur [first line] (AU1998-1072-004)
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“Le chignon de ma sœur” (”My sister’s hair-do “) is a 1924 satirical song with words by Albéric Bourgeois, with poetical references to and melody borrowed from the 1879 comical song “Les pieds de ma sœur” (lyrics by Gaston Villemer and Lucien Delormel; melody by Charles Pourny).
“Les pieds de ma sœur” was a popular success in the late 1800s on the Paris music hall stage and the song went through a number of printings. “Les pieds de ma soeur” apparently enjoyed some success in Quebec. In 1930, singer, songwriter, actor, concert impresario, and jack-of-all-trades Conrad Gauthier (1885-1964) recorded it on the Victor label (issue #263756, side A) and included it in his songbook 40 autres chansons d'autrefois : (mélodie et paroles) : deuxième série (Montréal: Ed. Archambault inc. [several editions between 1930 et 1947]).
Gauthier was at various times a director of silent movies, a journalist, an accountant, and a municipal officer, but it was as a singer, songwriter, and actor that he made his name in Canada and the United States. In the 1920s, Gauthier was a pioneer in radio and in the recording of Quebec folk music, making 78s of more than 100 songs and monologues for the Victor and Columbia labels. He also was a concert impresario, founder and lead vocalist at the immensely popular Veillées du bon vieux temps, a Montreal musical theatre show featuring skits, songs, dances, and monologues evoking rural Quebec traditions, music, and dances. Gauthier founded the Veillées in 1921 and produced them until 1941 at the Monument national theatre in Montreal.
By contrast, Albéric Bourgeois’s spoof setting of the Villemer/Delormel song became a widespread hit song in Quebec in the 1920s and early 1930s. Bourgeois, a well-known Montreal cartoonist, political satirist, and playwright, penned a new set of lyrics poking fun at the vogue of women “bobbing” their hair, which swept the western world during the “flapper” era of the 1920s. Charles Marchand introduced it to the Montreal music hall stage in 1924. The earliest known printing of this song, (“Nos bonnes chansons : L’chignon d’ma soeur et Le pont d’Longueuil par Albéric Bourgeois, créées par Charles Marchand au Théâtre Saint-Denis, Montréal“ [Montréal, Le Carillon, 1924]), references Marchand’s performance of it at Montreal’s Saint-Denis Theater.
Charles Marchand (1890-1930) was raised in Montreal and settled in Hull in 1910 to begin a career as a civil servant. He was, however, passionately interested in singing and after a number of years of voice training, his successful debut performance in Hull landed him a number of additional engagements. He took his repertory to Montreal in 1919, where he was captivated by American soprano Lorraine Wyman’s performance traditional folk songs at the Veillées du bon vieux temps, a series of concerts organized by folklorist Marius Barbeau at the Saint-Sulpice Library. Marchand decided to abandon his civil service career and focus on developing a stage and recording career as a singer of traditional and original “folksy” songs. He founded a vocal quartet, Le Carillon canadien, as well as a publication series by the same name, in order to promote his performances. Marchand toured widely in Quebec, Ontario, and Franco-American New England before his sudden death in 1930.
“Le chignon de ma sœur“ appears to have been one of Marchand’s signature songs. He recorded it on the Starr/Compo label in 1925 (issue #15198, matrix #1691, side A) and newspapers from various parts of Quebec mention his performance of it during his concert tours.
After singing ”Elle s'était fait couper les cheveux” (AU1998-1072-003) for Martha Pellerin, Alberta Gagné went on to further relate her experience of getting her hair bobbed while visiting her in-laws in Quebec as a newlywed. She mentions that this is one of several songs which she learned her Quebec cousins during family visits. They would sing the song and she would notate the lyrics. Her version of this song is very faithful to the Bourgeois original printing and the Pourny melody, with one missing verse.
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(BEGIN SINGING)
On a chanté nos poires nationales,
On a chanté l'fromag’ traditionnel.
On a chanté les enquêtes royales,
Les p’tits navets, les charm’s d'Cécil' Sorel,
On a chanté l'esprit du prince de Galles ;
Et moi, ce soir, vous voyant d’bonne humeur,
J'vas vous chanter, j'va vous chanter, l'chignon d'ma sœur.
Chignon d'ma sœur, que le ciel lui pardonne,
Par la tondeuse un bon jour fut fauché,
Afin d's'offrir une coupe à la garçonne,
Les cheveux d'or, chez l’coiffeur, ont tombé.
Ça n'ôte rien au charm’ de sa personne,
Mais je me dis : Oh cachez ça, Seigneur,
Chaque fois que j'vois, chaque fois que j'vois, l'chignon d'ma sœur.
Ma soeur est chic et d'élégant' tournure,
Les yeux sont noirs et son nez retroussé,
Son teint vermeil (c'est vrai c'est d’la peinture),
Mais c'est si frais que nul n'ose s’y frotter.
De Cendrillon, ell’ porte la chaussure,
Mais je m'écrie : « Mon doux ! C'est donc d'valeur, »
Chaque fois que j'vois, chaque fois que j'vois, l’chignon d'ma sœur.
Les cheveux d'ma sœur sont d'un blond marmelade,
Et la voix douc’ comme un soir de printemps.
Sa bouche est rose (elle tient de ça d’sa pommade),
Ma soeur se pay' c'qu'y a d'mieux en fait d'dents.
Mais son chignon, ô quell’ rape à muscade,
L’bourreau lui-même en verserait des pleurs,
S'il rencontrait, s'il rencontrait, l’chignon d'ma sœur.
Mais, ciel ! Que vois-je ? Aurais-je la berlue ?
L'chignon d'ma sœur, aurait-il fait des p'tits ?
Un peu partout, au théâtre, sur la rue,
Dans les tramways, au Ritz et même ici.
Le même chignon vient s'offrir à ma vue.
De grac’, mesdames, pardonnez mon erreur.
Je vois partout, je vois partout, l’chignon d'ma sœur.
(END SINGING)
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