J'ai bientôt seize ans [first line] (AU1998-1075-003)
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“J'ai bientôt seize ans” (“I will soon be sixteen”) is more commonly known as “Y’a des loups” (“There are Wolves”), a French pop song with lyrics by Suzanne Quentin and melody by René de Buxeuil, first published as sheet music in Paris by E. Lacroix in 1923.
René de Buxeuil is a pseudonym for Jean-Baptiste Chevrier (1881- 1959), a popular French composer, songwriter, and singer in the first half of the 20th century. Suzanne-Marguerite Quintin (1882-1969) was a poet and song lyricist who co-authored more than two thousand songs. The two collaborated on a number of pop songs in the 1920s and de Buxeuil made a 78rpm recording of it shortly after the song’s publication.
Across the Atlantic, the Montreal commercial recording industry lost no time coming out with a Canadian cover of the song. In 1924, lyric baritone Charles-Émile Brodeur recorded “Y’a des loups” on the Starr/Gennett label (issue #15177, side A); four years later Georges Beauchemin (1891-1957) recorded this song under the title “Y-a des loups” for Victor Talking Machine Co of Canada, (issue # 2635210, side A). You can hear Brodeur’s recording on the Library and Archives Canada website, The Virtual Gramophone:
https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/virtual-gramophone/Pages/Item.aspx?idNumber=937693383
In addition, sheet music for the song was published in the first issue of Canada qui chante (January 1927), a magazine promoting hit songs and popular singers of the day which was published in Montreal by Almer Perrault J. and Hervé Germain between 1927 and 1930.
Alberta Gagné’s version is missing the third verse in which the rich suitor marries Muguette and, having settled into a life of luxury in Paris, finds himself a little concerned about Muguette’s enthusiasm for going out dancing, and reminds her of her grandmother’s warning.
Alberta Gagné’s version is also missing the fifth line of the first verse; this may explain why she falters there and re-starts the song, only to falter once again before moving on.
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[BEGIN SINGING]
« J'ai bientôt seize ans, » disait Muguette,
« Je voudrais grand-mère, être coquette,
Laissez-moi, sans gronder,
Me pomponner, me friser.
Chaque soir, je vais dans les coins sombres,
Des couples glisser comme des ombres,
Ils s'en vont joyeux,
Tendrement, les yeux dans les yeux,
Oh ! que je voudrais faire comme eux ! »
Mais grand-maman grognon, tout en ajustant ses lorgnons.
Me dit « C’est dangereux de se promener quand on est deux, »
[Refrain] :
Y’ a des loups, Muguette, y’ a des loups,
Des loups qui te guettent, qui font : Hou, hou, hou !
Y’ a des loups, Muguette, y a des loups,
Quand on est coquette, y a des loups partout, Hou, hou, hou, hou ! Hou, hou, hou, hou !
Muguette, prends bien garde aux loups, hou, hou. »
Après cela, la jolie Muguette,
Pour arriver à faire sa coquette,
Le fils au château,
L'amène un jour dans son auto.
Lui offrit des fleurs et des cadeaux.
« Si tu veux,” dit-il, “je t'enIève,
A Paris, nous vivrons un beau rêve,
Je saurais t'aimer,
Comme les autres te parer,
Tout-es les hommes voudront t'adorer. »
Mais Muguette répondit, « Je ne suivrai que mon mari.
Je vous aime bien pourtant mais comme me l’a dit grand-maman :
Refrain
[END SINGING]
Translation
There are wolves, Muguette, there’s wolves;
Wolves who are on the prowl for you, who go: Ooooooooooooo!
There are wolves, Muguette, there’s wolves;
When you are a flirt, there are wolves everywhere, Oooooo, oooooo,
Muguette, watch out for wolves, Oooooooooo.
strophic; two verses, one refrain.
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Position: 1255 (437 views)