C’est notre grand-père Noé [first line] (AU1998-1070-007)
Dublin Core
Title
C’est notre grand-père Noé [first line] (AU1998-1070-007)
Alternative Title
Grand-pére Noe
Subject
Description
Excerpt from interview of Alberta Gagné (TC1998-1070-007) 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.
‘’C’est notre grand-père Noé” (“Our Grandfather Noah”) is a very ancient French drinking song honoring the biblical Noah for having preserved the grapevine during the Flood and Moses for having the good sense to not mistake the Red Sea for wine. In addition, some French versions include additional verses relating drinking adventures of other figures from Antiquity such as Alexander and Loth.
Versions of this song have been widely documented in French, Acadian, Quebecois, and Franco-American communities. There are actually two 17th century songs with similar texts, but different poetic structures: the first type is set out in straight-forward verses; the second type contains wordplay based on deconstructing into syllables words from the last line of each verse. Almost all versions from Canada and Franco-American New England, including Alberta Gagné’s, are the second type.
The melody of Aberta Gagné’s song is typical and has a history of being pressed into service for lyrics about drinking dating back to early 17th century Paris. This melody was so catchy that it eventually was used as the music for a wide variety of French songs, including at least three well known carols (“Prenez bergers vos hautbois,” “Allons bergers allons tous,” and “Quand Dieu naquit à Noêl”), political songs from the French Revolution, sea shanties and bawdy ballads.
You can hear a second recording of this song from. Alberta Gagné at AU1998-1071-002.
‘’C’est notre grand-père Noé” (“Our Grandfather Noah”) is a very ancient French drinking song honoring the biblical Noah for having preserved the grapevine during the Flood and Moses for having the good sense to not mistake the Red Sea for wine. In addition, some French versions include additional verses relating drinking adventures of other figures from Antiquity such as Alexander and Loth.
Versions of this song have been widely documented in French, Acadian, Quebecois, and Franco-American communities. There are actually two 17th century songs with similar texts, but different poetic structures: the first type is set out in straight-forward verses; the second type contains wordplay based on deconstructing into syllables words from the last line of each verse. Almost all versions from Canada and Franco-American New England, including Alberta Gagné’s, are the second type.
The melody of Aberta Gagné’s song is typical and has a history of being pressed into service for lyrics about drinking dating back to early 17th century Paris. This melody was so catchy that it eventually was used as the music for a wide variety of French songs, including at least three well known carols (“Prenez bergers vos hautbois,” “Allons bergers allons tous,” and “Quand Dieu naquit à Noêl”), political songs from the French Revolution, sea shanties and bawdy ballads.
You can hear a second recording of this song from. Alberta Gagné at AU1998-1071-002.
Abstract
It’s our grandfather Noah, that dignified patriarch, who taught us to plant the vine; he built a big boat to travel by water; it was his refuge during the Flood. When the Red Sea arose in front of the black troops, the Israelites thought they had to drink it; Moses, who was smarter, said ‘’that is not wine” and crossed the Red Sea without tasting a drop. It’s at the bottom of my wineglass that I find my glory; take your glass and I’ll take mine, friend, it’s time to drink. To the health of Nicolas, you will drink or you will die; I drink left-handed, that’s what keeps me warm.
Source
VFC1998-0007 Martha Pellerin Collection. TC1998-1070 interview with Alberta Gagné. Vermont Folklife Center Archive, Vermont Folklife Center, Middlebury, Vermont, United States of America.
Date
Rights
Copyright (c) Vermont Folklife Center
Relation
Full Interview: vfc1998-0005_tc1998-1070
Language
fra
Identifier
vfc1998-0007_tc1998-1070-001b_002
Song Item Type Metadata
Standard Title
Notre grand-père Noé
Standard Title Reference
Notre grand-père Noé IV, N-08
Quand la mer rouge apparut, 10707
First Line
C'est notre grand-pére Noe, patriarche digne
Transcription
C'est notre grand-père Noé, patriarche digne,
C’est lui qui nous a enseigné à planter la vigne.
ll s'est fait faire un gros bateau,
C’était pour se promener sur l'eau.
Ce fut son, son, son,
Ce fut re, re, re,
Ce fut son, ce fut re,
Ce fut son refuge,
Pendant le déluge.
Quand la mer rouge apparut à la troupe noire,
Les Israelit’s ont cru qu'il fallait la boire.
Moïse qui était le plus fIn,
Il dit : “ Ce n'est pas du vin. ”
Il a pas, pas, pas,
Z-il la sa sa, sa,
Z-il la pas, z-il la sa, z-il la passa toute
Sans en prendre une goutte.
C'est au fond d'mon verr’ de vin que j’m’y trouv’ la gloire,
Prends ton verr’, et moi le mien, ami il nous faut boire.
À la santé de Nicolas,
Tu boiras ou bien tu crèv’ras.
Je bois du, du, du,
Je bois du bras, bras,
Je bois du, je bois bras,
Je bois du bras gauche
Ça c'est ça qui m'rechauffe.
C’est lui qui nous a enseigné à planter la vigne.
ll s'est fait faire un gros bateau,
C’était pour se promener sur l'eau.
Ce fut son, son, son,
Ce fut re, re, re,
Ce fut son, ce fut re,
Ce fut son refuge,
Pendant le déluge.
Quand la mer rouge apparut à la troupe noire,
Les Israelit’s ont cru qu'il fallait la boire.
Moïse qui était le plus fIn,
Il dit : “ Ce n'est pas du vin. ”
Il a pas, pas, pas,
Z-il la sa sa, sa,
Z-il la pas, z-il la sa, z-il la passa toute
Sans en prendre une goutte.
C'est au fond d'mon verr’ de vin que j’m’y trouv’ la gloire,
Prends ton verr’, et moi le mien, ami il nous faut boire.
À la santé de Nicolas,
Tu boiras ou bien tu crèv’ras.
Je bois du, du, du,
Je bois du bras, bras,
Je bois du, je bois bras,
Je bois du bras gauche
Ça c'est ça qui m'rechauffe.
Translation
strophic, enumerative; three verses.
Interviewer
Location
Original Format
sound cassette (analog)
Files
Citation
“C’est notre grand-père Noé [first line] (AU1998-1070-007),” Vermont Folklife Center Digital Collections, accessed November 23, 2024, https://vtfolklifearchive.org/collections/items/show/374.
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