La ration de la viande (MS2011-3223-023)

La ration de la viande (MS2011-3223-023)

French language song text from VFC2006-0002 Beaudoin Family Collection. MS2011-3223-023 Alice Lacourse Danis Songbook. Pp. 21-22.

“La ration de la viande;” (“The Meat Ration”). This double entendre song about meat rationing is probably the text to a song by the same name by Montreal burlesque comedian and singer-songwriter Billy Paradis (aka Taffnut; possibly aka René Paradis) who wrote and recorded a number of songs in the 1940s with WWII-related themes. Paradis recorded this song some time in the 1940s for the Starr label (issue # 16659, side B); the recording was re-released in the 1950s on the Compo Apex label.

[refrain: It’s the meat ration]; the meat ration is starting up again, it’s a hardship for gourmands, hamburger, steak or salt pork, they are all rationed; Donalda says to her old Seraphin: make your meat last; [2nd verse] what to eat instead of meat? Many folks have this question; most folks will be eating eggs; that’ll be a sight not long from now; [2nd refrain: it’s the meat ration, Big Felice always tells Narcisse: make your sausage last; [3rd verse:] one sees serious scenes playing out; even some pretty sketchy ones; I heard from a young couple this amusing dialogue [3rd refrain: it’s the meat ration; the little wife says: my dear, make your blood sausage last; [4th verse:] another old tender couple—this time a black man with his fat black wife, despite his immense affection, the man is suffering from the ration [4th refrain:] it’s the meat ration, the wife says to her sweetheart: make your meat stick last; [5th verse:] I saw an aged couple of 75 years—at this age one’s appetite wanes—but despite this, I heard say the good old man, with tears in his eyes [5th refrain: it’s the meat ration, my dear, be a good gal and make your liver last; [6th verse:] an old bachelor who liked pig foot stew, began to kill dogs and cats; yesterday again he made up a stew with an old tomcat [6th refrain:] it’s the meat ration, his grandfather said, I better keep an eye on him, he could eat my horse.

VFC2006-0002 Beaudoin Family Collection. MS2011-3223 Alice Lacourse Danis Songbook. Vermont Folklife Center Archive, Vermont Folklife Center, Middlebury, Vermont, United States of America.

La ration de la viande

The Meat Ration

On recommence la ration de la viande

Billy Paradis

Billy Paradis

1
On recommence la ration de la viande
Sa fait souffrir bien des bouches gourmands
Le steak hache le boeuf ou l’ard sale
Tout ca s’es rationne

Refrain
C’est la ration de la viande 3 fois
Donald a dit a son vieux seraphin ménage tu viande a chien

2
Que mange t’on a la place de la viande
Y a plusieurs gens qui se posent cette demande
Trois quant du monde feront des oeufs dans le porter
Sa va etre beau talleur
C’est la ration de la viande 3 fois repetez
La grosse Felice dit toujours a narcissi
Ménage ta soucisse

3
On voit passer bien des senes serieuses des choses
Meme qui paraissent douteuse j’ai entendu d’un
Jeune couple en amour cet amusant discour
C’est la ration de la viande repetez 3 fois
La petite femme disait mon cher ti clin
Ménage ton boudin

4
Un autre couple age dans la tendresse
Cette fois un negre avec une grosse negresse
Malgre qu’il soit submerge d’affection
Il souffre de la ration
C’est la ration de la viande 3 fois
La negresse dit a son beau cavalier
Ménage ton balone

5
J’ai vu un couple age de 75
A cette age la on a l’appetit mince
Malgre cela j’endend dire le bon vieux
Avec les marnes aux yeux
C’est la ration de la viande 3 fois
Ma vieille agie en bon creature
Ménage ta forcure

6
Un vieux garcon qui aimait le ragout de pattes
Se mit a tuer des chiens des chats des chattes
Encore ehier il a fait un ragout avec un
vieux maton c’est la ration de la viande
son grand pere dit faut l’watcher l’animal
il peut manger mon joual