Chant des Partisans
Encyclopedia
The Chant des Partisans was the most popular song of the Free French during World War II
.
The piece was written and put to melody in London in 1943 after Anna Marly
heard a Russian song that provided her with inspiration. Joseph Kessel
and Maurice Druon
wrote the French lyrics. It was performed by Anna Marly
, broadcast by the BBC
and adopted by the maquis. The lyrics of the song revolve around the idea of a life-or-death struggle for national liberation, and they also carry elements of a communist
political message (for example, calling upon the workers and peasants to rise up).
After the war the Chant des Partisans was so popular, it was proposed as a new national anthem
for France
. It became for a short while the unofficial national anthem
, next to the official La Marseillaise
.
Anna Marly also wrote and performed a more introspective song, La Complainte du Partisan, which was later adapted and translated into English as The Partisan
. It was most famously covered by Leonard Cohen
. The two songs are sometimes confused.
My friend, do you hear the dark flight of the crows over our plains?
My friend, do you hear the dulled cries of our countries in chains?
Oh, friends, do you hear, workers, farmers, in your ears alarm bells ringing?
Tonight all our tears will be turned to tongues of flame in our blood singing!
Climb up from the mine, out from hiding in the pines, all you comrades,
Take out from the hay all your guns, your munitions and your grenades;
Hey you, assassins, with your bullets and your knives, kill tonight!
Hey you, saboteurs, be careful with your burden, dynamite!
We are the ones who break the jail bars in two for our brothers,
hunger drives, hate pursues, misery binds us to one another.
There are countries where people sleep without a care and lie dreaming.
But here, do you see, we march on, we kill on, we die screaming.
But here, each one knows what he wants, what he does with his choice;
My friend, if you fall, from the shadows on the wall, another steps into your place.
Tomorrow, black blood shall dry out in the sunlight on the streets.
But sing, companions, freedom hears us in the night still so sweet.
My friend, do you hear the dark flight of the crows over our plains?
My friend, do you hear the dulled cries of our countries in chains?
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
The piece was written and put to melody in London in 1943 after Anna Marly
Anna Marly
Anna Marly , , was a Russian born French singer-songwriter. She is best remembered as the composer of the Chant des Partisans, a protest song that was used as the ersatz anthem of the Free French Forces during World War II; the popularity of the Chant des Partisans was such that it was proposed as...
heard a Russian song that provided her with inspiration. Joseph Kessel
Joseph Kessel
Joseph Kessel was a French journalist and novelist.He was born in Villa Clara, Entre Ríos, Argentina, because of the constant journeys of his father, a Lithuanian doctor of Jewish origin. Joseph Kessel lived the first years of his childhood in Orenburg, Russia, before the family moved to France...
and Maurice Druon
Maurice Druon
Maurice Druon was a French novelist and a member of the Académie française.Born in Paris, France, Druon was the nephew of the writer Joseph Kessel, with whom he translated the Chant des Partisans, a French Resistance anthem of World War II, with music and words originally by Anna Marly.In 1948...
wrote the French lyrics. It was performed by Anna Marly
Anna Marly
Anna Marly , , was a Russian born French singer-songwriter. She is best remembered as the composer of the Chant des Partisans, a protest song that was used as the ersatz anthem of the Free French Forces during World War II; the popularity of the Chant des Partisans was such that it was proposed as...
, broadcast by the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
and adopted by the maquis. The lyrics of the song revolve around the idea of a life-or-death struggle for national liberation, and they also carry elements of a communist
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
political message (for example, calling upon the workers and peasants to rise up).
After the war the Chant des Partisans was so popular, it was proposed as a new national anthem
National anthem
A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognized either by a nation's government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people.- History :Anthems rose to prominence...
for France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. It became for a short while the unofficial national anthem
National anthem
A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognized either by a nation's government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people.- History :Anthems rose to prominence...
, next to the official La Marseillaise
La Marseillaise
"La Marseillaise" is the national anthem of France. The song, originally titled "Chant de guerre pour l'Armée du Rhin" was written and composed by Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle in 1792. The French National Convention adopted it as the Republic's anthem in 1795...
.
Anna Marly also wrote and performed a more introspective song, La Complainte du Partisan, which was later adapted and translated into English as The Partisan
The Partisan
"The Partisan" is a song about the French Resistance in World War II. The song was written in 1943 in London by Anna Marly and Emmanuel d'Astier de la Vigerie...
. It was most famously covered by Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen
Leonard Norman Cohen, is a Canadian singer-songwriter, musician, poet and novelist. Cohen published his first book of poetry in Montreal in 1956 and his first novel in 1963. His work often explores religion, isolation, sexuality and interpersonal relationships...
. The two songs are sometimes confused.
French Lyrics
Le Chant des Partisans:- Ami, entends-tu le vol noir des corbeaux sur nos plaines ?
- Ami, entends-tu les cris sourds du pays qu'on enchaîne ?
- Ohé partisans, ouvriers et paysans, c'est l'alarme !
- Ce soir l'ennemi connaîtra le prix du sang et des larmes.
- Montez de la mine, descendez des collines, camarades,
- Sortez de la paille les fusils, la mitraille, les grenades ;
- Ohé les tueurs, à la balle et au couteau tuez vite !
- Ohé saboteur, attention à ton fardeau, dynamite ...
- C'est nous qui brisons les barreaux des prisons, pour nos frères,
- La haine à nos trousses, et la faim qui nous pousse, la misère.
- Il y a des pays où les gens au creux des lits font des rêves
- Ici, nous, vois-tu, nous on marche et nous on tue, nous on crève.
- Ici chacun sait ce qu'il veut, ce qu'il fait, quand il passe ;
- Ami, si tu tombes, un ami sort de l'ombre à ta place.
- Demain du sang noir séchera au grand soleil sur les routes,
- Chantez, compagnons, dans la nuit la liberté nous écoute.
- Sifflez sometimes used instead of Chantez,
- and then the final lyrics are replaced with whistling
- Ami, entends-tu les cris sourds du pays qu'on enchaîne ?
- Ami, entends-tu le vol noir des corbeaux sur nos plaines ?
- Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh...
Unofficial English translation
- Friend, do you hear the crows' dark flight over our plains?
- Friend, do you hear the muffled cries of the country being shackled?
- Ahoy! Resistants, workers and farmers, the alarm has sounded!
- Tonight the enemy shall know the price of blood and tears.
- Climb out of the mine, come down from the hills, comrades,
- Take the guns, the munitions and the grenades from under the straw;
- Ahoy killers, with bullets and knives kill swiftly!
- Ahoy "saboteur", be careful with your burden of dynamite!
- We're the ones who smash the bars of jails, for our brothers,
- Hate pursuing us, it's hunger that drives us, dire poverty.
- There are countries where people sleep in their beds and dream.
- Here, you see, we walk and we kill and we die
- Here, each one of us knows what he wants, what he does when he passes by;
- Friend, if you fall, a friend comes from the shadows in your place.
- Tomorrow, black blood will dry in the sun on the roads
- Sing, companions, in the night, freedom listens to us.
Rhyming English Translation
Here is an English translation, which can be sung to the same tune:My friend, do you hear the dark flight of the crows over our plains?
My friend, do you hear the dulled cries of our countries in chains?
Oh, friends, do you hear, workers, farmers, in your ears alarm bells ringing?
Tonight all our tears will be turned to tongues of flame in our blood singing!
Climb up from the mine, out from hiding in the pines, all you comrades,
Take out from the hay all your guns, your munitions and your grenades;
Hey you, assassins, with your bullets and your knives, kill tonight!
Hey you, saboteurs, be careful with your burden, dynamite!
We are the ones who break the jail bars in two for our brothers,
hunger drives, hate pursues, misery binds us to one another.
There are countries where people sleep without a care and lie dreaming.
But here, do you see, we march on, we kill on, we die screaming.
But here, each one knows what he wants, what he does with his choice;
My friend, if you fall, from the shadows on the wall, another steps into your place.
Tomorrow, black blood shall dry out in the sunlight on the streets.
But sing, companions, freedom hears us in the night still so sweet.
My friend, do you hear the dark flight of the crows over our plains?
My friend, do you hear the dulled cries of our countries in chains?
Russian Lyrics by Anna Marly
- От леса до леса
- Дорога идет
- Вдоль обрыва
- А там высоко
- Где-то месяц плывёт
- Торопливо
- Пойдём мы туда,
- Куда ворон не влетит,
- Зверь не входит
- Никто, никакая сила
- Нас не покорит,
- Не отгонит
- Народные мстители,
- Мы отобьем
- Злую силу
- Пусть ветер свободы
- Засыплет
- И нашу могилу...
- Пойдем мы туда
- И разрушим до конца
- Вражьи сети
- Пусть знают как много
- За правду нас легло
- Наши дети!...
External links
The Chant des Partisans at:- Le chant des partisans
- National Federation of Deported and Imprisoned Resistance Fighters and Patriots
- Anna Marly - Le chant des partisans on You tube (by author)
- Mireille Mathieu chante Le chant des partisans on You tube
- French Prime minister