Calant de Vilafranca
(Going down from Villefranche)
Traditional from County of Nice.

See also Mi sieu troumpa...

Drawing by Gustav Adolf Mossa published in Chansons niçoises (“Songs from Nice”), éd. Delrieu frères, to illustrate Calant de Vilafranca.		1st verse
		Calant de Vilafranca, Souta d’un caroubié, Faioun la contradansa Em’un sarjan fourié.		Going down from Villefranche, Under a carob tree (1), They were dancing the contredanse With a quartermaster sergeant.
		Chorus
		Tralala, lalala, Li gandaula si maridon, Tralala, lalala, Li gandaula soun maridà.		Tralala, lalala, The hussies are getting married, Tralala, lalala, The hussies got married.
		Ritornello
		Vai que l’amour ti passera, Fai la vireta, fai la vireta, Vai que l’amour ti passera, Fai la vireta, fai la vira.		Go, love will fade, Pirouette, pirouette, Go, you'll get over it! Pirouette, detour.
		2nd verse
		S’es maridat un rangou M’una qu’es sensa den. Sa maire n’es countenta, Soun paire n’en sau rèn.		A gimp has got married To a toothless. Her mother is happy, Her father has no idea.
		3rd verse
		La filha n’es proumessa, Li an douna l’anèu. N’a plus de countentessa Que fin à San-Miquèu.		The girl is promised (2), They give her the ring. She gets more satisfaction Than on Michaelmas Day (3).

1. The carob tree was cultivated for a long while in the Villefranche-sur-Mer country. Its wood has supplied its beautiful red color to the local marquetry, very appreciated during the whole 19th century. Hence the nickname suça carouba (suck carob) whose inhabitants were attached. A local saying specifies that the poorest between the girls to be married only received sometimes as dowry just “un caroubié e un barriéu de m...” (a carob tree and a barrel of sh...!)
2. Proumessa: engaged, betrothed.
3. The girl will probably get married at Michaelmas Day, and gets satisfaction in advance.

Back music page - Top

© 2001-2020 Jean-Gabriel Maurandi.