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Carnaval niçois  
(Carnival from Nice)
Traditional song from carnival of Nice 1904
Lyrics by Fernand de Rocher, music by C. Lyon.
The original lyrics by Fernand de Rocher are only in French. The text in Nissart given here corresponds to the literal translation from the version in French.
The theme for this year 1904 is “Emperor of the Orient-Sahara”.
First page of the music sheet for Carnaval niçois, illustration by A. Berthe, éd. A. Génovèse, 1904. | | Chorus |
Ohé, voici l’empereur du Sahara
En grand apparat qui s’avance.
Hardi, confetti ! Hardi, serpentins !
Clic, clac et tintin !
Nègres et Pierrots, marquis et pantins
Vêtus de satin,
Dansez follement, dansez en cadence,
Voici l’empereur qui s’avance. | | Hey, here is the emperor of the Sahara
In full regalia moving forward.
Come on, confetti! Come on, streamers!
Clickety-clack and no way!
Moors and Pierrots, marquesses and puppets
Dressed in satin,
Let madly dance, let dance in time,
Here is the emperor moving forward. |
1st verse |
Vive le soleil qui plane, être utile,
Sur Nice la blonde au ciel merveilleux.
La gaité s’épanche à travers la ville
En fleuves bruyants, en torrents joyeux.
Arlequins flambards, marquises fantasques,
Dans le grouillement éperdu des masques
Jettent ce refrain aux clartés des cieux : | | Hurrah for the sun gliding, useful being,
Above Nice the fair with wonderful sky.
The gaiety pours through the town
In boisterous rivers, in merry torrents.
Swanking Harlequins, whimsical marchionesses,
In the frantic swarming of masks
Throw this chorus to heavens light: |
2nd verse |
Le couple royal conduit la folie,
Gravement perchés sur leur trône d’or.
Carnaval est beau, sa femme est jolie ;
Nice les reçoit dans ce fier décor.
Seigneurs turbulents et Pierrots moroses
Ont pris par les bras les Pierrettes roses
Et jusqu’au matin ils chantent encore : | | The royal couple leads madness,
Solemnly perched on their golden throne.
Carnival is handsome, his wife is pretty;
Nice welcomes them in this proud scenery.
Boisterous lords and sullen Pierrots
Have taken pink she-Pierrots by the arm
And until morning they sing still: |
3rd verse |
L’Avenue en fleurs rit et s’enguirlande,
Sire Carnaval est bon souverain ;
Les fous sont les rois de la sarabande
Et la farandole est pleine d’entrain.
Clowns enfarinés, Colombines blanches
Fêtent la semaine aux quatre dimanches
Et laissent monter au vent ce refrain : | | The Avenue in flower laughs and garlands,
Sire Carnival is good sovereign;
Crazy guys are kings of the saraband
And the farandole is full of drive.
Clowns dredged with flour, white Columbines
Celebrate the 4-Sunday week
And let go up in the wind this chorus: |
4th verse |
Notre bon monarque a superbe mine ;
Ô maris jaloux, gare à vos moitiés !
Regardez son œil, comme il s’illumine !
Sa Majesté veut que vous l’escortiez,
Ô minois lurons, ô jeunes lorettes (1),
Ribaudes (2) d’amour et dames honnêtes
Qui chantez au bras de vos cavaliers : | | Our good monarch looks terrific;
Oh jealous husbands, beware of your better halves!
Look his eye, how it lights up!
His Majesty wants you to escort him,
Oh little faces, oh young ladies,
Swindleresses of love and honest ladies
Singing on your partners arm: |
5th verse |
Les chars de triomphe, au son des fanfares,
Mènent derrière eux le flot grossissant ;
Dans les cliquetis et les tintamarres
Les masques s’en vont en se trémoussant.
Hardi, confetti ! La neige s’envole !
Hardi, Dominos de la farandole,
Chantez à plein cœur ce refrain dansant : | | The triumph floats, at the sound of fanfares,
Lead behind them the growing stream;
In the clinking noises and the dins
The masks go away while wriggling.
Come on, confetti! Snow blows away!
Come on, Dominoes of the farandole,
Let sing with all your heart this dancing chorus: |
6th verse |
Narguons les grincheux qui fuient en déroute,
Suivons le corso de Sa Majesté !
Pour nous délasser viendra la redoute
Comme après l’orage un soir bleu d’été.
Nous ne dormirons que la fête close
Et notre sommeil sera clair et rose
De tant de chansons, de tant de gaité ; | | Let’s flout the routed grumpy persons running away,
Let’s follow Her Majesty’s procession of floats!
To relax us will happen the redoute
Like after the storm a blue summer evening.
We will sleep only when the party will be closed
And our sleep will be clear and pink
Because of such songs, such gaiety; |
7th verse |
Sire Carnaval a des heures brèves ;
Les grelots tintant sonneront, un jour,
La fin de son règne et de nos beaux rêves.
Tout est passager, le rire et l’amour.
Avec lui mourront nos folles chimères
Dans le feu de joie aux flammes légères,
Mais nous serons là pour chanter autour : | | Sire Carnival gets brief hours;
Tinkling [little spherical] bells will ring, one day,
The end of his reign and of our beautiful dreams.
All is transient, laugh and love.
With him will die our crazy pipe dreams
In the bonfire with light flames,
But we will be there to sing around: |
1. Lorette: at the beginning of 19th century, elegant young woman, of easy virtue (from name of Notre-Dame-de-Lorette area, in Paris).
2. Ribaud or ribaude: in the Middle Ages, tramp, pillager soldier (from old French riber, to abandon o.s. to a debauched life). In the figurative sense, debauched.
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