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Cansoun de la greva dai emplegat dai trambalan  
(Song for the streetcars employee strike)
Nissart lyrics by François-Dominique Rondelly, known as Menica Rondelly. Traditional from County of Nice.
Tune Lou Roussignòu que vola.
This song has been dedicated to the Trade Union of the Reds in memory of the strike on June, from 18th to 23rd 1904.
| 1st verse |
Adiéu lu trambalan,
Lou Limounié (2) che vola ! (twice)
Soun toui laissat en plan,
Lou Limounié che vola, vola,
Soun toui laissat en plan,
Dai condutour, dai vateman ! | | Farewell the streetcars (1),
The “shaft horse (2)” which steals (3)! (twice)
All of them are abandoned,
The “shaft horse” which steals, steals,
All of them are abandoned,
By the drivers, by the tram drivers! |
2nd verse |
Ma che revoulussioun,
Lou Limounié che vola ! (twice)
Sourdà d’achi, d’amoun,
Lou Limounié che vola, vola,
Sourdà d’achi, d’amoun,
E la poulissa per cantoun ! | | What a revolution,
The “shaft horse” which steals! (twice)
Soldiers here, at the top,
The “shaft horse” which steals, steals,
Soldiers here, at the top,
And the police on every street corner! |
3rd verse |
Ma noun sien pas d’enfan,
Lou Limounié che vola ! (twice)
Lu vouastre trambalan,
Lou Limounié che vola, vola,
Lu vouastre trambalan,
Soubre lu rai lu ciaviran ! | | But we are not children,
The “shaft horse” which steals! (twice)
Your streetcars,
The “shaft horse” which steals, steals,
Your streetcars,
On the track we overturn! |
4th verse |
Voulen satisfassioun,
Lou Limounié che vola ! (twice)
Giustissia demandan,
Lou Limounié che vola, vola,
Giustissia demandan,
Lu nouastre dreç reclaman ! | | We want satisfaction,
The “shaft horse” which steals! (twice)
We ask for justice,
The “shaft horse” which steals, steals,
We ask for justice,
Our rights we demand! |
5th verse |
Ce n’est pas la baguette (4),
Bèu Limounié che vola ! (twice)
Che n’en coumandera,
Bèu Limounié che vola, vola,
Che n’en coumandera,
Ma tu, ben lèu, ti fen ficà. | | The stick
Beautiful “shaft horse” which steals! (twice)
Will not command us,
Beautiful “shaft horse” which steals, steals,
Will not command us,
But you, quickly, they make you stick. |
6th verse |
Aven toui de bouan sen,
Bèu Limounié che vola ! (twice)
Voulen ai travaïur,
Bèu Limounié che vola, vola,
Voulen ai travaïur
Un lendeman tougiou segur ! | | We all have common sense,
Beautiful “shaft horse” which steals! (twice)
We want for the worker,
Beautiful “shaft horse” which steals, steals,
We want for the worker
A future always secure! |
O bouan moussu Loubet |
O bouan moussu Loubet (5),
Paire de la clemenssa, (twice)
Sauvas lu coumpagnoun,
Faghes bouan ate d’indulgensa ;
Sauvas lu coumpagnoun
En li durben la gran’ presoun ! | | O good Mr Loubet,
Father of clemency, (twice)
Save the journeymen,
Do [a] good leniency act;
Save the journeymen
Opening the great jail! |
Envoi |
O tu, lou miéu païs,
O Nissa ! Bella Nissa !
Ai umble travaïur
Rende la tiéu giustissia !
Fouara toui lu tiran,
Dòu tiéu bèu siel vola, vola,
Fouara toui lu tiran,
Proutegia toui lu tiéu enfan ! | | O you, my country,
O Nice! Fair Nice!
To humble workers
Dispense your justice!
Outside all the tyrants,
With your lovely sky, steals, steals,
Outside all the tyrants,
Protect all your children! |
1. The company of the Tramways de Nice et du littoral (TNL), Streetcars from Nice and littoral.
2. Lou limounié, the “shaft horse”, indicates the “horse placed between the shafts when the cart is tandem drived”, Georges Castellana, Dictionnaire niçois-français (Nissart to French dictionary). Allusion to the name of Mr. Lemonnier, from the TNL’s management.
3. Lyrics Lou limounié che vola play with title of the original tune, Lou Roussignòu que vola (“The Nightingale which flies”), with the double meaning of vola: “flies” and “steals”. Here, Mr. Lemonnier is accused by Menica Rondelly, in an open letter published by the newspaper La Ratapignata: « Couma, venès à Nissa vi rempli li pocia, respirà la nouastra aria pura, v’escauffà d’acheu bèu soulèu enviat dai autre pais e pi, n’ensultas ? » (How, you come to Nice and line your pockets, breathe our pure air, warm up at this beautiful sun envied by other contries and furthermore, you insult us?)
4. In French within the text in Nissart. Words attributed to Mr. Lemonnier: “Avec une baguette de deux sous, je fais marcher tous les Niçois.”
5. Émile Loubet (1838 - 1929), President of the French Republic (1899 - 1906).
The last streetcar ran in Nice on January 10th 1953, on the route number 7.
Closure of the last tramcar route. Illustration by Jan, published in the regional press.
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