Se Canto

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Se Canto is an anthem associated with Occitania.

Although it has no official status, Se Canto is a very important part of Occitan culture and the song most occitan people identify with. As such it's often been regarded as the unofficial anthem of Occitania and most people living in that region will know the occitan words to the first verse and chorus even if they are not native occitan speakers themselves.

Notable occasions on which it has been sung include the opening ceremony of the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin on 10 February 2006 (by L'Ange Gardien Chorus), and in the French National Assembly on 3 June 2003 (by Jean Lassalle, in protest at a perceived slight on the Pyrenean village of Urdos by Minister of the Interior Nicolas Sarkozy).

[edit] Lyrics

The lyrics of the song are in the Occitan language. Several versions of the anthem are attested; that presented here is the oldest.

Debat ma fenestro At oun auselou Touto la ney canto, Canto sa cansou	Outside my window there is a little bird singing all night singing his song
Chorus Se canto que canto, Canto pas per you, Canto per ma mio Qu'ès alen de you.	He sings and he sings doesn't sing for me he sings for my love who's far away from me
Aqeros mountagnos Que tan hautes soun, M'empéchoun de beyre Mas amours oun soun.	Those mountains that are so high keep me from seeing where my love is gone
Bassasbous, mountagnos Planos, aoussasbous Per que posqui beyre Mas amour oun soun.	lay down mountains and rise up plains so i can see where my love is gone
Aqeros mountagnos Tan s'abacheran, Et mas amourettos Se rapproucharan.	these mountains down will lay and my lost love closer will get