Alouette (song)
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"Alouette" is a popular children's song about plucking a bird. It originates with the French Canadian fur trade. Although it is in French, it is well known among speakers of other languages; in this way it is similar to "Frère Jacques".
It was parodied by Allan Sherman as "Al and Yetta", which is about an older couple watching television according to a strict routine.
In cartoons, Pepe le Pew and Loopy de Loop sing or hum the tune.
[edit] Structure
"Alouette" usually involves audience participation, with the audience echoing every line of each verse after the verse's second line. It is a cumulative song, with each verse is built on top of the previous verses, much like the English carol "The Twelve Days of Christmas".
[edit] Lyrics
- Alouette, gentille Alouette
- Skylark, nice skylark
- Alouette, je te plumerai
- Skylark, I shall pluck you
- Je te plumerai la tête
- I shall pluck your head
- (Je te plumerai la tête)
- (I shall pluck your head)
- Et la tête
- And your head
- (Et la tête)
- (And your head)
- Alouette
- Skylark
- (Alouette)
- (Skylark)
- O-o-o-oh
- Alouette, gentille Alouette
- Alouette, je te plumerai
- Je te plumerai le bec
- I shall pluck your beak
- (Je te plumerai le bec)
- Et le bec
- (Et le bec)
- Et la tête
- (Et la tête)
- Alouette
- (Alouette)
- O-o-o-oh
The song continues in this fashion, with the italicized phrase (a part of the bird) in each verse being substituted with a new one, with the previous items being recited at the end:
- Et le cou
And your neck
- Et le dos
And your back
- Et les ailes
And your wings
- Et les pattes
And your feet
