Ah! ça ira

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For the opera, see Ça Ira.

Ah ! ça ira, ça ira, ça ira is an emblematic song of the French Revolution, first heard in May 1790. It underwent several changes in wording; the following stanza, included at the later stages of the revolution, has arguably become the single most famous (or infamous) one:

Ah, ça ira !
Ah! ça ira, ça ira, ça ira Ah! It'll be fine, It'll be fine, It'll be fine
les aristocrates à la lanterne! the aristocrats to the lamp-posts!
Ah! ça ira, ça ira, ça ira Ah! It'll be fine, It'll be fine, It'll be fine
les aristocrates on les pendra! the aristocrats, we'll hang them!


Contents

[edit] Original version

The author of the original words "Ah ! ça ira, ça ira, ça ira", Ladré, was a former soldier who made a living as street singer.

The music is a popular contredanse air called le Carillon national, and was composed by Bécourt, a violinist (according to other sources: side drum player) of the théâtre Beaujolais. The queen Marie Antoinette herself is said to have often played the music herself on her clavecin.

The title and theme of the refrain were inspired by Benjamin Franklin, in France as a representative of the Continental Congress, and who was very popular among the French people. When asked about the American Revolutionary War, he would always reply, in somewhat broken French, "Ça ira, ça ira" ("It'll be fine").

The song became popular during the "journée des brouettes" ("Wheelbarrow Day") which preceded the Fête de la Fédération.


Ah, ça ira !
Ah ! ça ira, ça ira, ça ira Ah ! It'll be fine, It'll be fine, It'll be fine
Le peuple en ce jour sans cesse répète, The people in this day repeats over and over,
Ah ! ça ira, ça ira, ça ira Ah ! It'll be fine, It'll be fine, It'll be fine
Malgré les mutins tout réussira. In spite of the mutineers everything shall succeed.
Nos ennemis confus en restent là Our enemies, confounded, stay petrified
Et nous allons chanter « Alléluia ! » And we shall sing Alleluia
Ah ! ça ira, ça ira, ça ira Ah ! It'll be fine, It'll be fine, It'll be fine
Quand Boileau jadis du clergé parla When Boileau in the past spoke about the clergy
Comme un prophète il a prédit cela. Like a prophet he predicted this.
En chantant ma chansonnette By singing my little song
Avec plaisir on dira : With pleasure, people shall say,
Ah ! ça ira, ça ira, ça ira Ah ! It'll be fine, It'll be fine, It'll be fine
Suivant les maximes de l’évangile According to the precepts of the Gospel
Du législateur tout s’accomplira. Of the lawmaker everything shall be accomplished
Celui qui s’élève on l’abaissera The one who is elevated shall be brought down
Celui qui s’abaisse on l’élèvera. The one who is brought down shall be elevated
Le vrai catéchisme nous instruira The true catechism shall instruct us
Et l’affreux fanatisme s’éteindra. And the awful fanaticism shall wither away
Pour être à la loi docile At being docile to Law
Tout Français s’exercera. Every Frenchman shall train
Ah ! ça ira, ça ira, ça ira Ah ! It'll be fine, It'll be fine, It'll be fine
Pierrette et Margot chantent la guinguette Pierrette and Margot sing the guinguette
Réjouissons-nous, le bon temps viendra ! Let us rejoice, good times will come !
Le peuple français jadis à quia, The French people used to have nothing to say
L’aristocrate dit : « Mea culpa ! » The aristocrat say Mea culpa!
Le clergé regrette le bien qu'il a, The clergy regrets its wealth,
Par justice, la nation l’aura. By justice, the Nation shall have it.
Par le prudent Lafayette, Thanks to the careful Lafayette,
Tout le monde s'apaisera. Everyone shall be appeased.
Ah ! ça ira, ça ira, ça ira Ah! It'll be fine, It'll be fine, It'll be fine
Par les flambeaux de l’auguste assemblée, By the torches of the August assembly,
Ah ! ça ira, ça ira, ça ira Ah ! It'll be fine, It'll be fine, It'll be fine
Le peuple armé toujours se gardera. The armed people always shall guard themselves.
Le vrai d'avec le faux l’on connaîtra, Right shall be told from wrong,
Le citoyen pour le bien soutiendra. The citizen shall fight for Good.
Ah ! ça ira, ça ira, ça ira Ah ! It'll be fine, It'll be fine, It'll be fine
Quand l’aristocrate protestera, When the aristocrat shall protest,
Le bon citoyen au nez lui rira, The good citizen will laugh at him,
Sans avoir l’âme troublée, Without troubling his soul,
Toujours le plus fort sera. Always the strongest shall be.
Petits comme grands sont soldats dans l’âme, Small ones and great ones all have the soul of a soldier,
Pendant la guerre aucun ne trahira. During war none shall treason.
Avec cœur tout bon Français combattra, WIth heart all good French shall fight,
S’il voit du louche, hardiment parlera. If he sees something fishy he shall speak with courage.
Lafayette dit : « Vienne qui voudra ! » Lafayette says "come if you will!"
Sans craindre ni feu, ni flamme, Without fear for fire or flame,
Le Français toujours vaincra ! The French always shall win!


[edit] Sans-culotte version

Later during the French Revolution, the text was changed by the sans-culottes into a much more aggressive version, calling for the lynching of the nobility and the clergy.


Ah, ça ira !
Ah! ça ira, ça ira, ça ira Ah! It'll be fine, It'll be fine, It'll be fine
les aristocrates à la lanterne! aristocrats at the lantern
Ah! ça ira, ça ira, ça ira Ah! It'll be fine, It'll be fine, It'll be fine
les aristocrates on les pendra! the aristocrats, we'll hang them!
Si on n’ les pend pas If we don't hang them
On les rompra We'll break them
Si on n’ les rompt pas If we don't break them
On les brûlera. We'll burn them
Ah! ça ira, ça ira, ça ira Ah! It'll be fine, It'll be fine, It'll be fine
les aristocrates à la lanterne! aristocrats at the lantern
Ah! ça ira, ça ira, ça ira Ah! It'll be fine, It'll be fine, It'll be fine
les aristocrates on les pendra! the aristocrats, we'll hang them!
Nous n’avions plus ni nobles, ni prêtres, We have no more nobles not priests
Ah ! ça ira, ça ira, ça ira, Ah! It'll be fine, It'll be fine, It'll be fine
L’égalité partout régnera. Equality will reign everywhere
L’esclave autrichien le suivra, The Austrian slave shall follow him
Ah ! ça ira, ça ira, ça ira, Ah! It'll be fine, It'll be fine, It'll be fine
Et leur infernale clique And their infernal clique
Au diable s’envolera. Shall go to hell
Ah! ça ira, ça ira, ça ira Ah! It'll be fine, It'll be fine, It'll be fine
les aristocrates à la lanterne! aristocrats at the lantern
Ah! ça ira, ça ira, ça ira Ah! It'll be fine, It'll be fine, It'll be fine
les aristocrates on les pendra! the aristocrats, we'll hang them!
Et quand on les aura tous pendus And when we'll have hung them all
On leur fichera la pelle au cul We'll stuff a spade up their arse


[edit] Further develoments

The song survived past the Reign of Terror, and during the Directory it became mandatory to sing it before shows. It was forbidden under the Consulate.

[edit] Trivia

  • The ship of the line La Couronne was renamed Ça Ira in 1792 in reference to this song.
  • An alternate "sans-culotte"-like version was sung by Edith Piaf for the soundtrack of the film Si Versailles m'était conté, by Sacha Guitry.
  • Used as the Quick March of the 14th Regiment of Foot, The West Yorkshire Regiment. At the Battle of Famars, the 14th attacked the French to the music of Ça Ira; the regiment was later awarded the tune as a battle honour and regimental quick march. It has since been adopted by the Yorkshire Regiment.

[edit] External links