Quand le Boiteuse Va-t-au Marche (When the Lame One goes to Market)

DESCRIPTION: French shanty. No particular story, each verse line is repeated as a refrain. Full Chorus: "Ah! ma doue, quel trésor d'avoir épouse (2x), Un coeur tout en or!" "Oh, my dear, what treasure to have married, to have wed (2x) a heart of gold!"
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1927 (Hayet, _Chansons de bord_)
LONG DESCRIPTION: French shanty. No particular story, each verse line is repeated as a refrain. Full Chorus: "Ah! ma doue, quel trésor d'avoir épouse (2x), Un coeur tout en or!" "Oh, my dear, what treasure to have married, to have wed (2x) a heart of gold!" Some of the verses are reminiscent of "The Fire Ship" in the use of naval euphemisms, i.e. (in translation) "and then he furls her petticoat, clewing up her lower sails," "then to get goin' the smart topman, send up her the main topmast."
KEYWORDS: foreignlanguage shanty bawdy
FOUND IN: France
REFERENCES (2 citations):
Hugill-ShantiesFromTheSevenSeas, pp. 514-515, "Quand le Boiteuse Va-t-au Marche" (2 text, French & English, 1 tune)
Hugill-SongsOfTheSea, p. 110, "Quand la Boiteuse Va-t-au Marche" (2 texts, French & English, 1 tune)
File: Hugi514

Go to the Ballad Search form
Go to the Ballad Index Song List

Go to the Ballad Index Instructions
Go to the Ballad Index Bibliography or Discography