Chanson de Cathelineau (The Song of Cathelineau) is a French soldier's song from the Vendée region in France.
The song tells the story of Jacques Cathelineau accompanied by a musical air of a musette (traditional French bagpipe instrument). Cathelineau was a simple voiturier (a man who leased out horses or carriages) turned counter-revolutionary general, leading a strong uprising of Catholic Royalists against the revolutionary Republicans. Known for his strength, leadership and piety, he had a "pure soul and wisdom" which "the Good God gives for free to the good people who love Him." He became the Commander
General of the Catholic Royal Armies (Armées catholiques et royales).
Cathelineau led the Vendéens who were "armed with pitchforks and scythes" in battle against the revolutionaries. While in Nantes, Cathelineau was shot down, and the Vendée "did not recover" from this loss. He is called the Saint of Anjou.
1. On me l'apprit dès le berceau,
L'histoire de Cathelineau,
L'histoire de Cathelineau,
En avant donc ma musette
Et vas-y d'un air du Poitou,
En l'honneur du saint de l'Anjou,
En l'honneur du saint de l'Anjou.
2. C'était un simple voiturier,
Lisant à grand' peine au psautier,
Lisant à grand' peine au psautier,
Ne connaissant d'autre gazette
Que son vieux paroissien cuivré,
Et le prône de son curé,
Et le prône de son curé.
3.Mais il avait ce que n'ont pas
Nos savants malgré leurs fatras,
Nos savants malgré leurs fatras,
Une âme pure et la sagesse
Que le bon Dieu donne pour rien,
Aux braves gens qui l'aiment bien,
Aux braves gens qui l'aiment bien.
4.Quand la République arriva
Cathelineau point ne bougea,
Cathelineau point ne bougea,
Mais quand elle eut pris pour devise:
« guerre à Dieu », le saint de l'anjou,
Autour de lui cria debout,
Autour de lui cria debout.
5. A sa voix, les fiers Angevins
Accoururent à pleins chemins;
Accoururent à pleins chemins;
Puis s'élancèrent à sa suite,
Armés de fourches et de faulx,
Contre la horde des patauds,
Contre la horde des patauds.
6. Alors du Loroux à Cholet,
De la Loire au Puy Saint-Bonnet,
De la Loire au Puy Saint-Bonnet,
Tout le monde pour la Grand'guerre
Vint se ranger sous le drapeau,
Du voiturier Cathelineau,
Du voiturier Cathelineau.
7.L'Histoire n'a rien de plus grand
Que ce modeste paysan,
Que ce modeste paysan,
Menant tout un peuple à la guerre,
Avec Lescure et puis Bonchamps
En qualité de lieutenant,
En qualité de lieutenant.
8.Lorsqu'à Nantes Cathelineau
Tomba hélas en plein assaut,
Tomba hélas en plein assaut,
Ce fut pour la Vendée entière
Comme le premier coup de glas,
Elle ne s'en releva pas,
Elle ne s'en releva pas.
9. La Vendée eut d'autres héros,
Simples soldats, grand généraux,
Simples soldats, grand généraux :
D' Elbée, Henri, Bonchamps, Lescure,
Charette, Stofflet, Sapinaud...
Le plus grand fut Cathelineau,
Le plus grand fut Cathelineau!
English Translation
1. I was taught it from the cradle
The story of Cathelineau,
The story of Cathelineau,
Onward, then, my musette
And go there with a [musical] air of Poitou,
In honor of the Saint of Anjou,
In honor of the Saint of Anjou.
2. He was just a valet [carriage leaser]
Reading with great difficulty from the psalter,
Reading with great difficulty from the psalter,
Knowing no other gazette [news source]
Than his old brassy-sounding parishioner,
And the preaching of his priest,
And the preaching of his priest.
3. But he had what is lacking
[In] our scholars despite their rubbish,
[In] our scholars despite their rubbish,
A pure soul and wisdom
Which the good God gives for free,
To the brave people who love him,
To the brave people who love him.
4. When the Republic came
Cathelineau did not budge,
Cathelineau did not budge,
But when she had taken for motto:
"War on God!" the Saint of Anjou,
Around him cried out upright,
Around him cried out upright.
5. At his voice, the proud Angevins
Hastened full way;
Hastened full way;
Then rushed after him,
Armed with pitchforks and scythes,
Against the horde of oafs,
Against the horde of oafs.
6. So from Loroux to Cholet,
From the Loire to Puy Saint-Bonnet,
From the Loire to Puy Saint-Bonnet,
Everyone for the Great War
Came to line up under the flag,
Of the valet Cathelineau,
Of the valet Cathelineau.
7. History has nothing greater
That this modest peasant,
That this modest peasant,
Leading a whole people to war,
With Lescure and then Bonchamps
As a lieutenant,
As a lieutenant.
8. When in Nantes Cathelineau
Fell, alas, in full attack,
Fell, alas in full attack,
It was for the whole Vendée
As the first [death] knell,
She did not recover,
She did not recover.
9. The Vendée had other heroes,
Simple soldiers, great generals,
Simple soldiers, great generals:
D'Elbée, Henri, Bonchamps, Lescure,
Charette, Stofflet, Sapinaud...
The greatest was Cathelineau,
The greatest was Cathelineau!
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