Ah ! les fraises et les framboises, vieille chanson recueillie par Édouard Wolff, adaptée par Serge Plaute et harmonisée par Georges Matis, partition pour chant seul, Paris, Arlequin, 1926.
Ah ! les fraises et les framboises, Parisys (chant), orchestre Jean Lenoir, 1 disque 78 tours, Polydor, 521.568, v. 1929.
[1942], Anrath prison
This short sung fragment is based on the refrain of Ah! les fraises et les framboises, a bawdy folk song passed down in many versions since at least the 1880’s. The one documented here – with slight differences between the score and the recording – is based on a theatrical adaption from 1926 by Serge Plaute for the play La petite grue du cinquième [The little strumpet of the 5th], starring Marcelle Parisys at the La Scala theatre in Paris. While rather explicit, this version nonetheless represents a considerable watering down compared to the text that was previously circulating: in it, the phallus is represented by a “canary” rather than by “Jesus Christ” who, in the version known to audiences of the time, “enters paradise” – thus adding blasphemy to obscenity.
None of this remains in the reworked version by Yvonne Oddon and her fellow detainees, who instead use the refrain to mention the various nicknames they gave the guards at Anrath prison, “a fine sampling […] of the best the Greater Reich had to offer for ‘quashing’ repeat offenders.” It is not hard to imagine that the choice of a bawdy tune worsened the insult already present in these hostile monikers: (“hyena,” “viper,” and “snuff-it-in-the-closet” or, translated literally from the original French, “drop-yer-wad [of tobacco]-in-the-closet,” which played on a slang expression “poser sa chique” – drop yer wad [of tobacco] – that meant to fall silent or even, to die). Oddon also notes that this fragment is only the refrain of a longer song, which remains “to be found.” While the full text is likely lost forever, we do know that another adaptation of Ah! les fraises et les framboises circulated in France at the time of the Liberation with the title Adieu aux nazis [Farewell Nazis]; this version’s refrain joyfully proclaims “The Nazi regime is done / Farewell to all those hanged / They’re gone forever / We’ll never see them again.”
[Sources: references 31, 47, 63 in the bibliography]
Ah! les fraises et les framboises
Oh! Strawberries and Raspberries
(oral tradition)
Sur la rout’ de Montmartre, de Montmartre à Paris,
On the road to Montmartre, from Montmartre to Paris,
J’ai rencontré trois pages, trois garçons d’mon pays!
I met three pages, three lads from my homeland!
Refrain
Ah! les fraises et les framboises!
Oh! Strawberries and raspberries!
Les vins qu’nous avons bus,
The wines that we have drunk,
Et les belles villageoises,
And the lovely village girls,
Nous ne les verrons plus!
We’ll see them no more!
2
J’ai rencontré trois pages, trois garçons d’mon pays!
I met three pages, three lads from my homeland!
Le plus jeune m’embrasse, et le plus bel aussi! (Au Ref.)
The youngest embraced me, and the handsomest too! (to Ref.)
3
Le plus jeune m’embrasse, et le plus bel aussi,
The youngest embraced me, and the handsomest too,
M’emmèn’ dans sa chambrette pour parler du pays. (Au Ref.)
Took me to his room, to talk about our homeland. (to Ref.)
4
M’emmèn’ dans sa chambrette pour parler du pays,
Took me to his room, to talk about our homeland,
Je lui dis « Soyez sage! » Et près de lui m’assis! (Au Ref.)
I said to him “behave” and sat down beside him! (to Ref.)
5
Je lui dis « Soyez sage! » Et près de lui m’assis,
I said to him “behave” and sat down beside him,
Comme il n’y avait pas d’chaise, je m’assis sur son lit! (Au Ref.)
Since he had no chair, I sat on his bed! (to Ref.)
6
Comme il n’y avait pas d’chaise, je m’assis sur son lit!
Since he had no chair, I sat on his bed!
Il entr’ouvr’ ma ch’misette! Et découvre un p’tit nid. (Au Ref.)
He half-opened my underclothes! And found a little nest. (to Ref.)
7
Il entr’ouvr’ ma ch’misette! Et découvre un p’tit nid
He half-opened my underclothes! And found a little nest.
Puis il ne dit « Regarde mon joli canari! » (Au Ref.)
Then he said “Look at my handsome canary!” (to Ref.)
8
Puis il ne dit « Regarde mon joli canari! »
Then he said “Look at my handsome canary!”
Je caressai l’oisille et voilà qu’il grandit. (Au Ref.)
I stroked the little bird and suddenly it grew. (to Ref.)
9
Je caressai l’oisille et voilà qu’il grandit,
I stroked the little bird and suddenly it grew,
Et puis battant des ailes, il entra dans mon nid. (Au Ref.)
And then beating his wings, he came into my nest. (to Ref.)
10
Et puis battant des ailes, il entra dans mon nid,
And then beating his wings, he came into my nest,
Il y entra si fort… que le cou s’y rompit! (Au Ref.)
He came in so hard… that the neck ruptured! (to Ref.)
11
Il y entra si fort… que le cou s’y rompit!
He came in so hard… that the neck ruptured!
Pleurez, pleurez, Mesdames, la mort du canari! (Au Ref.)
Weep, weep, my ladies, for the canary’s demise! (to Ref.)
12
Ne pleurez plus, Mesdames, la mort du canari,
Weep no more, my ladies, for the canary’s demise,
Il suffit d’être adroite, pour lui rendre la vie! (Au Ref.)
It just takes some skill, to bring him back to life! (to Ref.)
Ah la « hyène » et la « vipère »
Oh the “Hyena” and the “Viper”
[untitled fragment]
(ms p. 9)
Ah la « hyène » et la « vipère »
Oh the “hyena” and the “viper”
La « fouine » et le « perroquet »
The “weasel” and the “parrot”
La « pos’-ta-chique-au-vestiaire »
The “snuff-it-in-the-closet”
« Fantômas » et l’« Roquet »…
“Phantom” and the “yappy mutt”
