“À la claire fontaine” (“By the clear fountain”) is a traditional French song, which has also become very popular in Canada – especially the French-speaking areas such as Québec. The song may have appeared as early as 1604 when the first permanent French settlement was established. As with all traditional songs, numerous versions of both music and lyrics can be found, and versions known in France may be quite different from those known in Canada. (source)

Lyrics

1. À la claire fontaine m’en allant promener

Refrain
Lui ya longtemps que je t’aime, jamais je ne t’oublierai.

2. J’ai trouvé l’eau si belle que je m’y suis baigné.

3. Sous les feuilles d’un chêne
Je me suis fait sécher

4. Sur la plus haute branche
Un rossignol chantait

5. Chante rossignol chante
Toi qui as le coeur gai

6. Tu as le coeur à rire
Moi je l’ai t-à pleurer

6. J’ai perdu ma maîtresse
Sans l’avoir mérité

7. Pour un bouquet de roses
Que je lui refusai

8. Je voudrais que la rose
Fût encore au rosier

9. Et moi et ma maîtresse
Dans les mêm’s amitiés

Translation

1. By the clear fountain, on my promenade

Refrain
I have loved you for a long, long time
Never will I forget you.

2. I found the water so fair that I stopped there to bathe

3. Under an oak tree I dried myself

4. On its highest branch a nightingale was singing

5. Sing, nightingale, sing
You with your carefree heart

6. I have lost my dear friend
Without just cause

7. For a bouquet of roses
That I refused her

8. I would that the rose
Were still on its briar

9. And that my sweet friend
Still there to love me
source

Links

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