Lyrics
(English folk song)
1. Let ev’ry good fellow now join in our song,
Vive la compagnie!
Success to each other and pass it along,
Vive la compagnie!
Refrain
Vivela, vivela, vive l’amour.
Vivela, vivela, vive l’amour,
Vive l’amour, Vive l’amour,
Vive la compagnie!
2. A friend on your left, and a friend on your right,
Vive la compagnie!
In love and good fellowship, let us unite,
Vive la compagnie! Refrain
3. Now wider and wider, our circle expands,
Vive la compagnie!
We’ll sing to our comrades, in far away lands
Vive la compagnie! Refrain
4. With friends all around us, we’ll sing out our song
Vive la compagnie!
We’ll banish our troubles, it won’t take us long
Vive la compagnie! Refrain
5. Should time or occassion, compel us to part
Vive la compagnie!
These days shall forever, enliven our heart
Vive la compagnie! Refrain
See also
- Country: England
- Subjects: friendship / love
- Activities: motions
- Form: AB
- Harmony: chords I, ii, IV, V, vi
- Melody: D,E,G,B (countermelody)
- Meter: 6/8
- Scale: major
- Source: Book of a Thousand Songs, Albert Ernest Wier, 1918
YouTube
or purchase here (printables only)
- PDF of song with chords + Lesson ideas + Orff arrangement
- MIDI file
- Listen to the song
2 thoughts on “Vive la Compagnie”
I heard this song when I was a boy – in French. All I remember of the verses is that they were about partying, comradeship and group loyalty. The refrain ran Vive, vive, vive le roi, Vive, vive, vive le roi, Vive le roi, Vive la reine, Vive la compagnie! I was told it was from the time of Louis XIV, but I have no evidence for that. What is clear is that its present usual wording about love is absurd for a rousing marching song.
I learned this song in girl scouts. I still remember it over 40 years later. That says a lot about a song with friendships at its heart.