Francis Poulenc (1899-1963), born in 1899 to aristocrats, was a renowned composer of French music in the 20th century, including the hit opera Dialogues des Carmélites and his concert work Gloria. He became well known for his musical charm and wit as he fell in love with “adorable bad music.” He chose to write in his own neoclassical style, avoiding the advanced musical mathematics that his contemporaries sought. In 1926, he wrote his Chansons gaillardes, which premiered with himself on the piano and Pierre Bernac as the singer. This single performance launched Bernac’s career as he became Poulenc’s choice of baritone voice and advisor in writing for vocal lines.

In Poulenc’s Journal de mes mélodies, he wrote, “I am fond of this collection where I tried to show that outright obscenity can adapt itself to music. I detest smutty suggestiveness. The accompaniments are very difficult but well-written, I think. The texts were found in an anthology of songs of the 17th century (an old edition).“ (Translated by Winifred Radford).

The texts used by Poulenc were written by several anonymous 17th-century poets, compiled in the third volume of Anthologie Françoise and the fourth supplementary volume Choix de chansons joyeuses by Jean-Baptiste Pierre Antoine de Monet, Chevalier de Lamarck. Most experts agree that these were likely first written down by monks but were recited by minstrels. Jokes, innuendo, and double entendres are paired with disjointed melody and neoclassical form, with each song employing a different vignette. While already vulgar, additional themes can be revealed by interpreting the text through a ribald lens. To drive this point home to his students in masterclasses, Bernac would turn his back to the audience and connect with the singer as two men in conversation.

As you listen to the Chansons gaillardes, listen to the sound of comedy and desire existing in the same space as you enjoy Poulenc’s creative musical language which highlights the complex human experience of love. 

Ma maîtresse est volage,

Mon rival est heureux;

S'il a son pucelage,

C'est qu'elle en avait deux.

Et vogue la galère,

Tant qu'elle pourra voguer.

My mistress is unfaithful,

My rival is happy;

If he took her virginity,

It is because she had two.

So sails the galley,

As long as it can sail.

Translation completed by Jonathan Rhoades, 2024.

Les rois d'Egypte et de Syrie, 

Voulaient qu'on embaumât leurs corps,

Pour durer plus longtemps morts.

Quelle folie!

Buvons donc selon notre envie,

Il faut boire et reboire encore.

Buvons donc toute notre vie,

Embaumons-nous avant la mort.

Embaumons-nous; 

Que ce baume est doux.

The kings of Egypt and of Syria

Wanted to embalm their bodies,

Wishing to last eternally dead.

What folly!

Let us drink to our envy,

We must drink and drink again.

Let us drink then throughout our life,

Let us embalm ourselves before death.

Let us embalm ourselves;

For that balm is sweet.

Translation completed by Jonathan Rhoades, 2024.

Vous êtes belle come un ange,

Douce comme un petit mouton;

Il n'est point de coeur, Jeanneton,

Qui sous votre loi ne se range.

Mais une fille sans têtons

Est une perdrix sans orange.

You are as beautiful as an angel,

Sweet as a lamb;

There is no heart, Jeanette,

That does not fall under your law.

But a girl without breasts

Is a partridge without orange.

Translation completed by Jonathan Rhoades, 2024.

Je jure, tant que je vivrai,

De vous aimer, Sylvie. 

Parques, qui dans vos mains tenez 

Le fil de notre vie,

Allongez, tant que vous pourrez,

Le mien, je vous en prie.

I swear, as long as I live,

To love you, Sylvie.

Fates, who in your hands hold

The thread of our life,

Lengthen, as long as you can,

My thread, I beg of you.

Translation completed by Jonathan Rhoades, 2024.

Je suis tant que dure le jour 

Et grave et badin tour à tour.

Quand je vois un flacon sans vin,

Je suis grave, je suis grave,

Est-il tout plein, je suis badin.

Je suis tant que dure le jour

Et grave et badin tour à tour.

Quand ma femme me tient au lit,

Je suis sage, je suis sage,

Quand ma femme me tient au lit,

Je suis sage toute la nuit.

Si catin au lit me tient 

Alors je suis badin

Ah! belle hôtesse, versez-moi du vin 

Je suis badin, badin, badin.

I am as long as the day lasts

And serious and playful in turn.

When I see a bottle without wine,

I am serious, I am serious,

If it is full, I am playful.

I am as long as the day lasts

And serious and playful in turn.

When my wife holds me in bed,

I am wise, I am wise,

When my wife holds me in bed,

I am wise all night.

If a prostitute in bed holds me

Then I am playful.

Ah! beautiful hostess, pour me some wine

I am playful, playful, playful.

Translation completed by Jonathan Rhoades, 2024.

Au dieu d'Amour une pucelle

Offrit un jour une chandelle,

Pour en obtenir un amant.

Le dieu sourit de sa demande

Et lui dit: Belle en attendant

Servez-vous toujours de l'offrande.

To the god of love, a virgin

One day offered a candle,

To obtain a lover.

The god smiled at her 

And told her, “Beautiful, while waiting,

Always use your offering.”

Translation completed by Jonathan Rhoades, 2024.

Il fut s'aimer toujours 

Et ne s'épouser guère.

Il faut faire l'amour 

Sans curé ni notaire.

Cessez, messieurs, d'être épouseurs,

Ne visez qu'aux tirelires, 

Ne visez qu'aux tourelours,

Cessez, messieurs, d'être épouseurs,

Ne visez qu'aux cœurs 

Cessez, messieurs, d'être épouseurs,

Holà messieurs, ne visez plus qu'aux cœurs.

Pourquoi se marier, 

Quand la femme des autres

Ne se font pas prier 

Pour devenir les nôtres?

Quand leurs ardeurs,

Quand leurs faveurs,

Cherchent nos tirelires,

Cherchent nos tourelours,

Cherchent nos cœurs?

We always love each other

And hardly ever marry.

We must make love

Without priest nor notary.

Cease, sirs, from being bridegrooms,

Aim only at treasures,

Aim only at pleasures,

Cease, sirs, from being bridegrooms,

Aim only at hearts,

Stop, sirs, from being bridegrooms,

Hey sirs, aim only at hearts.

Why marry

When other men’s wives

Do not need to be asked twice

To become ours?

When their passions,

When their favors,

Seek our treasures,

Seek our pleasures,

Seek our hearts?

Translation completed by Jonathan Rhoades, 2024.

Avec une si belle main,

Que servent tant de charmes,

Que vous tenez du dieu malin,

Bien manier les armes.

Et quand cet Enfant est chagrin

Bien essuyer ses larmes.

With such a beautiful hand,

Which so many charms serve,

Which you hold from the evil god,

Wield the weapons well.

And when this Child is sad

Wipe away his tears well.

Translation completed by Jonathan Rhoades, 2024.