V'la l'Bon Vent

[dennis a jewett]

Heard music from La Troupe V'la l'Bon Vent while in Quebec last week.  Great stuff!  How does the name of the group translate, and does anyone know if their CD's are available on-line?

[dennis a jewett]

That was quick! Thanks.

[stu harris]

I think maybe I'd just render it as Fair winds.

I, too, was in Quebec very recently. I recommend it for people struggling with French (apart from the weird accent) because you can start saying something in French and, if you get stuck, finish in English. A lot of Quebec conversations seemed to be like that. Great place.

[Arnaut Daniel]

In fact, something more like "lo the good wind" is better. It is from an old song from the Old World, possibly even Brittany. It is about someone getting news from their friend, the wind, about a white duck which has been wantonly slain by the King's son with his "musket of silver". While today it is treated like a children's song -- similar to "nursery rhymes" and fairytales which were preserved in the lore of the oppressed peasantry -- it tells the same dark tale which many other old folk songs, like the Breton air "Eur sulvezh a viz mai" ("One Sunday in May"), tell in slightly more explicit terms: a peasant girl is raped and murdered by a soldier or a nobleman -- like the wolf who ate Little Red Riding Hood in the older versions of the story -- and there is no justice in this life to be had, only the memory to be preserved among her fellow peasants. 

 

The song was brought to Canada and it is a great canoeing song. 

 

V'la l'bon vent !

V'la l'joli vent ! 

V'la l'bon vent, 

M'ami, m'apelle !

 

V'la l'bon vent !

V'la l'joli vent !

V'la l'bon vent, 

M'ami, m'entend !

 

Lo, the good wind!

Lo, the fair wind!

Lo, the good wind, 

My friend, summons me!

 

Lo, the good wind!

Lo, the fair wind!

Lo, the good wind, 

My friend, heeds me!