How to Listen to La Marseillaise

[SoDesuKa]

If you're going to observe Bastille Day, you might as well get it right. First, click on the link: http://elysee.fr/music/mars.ra

The key word here is Allons which means Get Up. That's right - Get Up. You can't just sit there, it's disrespectful. You do not have to stand stiffly at attention, but you should at least be standing.

You don't have to sing the words, which like many French things, are too French. All this roolya-boolya about cutting throats and having blood run in the fields is offensive to contemporary sensibilities. Unless, of course, you are French.

Alors, allons.

Allons enfants de la Patrie
Le jour de gloire est arrivé !
Contre nous de la tyrannie
L'étendard sanglant est levé
Entendez-vous dans nos campagnes
Mugir ces féroces soldats?
Ils viennent jusque dans vos bras.
Égorger vos fils, vos compagnes!

Aux armes citoyens
Formez vos bataillons
Marchons, marchons
Qu'un sang impur
Abreuve nos sillons

[seventhson]

1. I think he describes the tyrants as cut-throats

but there are differing interpretations.

I found this one and it is very apropos today globally:


http://www.marseillaise.org/english/others.html#elle


VERY apt today.

as I have mentioned in other posts - my father worked with the resistance in France in WWII smuggling Jews and antifascists to safety - this is a true revolutionary/patriotic song to oppose the Naziism and fascism of the ilks of the Bushzis


Get up, Stand up!

[SoDesuKa]

3. Sang Impur

The Marseillaise makes too big a deal about blood, and it also refers to sang impur. That's racist. It makes the claim that our blood is purer, cleaner than other people's blood.

Disclaimer: The Star Spangled Banner is over the top, too. Way too militaristic. And America the Beautiful is treacle. Purple mountain majesties! Give me a break.

[northzax]

2. bon fete nacional!

sorry, can't bother with the ASCII code to get the correct markings...