Alouette - French Lyrics with English Translation

Simple song for learning French. It's about plucking feathers off various parts of the lark (alouette) With illustrations and text pointing to different parts of the bird's anatomy.

[@RupaRishima]

People are saying the bird was dead but when I was first told what the song meant, I was told it was about a cook who was trying to sleep and the bird was singing outside his window in the early morning. He was mad at the bird and he was telling the bird he would pluck all his feathers off and cook him for dinner if he didn't stop singing and waking him up.

[@MAZEWAY7]

cute

[@autumnjohnson592]

😂 that sounds like nevermore

[@-Cheif]

This song isn’t exactly a children’s song. It is a song the Voyageurs working for the Hudson Bay company, and the Northwest Trading company during the Fur Trade in North America would sing while canoeing furs down rivers. It was meant to keep an easy rowing beat and pass the time when you are spending 14 hours a day hauling 180 pounds of fur yourself to the next post or fort. It is taught in French class in Canada to help keep our French Canadian heritage and is taught elsewhere as a learning tool for French learners.

[@dianef4227]

Our French teacher used it to teach us some body parts, but he was weird

[@deaddocreallydeaddoc5244]

Some of my ancestors were voyageurs. I live in Vancouver, WA, once the terminus for the Hudson Bay Company.

[@RonLarhz]

Dude. Im literally born and bred in asia and i heard this when i was a kid.

[@TheInkPitOx]

Many kids songs didn't begin that way

[@j9thewicked]

Helping me connect with my French Canadian heritage and connect with my French-speaking African students what an amazing learning tool.

[@rabbitapocalypsecult4245]

Yeah, this may seem like a brutal song but its just about plucking out the feathers of a bird that was *already dead* plucking a birds feathers to prepare it for cooking was a very common house hold chore for kids back when you couldn't just buy de featherd birds, and so a nursery rhyme was made about it.

[@kaz8297]

my french teacher quoted your comment in our assignment

[@YOYOKE64]

Ppl during ww2 killed small wild birds for food

[@LostinTranslation479]

@@kaz8297 wow

[@YOYOKE64]

Back in think was tudor times song birds were a delicacy as were swans

[@RonLarhz]

It's not jist the feather and the translation didnt say dead or not. Sounds like torture feather beak head whaaaaaa?!

[@marshja56]

I failed miserably learning French in school - but I remember this song! When I visited Paris I resisted the temptation to sing this at random moments - it was the only French I knew.

[@Aurochhunter]

I ddin't do too well at French either, and don't even get me started on tryng to learn Polish.

[@Darlingtondoll]

I’m french and we sang this song a lot when I was young. I never had to pluck a lark, but I did have to pluck fresh killed chickens.

[@wiggle7766]

i remember singing this with my mum as a kid 😂😂 im not even french

[@hatzncatz5279]

I was born in france and my mum sang it to me, I still sing it to this day

[@noise420]

Chances are your mom was. Was my case.

[@fernknightaudio5862]

I was taught this in elementary school and it still gets stuck in my head from time to time

[@AndreaSzabo7171]

I learned this song 🎵
On a religious education trip as soon as I got on the bus 🚌 0:54 on my way to Israel Egypt ancient Greece. 💝
Etcetera. 💖
Since 1983. 🎶

[@elf__daddy]

I remember hearing this song and learning it as a child. I grew up in South Dakota, and it took a year or two past when I learned it to realize it was French. Pretty neat.

[@funnyfish1453]

Hey I'm from South Dakota and I remember learning it as a child too lol

[@RoverTheDog1]

I'm from Michigan and heard this too

[@snzzzu]

i came from tom and jerry.

[@LostinTranslation479]

Same

[@monicaleon8658]

Hahahahaha same here!!!!!!! 😂 😆 😝

[@devilkid7187]

And I came from an explanation of what it means.

[@glitchscreen4129]

Hahahaha im here from ghost whisperer

[@kreatos0352]

Me too

[@MrJambola123]

no idea for the life of me why I know this, but i sing bits of it randomly sometimes and i never could find out what it was
so i'm satisfied :D

[@RonLarhz]

Same!!! I randomly was singing it and suddenly if trying out youtube. The first time it came out as liu actor, lmao. And then 2nd time a french looking word magically appeared as is used the speech search function.

[@gracecahalan4352]

I grew up in California and sang this song in preschool - guess it has a wide spread lol

[@soundwaves7080]

SAME THATS WHY I KNOW IT

[@catherinerosa-baker2937]

I remember singing this in Woonsocket Rhode Island in elementary school.
I'm almost singing word-for-word
They had a lot of the french-canadian there. Plucking the feather is probably it had pretty feathers and they wanted one for their hats.
I remember singing this outside of the school before they had air conditioning
Great memories❤

[@latranquilagr28]

I remember learning this in kindergarten they taught us many songs in French, but I only remember Aluetta and Fere Jacques

[@wiggle7766]

oh i remember so many of those french songs. i do know a bit of french but i learnt it as a second language. I remember the ones you said and Ah! Vous dirais-je maman. Good times :)

[@rachelannkrueger7638]

My Mum always sung this song when I was a child and taught my brother and I

[@yourfriendlyneighbour3485]

How can this song about bird body parts be so cute

[@Anadeldr1luv]

My baby loves this song ☺️

[@yourmissingc0ckring759]

Your baby was French in past life?😅 Jk

[@janeentumbao8690]

Does your baby like "Baby Got Back" too? 😂

[@sharihellyer2462]

My mum taught me this as a child. I only remembered the first verse, so glad I found this version. It's happily jogged my memory

[@hetjamesfield4473]

I know this for a loooooong time now... I taught it is a happy song lol

[@tjay45]

i just found out what i was actually saying lmao

[@user-ii7mo4ur5h]

First time listening to this French song to help me learn French. ❤😊

[@kyluscorner8818]

Thanks for giving the background of the song! I was quite shocked when I was watching, but it is understandable now why they were singing about plucking feathers! It was a different time back then!
So glad I can buy boneless chicken breasts at the grocery store! Lol!

[@yourfriendlyneighbour3485]

I was searching for this ever since that Tom & Jerry ep.
💕

[@safiremorningstar]

There are several French recipes from the 18th century even 17th century for that matter that have Lark in them if the word lark is the correct word it's alouette so the song makes a lot of sense since you would have to pluck these birds you know de feather them once they were hunted and then the recipe calls for them being put into another critter don't ask it's very complicated I think I saw this on tasting history at least the recipe that is.

[@kylematthewraven1041]

Why is something so cruel so beautiful

[@maccha4243]

Because it's in French....Everything in French seems so refine and nice YET they are most CRUEL..😂😂😂
Go F yourself sounds sweet too🤭🤭🤭

[@IdiomsNTime]

I mean the bird had it coming

[@Alisstta]

I learned this song in elementary school as a second grader and its stuck with me ever since lol

[@platapusdemon]

Terrifying, but catchy.

[@heavenatsbeha9418]

this song takes me back, it is nostalgic!!!!!! i loved this song!! i remember this song, sometimes it comes to my mind and i start bobbing my head, like, it has so many memories and other songs too, i remember singing this Alouette, gentille alouette song in elementary school music class and frere jacques and down by the bay and more growing up!! im 30 years old and i feel so old!!

[@lexizirkle7780]

this song is about a freaking bird?!? and it’s so good?!??!

[@ColonelMarcellus]

It's about plucking all the feathers from some poor song bird

[@pruneclair7christian706]

@@ColonelMarcellus The bird was most likely killed first and in hard times and in ancient Rome, Republic or Empire,soldiers and others ate what they could catch or forage the lands for. Even recently my mother who was born in 1914 if I remember correctly,said her girl friend at age 9 was helping her parents to get a cow or steer ready for preserving in various ways or cooking,or helping with the butchering and other chores which should be part of getting ready to be a working adult and if one can sing as they work as my grandpa said farmers did as they plowed fields and did other chores,so much the better! Grandpa was born in 1866 and came West on a wagon train at age 9 with his parents to Loomis, California I think and was almost captured by Indians who sometimes stole children to raise them in place of warriors who had been killed in battles. He went to Stanford U and became an electrical and mechanical engineer and invented rack and pinion steering,but I think he got in a fight with Henry Ford over the patent rights and Ford won. Sometimes inventors come up with similar inventions at the same time and it's a matter of who gets the patent first or who has the better lawyer. Henry Ford was a great and good man who wrote a very important book and newsletter. My grandpa and father were very hard workers who could build or repair practically anything, wish I could be more like them! Bon ape'tit or have a hearty appetite and enjoy your French cuisine!

[@heygiggle_arts]

was taught this song in first grade and just now at the age of 20 found out that alouette means lark and not owl I am livid.

[@flufferpants4812]

i didn't even know it's about dismembering a bird 💀

[@Nikodymus]

If alllll the rain drops were lemon drops and gumdrops oh what a rain that would be….

[@emmagarcia3024]

in my classroom were learning about France and I know they speak French and my coach told me that there’s this this song in French and I learned pretty quickly and now I’m the lead🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷

[@sarahballantyne-solis5743]

I learned how to sing this song the 3rd time I tried it and I don't even speak French lol

[@sarahballantyne-solis5743]

Armani Burditte please teach me everything you know

[@the_tea05]

Sarah Ballantyne-Solis I wish I could but it's hard to remember I never really took any classes I just knew how to speak these languages

[@jihadmaacaroun9137]

vj

[@IdiomsNTime]

je te plumerai

[@russchadwell]

This, and the French national anthem. Soothing visions.

[@keju4777]

I remember when I was small hearing this song

[@FlippingAnimations]

bonjour comment allez-vous im learning french guys

[@user-ls1bw2uw1j]

Ca va bien, merci. Comment ca va?

[@jmstudent07]

..., me too.

[@chleprime1579]

Yay! Bien travail! Moi aussi! Comment ça va?

[@jaslenebonilla8194]

Chløe Prime ca va bien

[@cliftonchapma1]

This is the only song and french ( short version) I retained from French class. That and "can I got to the toilet"? I loved my teacher though MRS .BICKFORD was great teacher.

[@simplyjadon]

now at least i know some french now ive always wanted to learn it i already am learning spanish and latin and jaapaneese

[@concernedcitizen3476]

Some nursery rhymes are just brutal

[@melodypavao3398]

My mind: I don’t think I like this French song. It’s about a lark getting plucked with feathers. It’s too sad!

[@blueskiessunnytimes5063]

this song is awesome

[@diegoruiz5027]

I remember listening to this in school when I was a 5th grader back in 2016

[@fazbell]

We learned this song in the first grade in 1955.

[@velikovskysghost]

I was on a journey to Israel in the year 2000 and I met a French woman who told me this song was about a boy named John who had to pluck the feathers from chickens which makes sense to me.

[@graciedorman150]

I feel bad now that I know one of the nursery rhymes I was sung as a child envolée hurting a bird by plucking its feathers

[@mayganphynix8267]

EverythingInSight it's life. Most people eat animals, and this process happens to billions. I don't eat animals though (vegan) because I agree with you.

[@uniiique2010]

same
;(

[@lissawhit966]

Most nursery rhymes have terrible origins. Ring around the rosie is about the plague

[@jamesjamero6583]

Well, the "bird" in question should already be dead. See, where this nursery rhyme is from, they ate lark. They're game birds.

[@erichiggins8152]

The bird is dead I think so it didn't hurt

[@raniaqasim237]

so good!

[@jmstudent07]

..., mammamiiiiaa!
Alouette, gentille alouette,
Alouette, je te plumerai.
Un
Je te plumerai la tête.
Je te plumerai la tête.
Et la tête ! Et la tête !
Alouette, Alouette !
Refrain
Deux
Je te plumerai le bec.
Je te plumerai le bec.
Et le bec ! (bis)
Et la tête ! (bis)
Alouette ! (bis)
Refrain
Trois
Je te plumerai les yeux.
Je te plumerai les yeux.
Et les yeux ! (bis)
Et le bec ! (bis)
Et la tête ! (bis)
Alouette ! (bis)
Refrain
Quatre
Je te plumerai le cou.
Je te plumerai le cou.
Et le cou ! (bis)
Et les yeux ! (bis)
Et le bec ! ((bis)
Et la tête ! (bis)
Alouette ! (bis)
Refrain
Cinq
Je te plumerai les ailes.
Je te plumerai les ailes.
Et les ailes ! (bis)
Et le cou ! (bis)
Et les yeux ! (bis)
Et le bec ! (bis)
Et la tête ! (bis)
Alouette ! (bis)
Refrain
Six
Je te plumerai les pattes.
Je te plumerai les pattes.
Et les pattes ! (bis)
Et les ailes ! (bis)
Et le cou ! (bis)
Et les yeux ! (bis)
Et le bec ! (bis)
Et la tête ! (bis)
Alouette ! (bis)
Refrain
Sept
Je te plumerai la queue.
Je te plumerai la queue.
Et la queue ! (bis)
Et les pattes ! (bis)
Et les ailes ! (bis)
Et le cou ! (bis)
Et les yeux ! (bis)
Et le bec ! (bis)
Et la tête ! (bis)
Alouette ! (bis)
Refrain
Huit
Je te plumerai le dos.
Je te plumerai le dos.
Et le dos ! (bis)
Et la queue ! (bis)
Et les pattes ! (bis)
Et les ailes ! (bis)
Et le cou ! (bis)
Et les yeux ! (bis)
Et le bec ! (bis)
Et la tête ! (bis)
Alouette ! (bis)
Compositores: Comptine Française
Letras de Alouette, Gentille Alouette

[@TimelordUK]

I'm 53 years old and remember this song from childhood and only today have I discovered what it means! I'm not french. It does seem an oddly dark cruel song for kids!! What is the actual meaning behind it?
Is the translation I will pluck the feathers off your beak, neck, head etc, or I will pluck off your beak, neck, head etc?

[@Veevid4u]

Plucking the feathers off the bird is part of preparing it for dinner. In the old days, the lark was considered game bird, good for eating. The lark is now listed among wildlife protective species in most countries in Europe and in America.

[@tnemgiphsrah6369]

Whose here from Vanderpump Rules? Schwartz sang it kind of under his breath while out to dinner with Katie at Sheana's Mexico wedding.

[@jrXpress]

📺 "Evil" Season 3 🎥 bring me here 🤗

[@zeldagamelover24]

this song was on a old cassette tape I had called "My Little Yellow Bus"
I never knew the meaning till now.....

[@radosty]

Мы пели эту песню в детстве..
Урааа

[@aaronwimberleymbamsf5776]

classic & timeless=] My mom would sing this to me when I was just a tike.

[@noorlu3679]

Are you telling me I've been singing this! to my BIRD???

[@melodypavao3398]

You have a pet bird?

[@noorlu3679]

@@melodypavao3398
yes, a cockatiel.

[@melodypavao3398]

Awww! That is so sweet.

[@melodypavao3398]

Hey, what’s a cockatiel?

[@noorlu3679]

@@melodypavao3398 A cockatiel...is a cockatiel :)

[@drawingmaster9797]

omg i'm learning french by this song lol

[@akshaynanthur]

A sweetsong about the Butcher talking to a live Bird, that he will pluck its feathers & cook it....understandable

[@ColonelMarcellus]

A song bird?

[@bonbonboy9334]

This song is about someone saying theyl eat the bird/lark

[@Tuki_Bird]

The wife tried to tell me this was a barney song about gumdrops and rainbows

[@c0dy_1109]

I remember singing this in class as a kind

[@smartomar4536]

Tom & Jerry brought me here, the French knights episode with the little grey mouse singing it

[@karenthemightyunicorn0919]

I remember learning this in French class when I was little. Never really knew the meaning. For some random reason, as I was doing some cleaning n this popped in my head. Had to look it up to find out what it actually meant 😂

[@mak3x7]

who else learned this from tom and Jerry

[@nikkixofreitag]

Barney!

[@ColonelMarcellus]

Neither Tom, a cat, nor Jerry, a mouse, has feathers.

[@Jack66840]

This covid nonsense is driving me mad. I'm singing the first 2 lines of this song in my head using the word "Ivermectin".
"Ivermectin, gentille Ivermectin
Ivermectin, je te plumerai"

[@Nichalson]

I would like to request using this video as part of my assignment thanks :D

[@versive3205]

Omggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg i love that song thanks wow why birds

[@tejaswipant7176]

O my god, what sort of a song is this!! Teach this to children?

[@theterminatordog2084]

I grew up singing this too lol

[@brodynevraumont]

This should be the Montreal alouttes win song

[@Littlewolf13]

What a F’ing SICK song! Especially for children! HOLY SHIT!

[@burningfox4252]

I really wana hear a creepy version of this song. Like the texts meaning is pretty freaky so id love to hear a version that is a little more horrorlike XD

[@oupsize]

Ont-ils un accent québécois ?

[@-Cheif]

It’s a French Canadian song

[@mig0171]

Why plucking the larks feathers?!?!

[@ashokkumarg6277]

Nibble Jerry 💘 bring to me here 🐁🐈🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾😙😙😻😻😻😻💜💜💜

[@mosesrodrigues6596]

I like d the song

[@Confused_1Dfan]

how old were you when you found out the english lyrics to the song!!! forty f**king THREE!!! thats how old 43! i sang this song about plucking a bird and now i feel really bad.

[@fazbell]

I am 74 and I just now learned what we were singing in grade school.

[@cipherthedemonlord8057]

Have heard this before came because of a French Vtuber.

[@rvpstudioscanada3991]

OH MY GOD!!!! My grade school teachers were HORRIBLE!!! I JUST FOUND OUT NOW...the MEANING of the song Alouette. “I’ll pluck your feathers”??? WHAT THE HELL???!!!!! Abusing and physically HARMING a poor defenceless bird called a “lark”...plucking his head..plucking his beak.. NO WONDER my teachers NEVER translated the meaning to us. If you watch Gilligan’s Island “the matchmaker” episode where Ginger was singing VERY SEXILY “Alouette”..it sounded like she wanted to kiss your head and your mouth... this TRUE MEANING changes THE WHOLE THING!!! My childhood memories are CRUSHED!

[@liliboothe899]

rvpstudioscanada The bird was already dead, they were just preparing it to eat.

[@RonLarhz]

Omfg after 30+ years then i learn of the lyrics and it's even more dark than bumblebee... Wtf is with children songs in the past ?!!!!

[@Heartfelt-zv7wh]

Actually if you’ve ever watched the cartoon PepeLe Pew , remember that skunk thst was always chasing that cat 🐈‍⬛? He sang that song !!! 😂

[@rainbowfart666]

"On guard'

[@TheInkPitOx]

Why is there a football team named the Larks?

[@TwiceNewjeans]

So cute

[@sheetalneema6604]

nice

[@jonathane1232]

Bruh tell me why I am learning about this song in music class

[@mmaaryan4812]

Tom & Jerry🥰

[@jmen4ever257]

Hah! I always assumed this song was about a guy's girlfriend! How joyfully it is sung about plucking a birds feathers out!

[@robinwhitman8840]

That's what I was singing!

[@vnagaravi]

It's a horror song for kids....😂😂

[@2rwoodham]

I came from EVIL series 😅 gotta clearify.

[@VCOTABFONDD]

I came here from Brawl of the Object 😂

[@janicemartin657]

I hade that song stuck in my head but I didn't now all the lyrics :(

[@thelovelyone1582]

I came from Dance Moms. When they did that number called Alouette

[@uniiique2010]

I like the song but killing the bird?!? no I like it in French I'm learning to speak French...

[@fire4blaz162]

angelina aragon so

[@ericortega9460]

angelina aragon isnt this song in french?.

[@ninjaweretiger4273]

Unfortunately yeah. It’s a pretty violent kid song. Originally from Quebec, Canada. I’m Canadian from Alberta.
I heard it is over 300 to 400 years old back when the fur trade was at its highest point in Quebec.

[@finalcountdown3210]

They would sing the song as they were preparing it for dinner. Apparently they were pretty common as food back in the day.
=

[@janeentumbao8690]

Anyone remember the Alvin and the Chipmunks version?
Anyone believed their translation?😂😂😂😂

[@dcardigan13]

This is a tongue twister right? It has to be

[@DevilMayPodcastYT]

Here because of Lealand

[@adriandimitrijeski]

Who came here because of the TV Show "Evil"? XD

[@nathanbartolo8650]

I come from a land down under

[@RealBenson03]

French 3 Virual Class Anyone Else?
No just me, fair enough

[@jelly4312]

Ayo why is so many people here from Tom and Jerry, I came because I need to find a tune to put Spanish endings to for my class

[@nizamuddinalamgir5925]

Is the bird still alive ?

[@bubbercakes528]

I still have no clue what this song is talking about. Are the kids sadistic?