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| Vive l'Empereur! by Édouard Detaille, 1891. French 4th Hussars at the Battle of Friedland, 14 June 1807. |
Because of my penchant for all things Napoleonic, I was listening to some of the music from that time period on Ye Olde Tube O'You. 'Twas there that I found this charming little ditty I am about to inflict upon share with you.
For those who don't know, hussars were light cavalrymen whose uniforms were inspired by Hungarian fashions of the 1700s. I've seen references made to "based on the Hungarian national dress" but can't pin that down. Seems reasonable. Just can't confirm it.
I do know that hussars originated in Hungary. They were one of those units that just impressed the Hell out of many opponent.
So they were copied.
The Polish version of hussars were extremely ferocious. Polish soldiers on horseback tend to be that way!
Anyway, I give you Dans les Hussards, cavalrymen sans peur et sans reproche. (The lyrics are en français, bien sûr...)
Ah the beautiful life one leads, in the hussars, in the hussars!
For those who don't know, hussars were light cavalrymen whose uniforms were inspired by Hungarian fashions of the 1700s. I've seen references made to "based on the Hungarian national dress" but can't pin that down. Seems reasonable. Just can't confirm it.
I do know that hussars originated in Hungary. They were one of those units that just impressed the Hell out of many opponent.
So they were copied.
The Polish version of hussars were extremely ferocious. Polish soldiers on horseback tend to be that way!
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| Polish Winged Hussar by Aleksander Orłowski |
Anyway, I give you Dans les Hussards, cavalrymen sans peur et sans reproche. (The lyrics are en français, bien sûr...)
Dans les hussards
Le hussard au quartier
Le hussard au quartier
N'a pas besoin de marchepied,
pour engueuler son brigadier...
Ah ! La belle vie que l'on mène
Dans les hussards, dans les hussards.
Ah ! La belle vie que l'on mène
Dans les hussards, dans les hussards.
Le hussard, au manèg'
Le hussard, au manèg'
Malgré la basan' qui l' protèg'
Use plus vit' son dos que son siège
Ah ! la belle vie que l'on mène...
Dans les hussards, dans les hussards.
Ah ! la belle vie que l'on mène...
Dans les hussards, dans les hussards.
Le hussard, en amour
Le hussard, en amour
Va de l'avant comme un tambour
Jamais on n' l'a vu rester court
Ah ! La belle vie que l'on mène...
Dans les hussards, dans les hussards.
Ah ! La belle vie que l'on mène...
Dans les hussards, dans les hussards.
Le hussard, au cercueil
Le hussard, au cercueil
Même après qu'il a tourné lœil
S'écrie encore avec orgueil
Ah ! La belle vie que l'on mène
Dans les hussards, dans les hussards
Ah ! La belle vie que l'on mène
Dans les hussards, dans les hussards
Ah the beautiful life one leads, in the hussars, in the hussars!
Brings to mind Barnacle Bill the Sailor, which would probably sound better in French
ReplyDeleteHahaha! No doubt.
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