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| Screen Capture from the Video Below |
Why is the post title in French, what's that song all about anyway? Are we talking about World War One today? Come on, what's going on?
And for those wondering, yes, the Sarge does love onions fried in oil. Maybe it's my French DNA. Oh really, I suppose you love haggis too, because of your Scots DNA?
Yes, I love haggis.
Now where were we?
The song of the onion, a catchy tune, innit? (I know, I know, YMMV.)
So yeah, back in 2012 when I decided to become a blogger, first thing I needed was a title for the blog. I had something in mind, but couldn't find it on the web of world-wideness. So I went with Chant du Départ instead of my original idea.
See where I'm going with this?
Yup, you were within moments of having this blog named the Chanson de l'Oignon. Yup, song of the onion.
Probably a good thing because the humorous website, The Onion, might have sued me for copyright infringement, supposing that their lawyers could speak French.
So what is this song about anyway, other than the obvious love French soldiers have for fried onions?
It came about in 1800 when Napoléon was wandering the bivouacs of his army in Italy. This was well before he became the emperor of France, he was First Consul at the time. The Consulate was the form of government in France at the time. Theoretically three guys, consuls, shared power. In reality, Napoléon was the first among "not so equals."
Now back to the bivouac story, Bonaparte (as he was called at the time) came across some of his grenadiers (of the Consular Guard, which became the Imperial Guard when Napoléon became emperor) were making dinner. As the story goes, they were rubbing onions on their bread, ya know, for the flavor.
Apparently he said, ""Very good, there is nothing better than an onion for marching on the road to glory." Although I'm sure he actually said that in Corsican-accented French.
And there you go, the song of the onion. A French marching song and not the name of this blog.
So did we dodge a bullet or damn, I wish it was called the song of the onion?
What say you?
Here are the lyrics (roughly) in English:
I like onions fried in oil
I like onions because they're good
I like onions fried in oil
I like onions, I like onions
Step by step, comrades, step by step, comrades
Step by step, step by step, comrades
Step by step, step by step, comrades
Just one onion fried in oil
Just one onion turns us into lions
Just one onion fried in oil
Just one onion, just one onion
Step by step, comrades, step by step, comrades
Step by step, step by step, comrades
Step by step, step by step, comrades
Step by step, step by step, comrades
But no onions for the Austrians
No, no onions for all these dogs
But no onions for the Austrians
No, no onions, no onions
Step by step, comrades, step by step, comrades
Step by step, step by step, comrades
Step by step, step by step, comrades
Step by step, step by step, step by step
Let's love onions fried in oil
Let's love onions because they are good
Let's love onions fried in oil
Let's love onions, let's love onions
Step by step, comrades, step by step, comrades
Step by step, step by step, step by step
Step by step, comrades, step by step, comrades
Step by step, step by step, step by step
And what, no love for the Austrians? Well, that's who the French were fighting in Italy, so yeah, no onions for them.
So now you know ...
Author's Note: Yes, a bit of whimsy. Beats going insane trying to come up with something else to write about.
What's the line between creativity and insanity, again?
ReplyDeleteI finally found onions that grow reliably in NH. Egyptian Walking Onions. Self planting and not to the taste of voles and deer.
And yes they do self plant everywhere. Competes well with my garlics.
Interesting plant, being disliked by the wildlife is a plus!
DeleteI'm so old I can remember when Breton "Onion Johnnies" would cycle around in Britain selling the aforesaid.
ReplyDeleteBut do I remember them? Or do I remember cartoons of them in children's comics? Or do I remember my parents' accounts of them?
Does anyone else sometimes doubt their favourite memories from early childhood?
Apparently the Onion Johnnie is making something of a comeback. (At least in Wikipedia's "mind.")
DeleteI find myself questioning, at times, some of my earliest memories. My two younger brothers remember things differently than I, so that's part of it. After all, eyewitness testimony can be sketchy.
Sarge,
ReplyDeleteBased on that song, I no longer wonder why the French historically do so bad in wars. 😏
juvat
One war, they did badly in one war. Historically the French soldier was one of the most feared in Europe.
DeleteWhy oh why must this myth persist?
I think that there is no single reason for it, Sarge. I think at least some of the ingredients in that stew are:
DeleteThe quick capitulation of the French government in WWII. Both France and Germany had lost ~ 2,000,000 in WWI, but the German population was about 68,000,000 at the start, compared to 40,000,000 for France. The French were still "war weary" and rebuilding from that war.
Anglo-American propaganda in WWI. Even though the French were our allies, they also were German puppets, and so for to keep up Anglo-American morale our propaganda machines cranked up to show the French as inept, not a real threat.
Lingering doubts about the French because of the known excesses of their Revolution in the 18th century.
General snootiness of French politicians and military leaders...who do they think they are, Americans?
WWII is the reason, not to mention the classic Anglo distain for all things French.
DeleteWell, as to the French losing...
DeleteThey lost to us during the undeclared naval war after their revolution.
Nappy lost twice. TWICE!!!
They lost against the Mexicans. Yeah, sure, took 3,000 'cans to kill 65 Legionnaires, but France eventually lost.
They lost against the Prussians in the first FP war.
They almost lost against the Germans in the 2nd FP war (WWI.)
They definitely lost against the Germans in the 3rd FP war (WWII.)
So, yeah long history of losing.
Thanks Beans,. Kinda agrees with what the Army taught us in Command and Staff and SAMS.
Deletejuvat
Beans, just how many Americans know all that? I'd wager less than 10%. The anti-French bias in this country is due more to their loss in WWII and the sheer cement-headed arrogance of Charles de Gaulle more than any of those other things. We'd still be British colonies if it weren't for the French.
Deletejuvat, see my answer to Beans.
DeleteSarge, my apologies. I’m sorry I struck a nerve on either your enthusiasm for the song or your respect for the French. I thought the winking emoji signified that. Again, my apologies.
Deletejuvat
No problem, but actually that's the smirking emoji, not the winking one. This 😏 versus this 😉. Easy to miss I suppose. But yeah, I get pretty hot over insults to the French military. Yes, they've had their ups and downs, as have we. But jeez, I get tired of those old gibes. Might be the Frenchman in me, he comes out every now and again.
DeleteOh, I know. We'd actually have been better not to be embroiled in England's Wars. And England did a great propaganda war against us in WWI, and against the French and their achievements in WWI, and degrading pre-WWII Petain's worries. And, yes, De Gaulle was a circular muscle found at the end of the colon. The subtle propaganda against France by England during WWII didn't help.
DeleteAs to how many people know about all those loss points for France? They used to be taught. Key phrase is 'used to be.'
I love deflating pro-Mexicans over the whole 'Cameron' thingy, along with, of course, The Alamo. How many Mexicans does it take to kill 65 Frogs? Etc.
Those things were not necessarily taught back in the day. Schools tended to concentrate on American history. DoD schools were a little better, but not much.
DeleteI like backstories. I also like history. And voila, both in a post!
ReplyDelete(Apparently late 18th century/early 19th century Europe had a limit on original words used in a song?)
Well, it's a marching song, more of a chant really I suppose. Keep it simple and the soldiers can sink their teeth into it, so to speak.
DeleteIt follows a well established song forum, a few lines, usually simple, followed by a strong chorus that invites people who don't know the song to join in. Form goes back to at least the Renaissance, probably to the Medieval period.
DeleteOne example I like is, even though it's not suitable for a march.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbKWk6RzaiM&list=RDWbKWk6RzaiM&start_radio=1
Gaudete, gaudete Christos est natus
Ex Maria virginae, gaudete.
Gaudete, gaudete Christos est natus
Ex Maria virginae, gaudete.
Tempus ad est gratiae hoc quod optabamus,
Carmina laetitiae devote redamus.
Gaudete, gaudete Christos est natus
Ex Maria virginae, gaudete.
Gaudete, gaudete Christos est natus
Ex Maria virginae, gaudete.
Deus homo factus est naturam erante,
Mundus renovatus est a Christo regnante.
Gaudete, gaudete Christos est natus
Ex Maria virginae, gaudete.
👍
Delete(cough, cough)... I've... marched to Gaudete. Just gotta put it in 4/4 time. Marched to Nom Nobis, too. Marched to 'Avec Mes Sabots' (with my shoes.) Heck, I've marched to Beethoven...
DeleteYou can almost march to anything. Almost.
DeleteLogging into a blog titled "song of the onion" .......brings a smile Sarge.
ReplyDeleteWell, there is that. 😉
DeleteBrings a tear to the eye?
DeleteOnly if you cut them.
Delete"the Sarge does love onions fried in oil"
ReplyDeleteSo does this subdeacon. In butter. In oil. In bacon grease. When I'm stumped for what to make for dinner, I'll heat some oil/butter in a pan, or maybe chop a little bacon to render, and then add a chopped onion or two, maybe some garlic. Then look around for something else to go with or into it. Some nights it's just onions and bread.
Supposedly onions were the cause of the first recorded labor strike. Workers in the Valley of the Kings had their rations of onions and beer cut, so they went on strike. Sometime in the 12 century BCE (Before the Christian Era). Or so I've read.
Cut my beer and onion ration and I'd be on strike too!
DeleteFor the record, we don't like BCE and CE in these parts. BC and AD work just fine, let those unwashed heathens use BCE and CE. Politically correct horseshit if you ask me.
Nor done here. Good answer! Good answer!
Deletejuvat
Down here. i Pad is funnin with me
Deletejuvat
We see eye-to-eye on this one.
DeleteiPad 1, juvat nil.
DeleteYep. I'm usually a BC/AD guy myself. But I'd just been berated by some of the некультурные придурки (uncultured anal sphincters) for not using BCE and CE. The howling when I responded, "Before the Christian Era and Christian Era, OK, I can do that." was a joy to read. Especially after I pointed out that "The Common Era" was just a renaming of of BC and AD did change anything. Also that it was first used in the 1600s or 1700s by a Christian theologian/astronomer.
DeleteScrew the nekulturny.
DeleteI love mild to medium onions. Known to place slices of onions with mustard between two slabs o bread and munch away. Sadly the lovely Mrs. Andrew doesn't much like the smell of onions, especially grilled, browned or fried onions. Sigh.
DeleteCan't have malt vinegar in the house, so I used to go to Long John Silvers for my yearly fix but they've all gone away in this area, along with Captain D's, all replaced by crappy Chinese fake fast food.
Yum, malt vinegar.
DeleteI do like some good batter-fried fish to go with my malt vinegar. Also good on boiled cabbage with sausage. And fries.
DeleteIt's the only way I got through one meal at the youth hostel in London.
DeleteMe: "Fish? That's it?
Cook: "Sorry mate, dump enough malt vinegar on it, it ain't half bad that way."
And it wasn't, half bad that is.
My Aunt was thoroughly German and I got my love of fried onions from her. We never had a meat or fish meal without fried onions. I don't remember chicken with fried onion. Those meals are over 60 years ago.
ReplyDeleteThe tune has also been done in German. The Austrians still don't get any fried onions.
DeleteAbout the interesting weapon in the trenches;
ReplyDeletehttps://youtu.be/UiFROSqoLJ0?si=pPitC3CIZy-sfskZ
https://www.forgottenweapons.com/larbalete-la-sauterelle-type-a-dimphy/
That is interesting, I didn't notice that. Wasn't the point of the story, but interesting nonetheless.
DeleteI'm still a little hot under the collar about this post.
One of the hardest things to change is people's assumptions. Like Marsal Petain. Or the reasons why France fell so quickly. People thinking the Maginot Line was a failure, um, no, it worked very well, didn't get invaded through, did it?
DeleteThey just needed to extend it to cover the entire border, especially the flat bits north of Paris. We drove through there, coming down from Belgium. My one thought was "What were the French thinking?" Answer- they weren't. North of Paris is awesome tank country.
DeleteThey were expecting Belgium to step up and protect its borders. And there were plans to run the Line up between France and Belgium but they were cut pretty early in the planning stage.
DeletePretty dumb expectation.
DeleteBah, onions. Used to like them, but as my gut aged, the onions (and their unruly cousins, mustard and garlic) lead to great digestive distress. A pox on them all, as for me, but as for thee, eat 'em if you can.
ReplyDeleteThe song sounds like something that could have appeared in Peter Jackson's magnificent "They Shall Not Grow Old" where undaunted Poilus heartily belt it out (via the voices of living French soldiers after numerous rehearsals and refreshments to get the proper level of enthusiasm.
Thank Zeus for small favors, and that we were spared the onion name.
John Blackshoe
Hahaha!
DeleteAs for gastric distress, I feel your pain, there are things I can't safely eat anymore. Fortunately onions aren't on that list. I really do like them fried in oil, or deep fried as a ring, or on a burger, or a hot dog ...
Sorry, that probably hurt just reading the list.