PH2033
Son ar chistr
Music: Trad. arr. Peter Hill, Words: Trad. Breton
Voicing: SATB
Performance time approx: 2m 30s
Range S: d' – c'' / A: b – a' / T: e – d' / B: d – c'
Price code: C
Complexity:
This lively and humorous Breton drinking song is arranged using a mixture of the traditional kan ha diskan (call and response) style in the male voices, and easy four-part harmony. A great song for a light (or rowdy) interlude in your concert. For another drinking song, see Preab san òl (Another round).
Ev chistr 'ta Laou, rak chistr ‘zo mat, loñla,
Ev chistr 'ta Laou, rak chistr ‘zo mat.
Ur blank, ur blank ar chopinad, loñla,
Ur blank, ur blank ar chopinad.
Ar chistr zo graet 'vit bout evet, loñla,
Hag ar merc'hed 'vit bout karet.
N'oan ket c'hoazh tri mizeureujet, loñla,
'Ben 'vezen bemdez chikanet.
Taolioù botoù, fasadigoù, loñla,
Ha toull an nor 'wechadigoù.
Ev chistr 'ta Laou, rak chistr zo mat, loñla,
Ur blank, ur blank ar chopinad.
Translation
Drink up your cider, William, for cider is good.
One sou, one sou, a glass.
Cider is made to be drunk,
And girls to be loved.
I hadn’t been married for three months
Before I got shouted at every day.
Kicks, slaps,
And sometimes flung out of the door.
Drink up your cider, William, for cider is good.
One sou, one sou, a glass.
English lyrics
Drink up your cider, cider’s good you know,
Drink up your cider, cider’s good.
Drink up your cider, cider’s good!
One sou per glass, one little sou per glass,
One sou per glass, one sou per glass
Cider is made for drinking down, dear Bill,
Cider is made for drinking down.
Cider is made for drinking down,
And then again, Bill, girls are made for love,
And then again, girls are for love.
I’d not been wed for three short months, you know,
I’d not been wed for three short months.
I’d not been wed for three short months
Before she shouted every single day,
Before she shouted every day.
She gave me kicks, she kicked and slapped me too,
She gave me kicks and slapped me too.
She gave me kicks and slapped me too,
And then she even flung me out the door,
She even flung me out the door.
Sheena Phillips