Au Clair de la Lune

May 29, 2020 / Katrina Waugh

We’re sure most of you are familiar with the French Song “Au Clair de la Lune*” but did it ever cross your mind that it might be a bit risqué*? It certainly did not to us, until we were tipped off by a curious student, Martha, who set herself the seemingly innocent challenge of translating this French comptine*. So what did she find? Well, it all starts out fairly innocently, with talk of quills, candles and the love of God, but by the third verse, things have taken a sexier turn (or do we just have dirty minds au nid*?).

See what you think by checking out the video, which seems to play on the faux* innocence of the words. Again, we could just be seeing this through a slightly perverted lens, mais sérieusement*, the God of Love wants to enter your cabin??? À vous de décider*.

"Au clair de la lune,
Mon ami Pierrot,
Prête-moi ta plume
Pour écrire un mot.
Ma chandelle est morte,
Je n'ai plus de feu.
Ouvre-moi ta porte
Pour l'amour de Dieu."

Au clair de la lune,
Pierrot répondit :
"Je n'ai pas de plume,
Je suis dans mon lit.
Va chez la voisine,
Je crois qu'elle y est,
Car dans sa cuisine
On bat le briquet."

Au clair de la lune,
L'aimable Lubin;
Frappe chez la brune,
Elle répond soudain :
–Qui frappe de la sorte?
Il dit à son tour :
–Ouvrez votre porte,
Pour le Dieu d'Amour.

Au clair de la lune,
On n'y voit qu'un peu.
On chercha la plume,
On chercha du feu.
En cherchant d'la sorte,
Je n'sais c'qu'on trouva;
Mais je sais qu'la porte
Sur eux se ferma.

"By the light of the moon,
My friend Pierrot,
Lend me your quill
To write a word.
My candle is dead,
I have no light left.
Open your door for me
For the love of God."

By the light of the moon,
Pierrot replied:
"I don't have any pens,
I am in my bed
Go to the neighbor's,
I think she's there
Because in her kitchen
Someone is lighting the fire."

By the light of the moon
Likeable Lubin
Knocks on the brunette's door.
She suddenly responds:
– Who's knocking like that?
He then replies:
– Open your door
for the God of Love!

By the light of the moon
One could barely see.
The pen was looked for,
The light was looked for.
With all that looking
I don't know what was found,
But I do know that the door
Shut itself on them.

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