Learn to play Quebec’s unofficial national anthem!
There’s a midi file here! It’s really easy (AND fun) to play on a D whistle. The chorus goes:
B G A HighD
B G A HighE
A C HighE HighD HighD HighD HighD HighD
B G A HighD
B G A HighE
A C HighE HighD G B A G
Here are the lyrics (if anyone’s interested!):
Gens du pays
Le temps que l’on prend pour dire « je t’aime »
C’est le seul qui reste au bout de nos jours
Les voeux que l’on fait, les fleurs que l’on sème
Chacun les récolte en soi-même
Aux beaux jardins du temps qui court
Chorus:
Gens du pays, c’est votre tour
De vous laisser parler d’amour
Le temps de s’aimer, le jour de le dire
Fond comme la neige aux doigts du printemps
Fêtons de nos joies, fêtons de nos rires
Ces yeux où nos regards se mirent
C’est demain que j’avais vingt ans
Gens du pays, c’est votre tour
De vous laisser parler d’amour
Le ruisseau des jours aujourd’hui s’arrête
Et forme un étang où chacun peut voir
Comme en un miroir l’amour qu’il reflète
Pour ces coeurs à qui je souhaite
Le temps de vivre nos espoirs
Gens du pays, c’est votre tour
De vous laisser parler d’amour
hey Emily,
congratulations and enjoy the day! That’s a beautiful national anthem (official or not), both music and lyrics. Après tout: Vivre c’est aimer! Lovely, really. It’s exactly the kind of tune that will play on and on in my brain during the sleepless night that I feel coming.
Btw, our own national holiday was yesterday. But you wouldn’t care about our anthem, it’s so boring.
I have mentioned many times to my family (and wife) wanting to name my (still unconceived) son Jean-Baptiste, after my ancestor Jean-Baptiste Therrieault. Everybody thinks it’s a joke, but I really do like the name.
Ever since people understood the difference between a state and a nation. And they outta know: it’s still the same nation, while the state changed…
I guess you just forgot; as for them… “Je me souviens”
Yes, the name of the day is St-Jean-Baptiste, he’s the patron saint of Quebec. When my parents were young and Quebec was a REALLY catholic place there were parades where they’d have a blond, curly kid to play the role of St-Jean-Baptiste. He’d walk around the streets with sheep.
There was a big concert in Quebec City yesterday and there’ll be one tonight in Montreal. Where I live there’s nothing organized, so I guess I’ll watch the concert on TV and play the whistle.
Janice: I’m in Rouyn-Noranda, which is 700 km northwest of Montreal. I’m originally from Thetford Mines though, that’s between Montreal and Quebec City.
Bloomfield: That was such a depressing anthem. Who wrote it?
We wish our fellow Canadians who live in the gorgeous Province of Québec, and those francophones who live in small pockets across the vastness of our glorious Canadian nation, a very joyous St. Jean-Baptiste day, and let our whistles (and pipes) flow with the sound of music from coast to coast.
Somehow I knew the ‘nation’ thing would be noticed by my fellow Canadians.
Acadie, in the Eastern provinces, has its own flag and its own national holiday (Fête nationale des Acadiens, August 15). No one frowns at that. But when someone talks about St-Jean-Baptiste being Quebec’s national holiday, it suddenly becomes political.
I don’t want to argue about the meaning of the word ‘nation’. But it’s obvious that Quebec is different from the rest of Canada, because of its language, culture, and history. St-Jean-Baptiste is a day to celebrate these things. It’s not, as some could think, a day for separatists. I’m proud to be Québécoise, and I’m proud to be Canadian, too.
AND it is a day for French Canadians around the country to celebrate.. I think that’s great!
Actually, the nation of Canada is hardly a loose affiliation. Canada is a country made of ten provinces and three territories that are united through a powerful federal government. The governments have defined areas in which they can persue policy. It’s complicated, boring and it’s not musical – lets escape from the pitfalls of discussing politics - cuz’ it’s universally something that no-one can agree upon. Let’s raise our glasses and respect and admire our eastern friends. They are special and unique, like every citizen of Canada.
Who wrote it?
