Alouette, one of the most popular French songs known worldwide, is about plucking the feathers of a lark.
Alouette Song Origins
Most probably Alouette song has French-Canadian origin as the first published version appeared in Montreal at McGill College where it was included in “A Pocket Song Book for the Use of Students and Graduates” in 1879.
Canadian theory links the origins of the song to the fur trade in North American waters. On the canoes used to transport goods in exchange for furs, work was always accompanied by singing that made rowing easier to bear. Also, horned larks were often hunted for food by voyageurs, a fairly common practice in the past.
To this day “Alouette” is considered a symbol and an informal anthem of French Canada.
“Alouette” Lyrics
Alouette French Lyrics
Refrain
Alouette, gentille alouette,
Alouette, je te plumerai.
Je te plumerai la tête. ×2
Et la tête! ×2
Alouette! ×2
A-a-a-ah
Refrain
Je te plumerai le bec. ×2
Et le bec! ×2
Et la tête! ×2
Alouette! ×2
A-a-a-ah
Refrain
Je te plumerai les yeux. ×2
Et les yeux! ×2
Et le bec! ×2
Et la tête! ×2
Alouette! ×2
A-a-a-ah
Refrain
Je te plumerai le cou. ×2
Et le cou! ×2
Et les yeux! ×2
Et le bec! ×2
Et la tête! ×2
Alouette! ×2
A-a-a-ah
Refrain
Je te plumerai les ailes. ×2
Et les ailes! ×2
Et le cou! ×2
Et les yeux! ×2
Et le bec! ×2
Et la tête! ×2
Alouette! ×2
A-a-a-ah
Refrain
Je te plumerai les pattes. ×2
Et les pattes! ×2
Et les ailes! ×2
Et le cou! ×2
Et les yeux! ×2
Et le bec! ×2
Et la tête! ×2
Alouette! ×2
A-a-a-ah
Refrain
Je te plumerai la queue. ×2
Et la queue! ×2
Et les pattes! ×2
Et les ailes! ×2
Et le cou! ×2
Et les yeux! ×2
Et le bec! ×2
Et la tête! ×2
Alouette! ×2
A-a-a-ah
Refrain
Je te plumerai le dos. ×2
Et le dos! ×2
Et la queue! ×2
Et les pattes! ×2
Et les ailes! ×2
Et le cou! ×2
Et les yeux! ×2
Et le bec! ×2
Et la tête! ×2
Alouette! ×2
A-a-a-ah
Refrain
Alouette English Translation
Refrain
Lark, nice lark,
Lark, I will pluck you.
I will pluck your head. ×2
And your head! ×2
Lark! ×2
O-o-o-oh
Refrain
I will pluck your beak. ×2
And your beak! ×2
And your head! ×2
Lark! ×2
O-o-o-oh
Refrain
I will pluck your eyes. ×2
And your eyes! ×2
And your beak! ×2
And your head! ×2
Lark! ×2
O-o-o-oh
Refrain
I will pluck your neck. ×2
And your neck! ×2
And your eyes! ×2
And your beak! ×2
And your head! ×2
Lark! ×2
O-o-o-oh
Refrain
I will pluck your wings. ×2
And your wings! ×2
And your neck! ×2
And your eyes! ×2
And your beak! ×2
And your head! ×2
Lark! ×2
O-o-o-oh
Refrain
I will pluck your legs. ×2
And your legs! ×2
And your wings! ×2
And your neck! ×2
And your eyes! ×2
And your beak! ×2
And your head! ×2
Lark! ×2
O-o-o-oh
Refrain
I will pluck your tail. ×2
And your tail! ×2
And your legs! ×2
And your wings! ×2
And your neck! ×2
And your eyes! ×2
And your beak! ×2
And your head! ×2
Lark! ×2
O-o-o-oh
Refrain
I will pluck your back. ×2
And your back! ×2
And your tail! ×2
And your legs! ×2
And your wings! ×2
And your neck! ×2
And your eyes! ×2
And your beak! ×2
And your head! ×2
Lark! ×2
O-o-o-oh
Refrain