The tune is one of the most easily recognizable ones being adapted to many other songs such as Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star, Baa Baa Black Sheep, Alphabet Song and numerous other nursery rhymes and children’s songs in other languages.

Moreover this tune inspired many classic composers such as Mozart (Twelve Variations on Ah vous dirai-je maman), Haydn (Surprise Symphony, 2nd movement), Franz Liszt (Album Leaf), or Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach (Variations on Ah vous dirai-je maman).

Ah! Vous dirai-je maman
Lyrics (French)

Ah ! Vous dirai-je maman
Ce qui cause mon tourment?
Papa veut que je raisonne
Comme une grande personne
Moi je dis que les bonbons
Valent mieux que la raison!

Ah! Vous dirai-je maman lyrics
(English translation)

Oh! Shall I tell you, Mama,
What is causing my torment?
Daddy wants me to reason
Like a big, big person,
But I say that candies,
Are worth more than the reason

Ah Vous Dirai – Je Maman Piano

The bridge referenced in the song is the Saint-Bénézet Bridge built in the 12th century.

As with many nursery rhymes, the song has many variations in place and the dances associated with it may differ from region to region but they all start out with people in pairs dancing around each other and stopping the dance and bowing when the chorus is finished.

Sur le Pont D’Avignon Lyrics

More Famous French Songs

Frère Jacques Meaning

Contrary to the common beliefs “les matines” meaning Matins (or Mattins) which is a canonical hour of Christian liturgy. Because matin means morning in French the verse: Sonnez les matines! Sonnez les matines! was incorrectly translated as Morning bells are ringing! Morning bells are ringing!.

The correct translation is “Ring the Matins! Ring the Matins!” and it is an imperative for a monk brother Jacques, (in English  a correspondent for James or Jacob,) who overslept, to announce the Matins.

Frère Jacques Lyrics

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