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Sea Green Singers - Quand un soldat - When a Soldier goes off to war (singing version) - by Francis Lemarque - score and lyrics
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Quand un Soldat
Compositeur : Francis Lemarque

Fleur au fusil, tambour battant, il va
Il a vingt ans, un cœur d'amant qui bat
Un adjudant pour surveiller ses pas
Et son barda contre son flanc qui bat.

Quand un soldat s'en va-t-en guerre, il a
Dans sa musette un bâton d' maréchal
Quand un soldat revient de guerre, il a
Dans sa musette un peu de linge sale.

Partir pour mourir un peu, à la guerre, à la guerre
C'est un drôl' de petit jeu qui n' va guère aux amoureux.

Pourtant c'est presque toujours
Quand revient l'été qu'il faut s'en aller
Le ciel regarde partir
Ceux qui vont mourir, au pas cadencé.

Des hommes il en faut toujours, car la guerre, car la guerre
Se fout des serments d'amour, elle n'aime que l' son du tambour.

Quand un soldat s'en va-t-en guerre, il a
Des tas d' chansons et des fleurs sous ses pas
Quand un soldat revient de guerre, il a
Simplement eu d' la veine et puis voilà.

When a Soldier goes to War - Non-literal translation

Gun wreathed in roses, drum beating he goes
twenty years old, a lovers heart that glows
a serjeant there to keep him on his toes
his rucksack bouncing plays the beat he knows

When a soldier goes off to war he has
a generals baton in his army bags
When a soldier comes back from war he has
just laundry in his bag and some old rags

To go, die a little more, in the war, in the war
Just a funny little game not what lovers like for sure

But when it is time to leave
Always summer time, the sun in its prime
The sky looks down on the ones
going off to die stepping out in (or of) time

Of Men there’s never enough, ‘cos the war, ‘cos the war
Cares not much for words of love, it likes drum-beats strong and tough

When a soldier goes off to war he has
some flowers and some songs he can recall
When a soldier comes back from war he has
simply a lot of luck and that is all
simply a lot of luck and that is all