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{{short description|French song}}
{{short description|French song}}
{{more citations needed|date=January 2009}}
{{use dmy dates|date=August 2024}}
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[Image:LePontd'Avignon.jpg|220px|thumb|[[Pont d'Avignon]] (Bridge of Avignon)]] -->
[[File:Pont Saint-Bénezet B0000647.jpg|thumb|[[Pont d'Avignon]] at dusk]]
"'''Sur le pont d'Avignon'''" ({{IPA|fr|syʁ lə pɔ̃ daviɲɔ̃|pron}}) ("On the Bridge of Avignon") is a French song about a dance performed on the Pont d'Avignon (officially [[Pont Saint-Bénézet]]) that dates back to the 15th century. The dance actually took place under the bridge and not on the bridge ({{lang|fr|sous le Pont d'Avignon}}, not {{lang|fr|sur}}).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lookandlearn.com/blog/8728/sous-le-pont-davignon/|title=Sous le Pont d'Avignon|website=www.lookandlearn.com|date=25 May 2011|orig-date=22 March 1980|access-date=10 August 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://perfectlyprovence.co/sur-or-is-it-sous-le-pont-davignon/|title=Sur, or is it Sous, le Pont d'Avignon|date=13 April 2015|website=perfectlyprovence.co|access-date=23 December 2018}}</ref>
[[Image:Pont Saint-Bénezet B0000647.jpg|220px|thumb|[[Pont d'Avignon]] at dusk]]
'''"Sur le Pont d'Avignon"''' ({{IPA-fr|syʁ lə pɔ̃ daviɲɔ̃|pron}}) (French: On the Bridge of Avignon) is a [[French language|French]] song about a dance performed on the [[Pont Saint-Bénézet|Pont d'Avignon]] (officially Pont Saint-Bénézet) that dates back to the 15th century.
The dance actually took place under the bridge and not on the bridge ({{lang|fr|sous le Pont d'Avignon}}, not ''sur'').<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lookandlearn.com/blog/8728/sous-le-pont-davignon/|title=Historical articles and illustrations » Blog Archive Sous le Pont d'Avignon – Historical articles and illustrations|website=www.lookandlearn.com|date=25 May 2011|accessdate=23 December 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://perfectlyprovence.co/sur-or-is-it-sous-le-pont-davignon/|title=Sur, or is it Sous, le Pont d'Avignon|date=13 April 2015|publisher=|accessdate=23 December 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.rvcampingeurope.com/avignon.html|title=Rvcampingeurope.com|website=www.rvcampingeurope.com}}</ref>


== Dance description ==
== Dance description ==


# It starts out with everyone in pairs and they dance around each other.
# The dance starts out with everyone in pairs, dancing around each other.
# When the chorus is done stop in front of your partner and traditionally the male will bow on the first part then tip his hat on the second.
# When the chorus is done dancers must stop in front of their partners, and traditionally the male will bow on the first part then tip his hat on the second.
# When the chorus begins again repeat step one.
# When the chorus begins again the dancers repeat step one.
# When this stops so does the dance and then the girl curtsies to one side then the other.
# When this stops, so does the dance. The girl curtsies to one side, then the other.
# For the first part, repeat step one and then if you have an audience turn on your heel and bow to them.
# For the first part, dancers repeat step one, and if they have an audience, turn on their heels and bow to them.


== Lyrics ==
== Lyrics ==


[[File:Sur le pont d'Avignon, musique.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Pont d'Avignon and its song]]
=== Chorus ===
<poem lang="fr" style="float:left;">'''Chorus'''
[[File:Sur le pont d'Avignon, musique.jpg|thumb|The Pont d'Avignon and its song]]
''Sur le Pont d'Avignon''<br/>
Sur le pont d'Avignon
''L'on y danse, l'on y danse''<br/>
l'on y danse, l'on y danse.
''Sur le Pont d'Avignon''<br/>
Sur le pont d'Avignon
''L'on y danse tous en rond.''<br/>
l'on y danse tous en rond.
On the bridge of Avignon<br/>
One dances on it, one dances on it<br/>
On the bridge of Avignon<br/>
One dances on it in circles.


1. Les beaux messieurs font comme ça,
=== First verse ===
''Les beaux messieurs font comme ça''<br/>
{{0|1.&nbsp;}}et puis encore comme ça.
{{0|—}}''Chorus''
''Et puis encore comme ça.''
2. Les belles dames font comme ça, ... ''Chorus''
3. Les filles font comme ça, ... ''Chorus''
4. Les musiciens font comme ça, ... ''Chorus''</poem>
<poem style="margin-left:2em; float:left;">&nbsp;
On the bridge of Avignon
they are dancing there, they are dancing there.
On the bridge of Avignon
all dance in circles there.


The fine gentlemen go like this ''(bow)''<br/> And then again like this.
The fine gentlemen go like this ''(bow)''
and then again like this.
{{0|—}}''Chorus''
The beautiful ladies go like this ''(curtsy)'' ...
The young girls go like this ''(salute)'' ...
The musicians go like this ''(they all bow to women)'' ...</poem>{{clear|left}}
Any number of verses may be invented, depicting other professions or various characters.


=== Second verse ===
== Melody ==
<score raw sound>
''Les belles dames font comme ça''<br/>
% Arrangment by Jean-Baptiste Weckerlin [[:fr:s:Sur le pont d’Avignon (Weckerlin 1870)]]
''Et puis encore comme ça.''
% who uses slightly different words for the verse
\header { tagline = ##f }
\layout { indent = 0
\context { \Score \remove "Bar_number_engraver" }
\context { \Voice \remove "Dynamic_engraver" }
}
global = { \key g \major \time 2/4 }
chorvoice = \relative c' { \global \set midiInstrument = "flute"
\autoBeamOff \set Score.tempoHideNote = ##t \tempo 4=100
g'8^>\f g g4 | a8^> a a4 | b8. c16 d8 g, | fis8. g16 a8 d, |
g8^> g g4 | a8^> a a4 | b8. c16 d8 g, | a fis g r8 \bar "||"
}
versevoice = \relative c' { \set midiInstrument = "flute"
g'8. g16 g8 g | \set Score.tempoHideNote = ##t \tempo 4=50 a4^> g8 r8 |
\tempo 4=100 g8. g16 g8 g | \tempo 4=50 a4^> g8 r8 \bar "||" \tempo 4=100
}
chorlyrics = \lyricmode {
Sur le pont d’A -- vi -- gnon,
l’on y dan -- se, l’on y dan -- se.
Sur le pont d’A -- vi -- gnon,
l’on y dan -- se tous en rond. }
verselyrics = \lyricmode {
Les mes -- sieurs font comme ça,
les da -- mes font comme ça.
}
chorright = \relative c'' { \global \set midiInstrument = "vibraphone" \mark \markup "Allegretto"
<g d b>8\pp <g d b> <g d b> r8 | <a fis d> <a fis d> <a fis d> r8 |
<< { b8. c16 d8 g, | fis8. g16 a8 d, } \\ { d4~ d8 s8 | d4~ d8 s8 } >> |
<g d b>8 <g d b> <g d b> r8 | <a fis d> <a fis d> <a fis d> r8 |
<< { b8. c16 d8 g, } \\ { d4~ d8 s8 } >> | <a' e c>8 <fis d c> <g d b>^"Fine" r8 \bar "||"
}
verseright = \relative c' { \set midiInstrument = "vibraphone"
<g' d>8. <g d>16 <g d>8 <g d> | <a e>4^> <g d>8 r8 |
<g bes,>8. <g bes,>16 <g bes,>8 <g bes,> | <a c,>4^>^"D.C. al fine" <g bes,>8 r8 \bar "||"
}
chorleft = \relative c { \global \set midiInstrument = "vibraphone"
g8\p d' g r8 | d, a' d r8 | g8. a16 b8 r8 | << { a8. b16 c8 } \\ { d,4~ d8 } >> r8 |
e,8 b' e r8 | d, a' d r8 | g8. a16 b8 r8 | c, d g r8 \bar "||"
}
verseleft = \relative c { \set midiInstrument = "vibraphone"
b'8. b16 b8 b8 | c4-> (b8) r8 |
<ees, g>8. <ees g>16 <ees g>8 <ees g> | <ees fis!>4-> (<ees g>8) r8 \bar "||"
}
voicepart = \new Staff
{ \clef treble \chorvoice \versevoice }
\addlyrics { \chorlyrics \verselyrics }
pianopart = \new ChoirStaff %{ PianoStaff %} <<
\new Staff
{ \clef treble \chorright \verseright }
\addlyrics { \chorlyrics \verselyrics }
\new Staff
{ \clef bass \chorleft \verseleft }
>>
\score {
<<
% \voicepart % activating this line will create a separate vocal staff above.
\pianopart
>>
\layout { }
}
\score {
{
<<
{ \chorvoice \versevoice } \\
{ \chorright \verseright } \\
{ \chorleft \verseleft }
>>
<< \chorvoice \\ \chorright \\ \chorleft >>
}
\midi {
\context { \Score midiChannelMapping = #'instrument }
\context { \Staff \remove "Staff_performer" }
\context { \Voice \consists "Staff_performer" }
}
}
</score>
Source<ref>{{citation|title=Sur le pont d'Avignon (Weckerlin 1870)|title-link=:fr:s:Sur le pont d’Avignon (Weckerlin 1870)|via=[[:fr:s:Wikisource|French Wikisource]]|postscript=,}} uses slightly different words for the 1st verse.</ref>


== In other media ==
The beautiful ladies go like this ''(curtsy)''<br/>
And then again like that.


In 1951, the [[National Film Board of Canada]] produced the 5-minute animated film ''Sur le pont d'Avignon'', in which extravagantly dressed marionettes pantomime the song.<ref>{{cite web|title=''Sur le pont d'Avignon'' by Jean-Paul Ladouceur and Wolf Koenig|url=https://www.nfb.ca/film/sur_le_pont_davignon/|publisher=[[National Film Board of Canada]]|access-date=10 August 2024}}</ref>
=== Third verse ===
''Les filles font comme ça''<br/>
''Et puis encore comme ça.''


In 1992, a cartoon titled ''The Real Story of... Sur le pont d'Avignon'' was produced by [[Cookie Jar Group|CINAR]] and France Animation, featuring the song and a ghost story revolving around a clockmaker and an enchanted organ.<ref>{{cite AV media| url-status = live| archive-url = https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/l8v-88_DCuU| archive-date = 2021-12-11| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8v-88_DCuU| title = Prawdziwy Koniec Balu Na Moście w Avignonie / The Real Story of Sur le Pont d'Avignon: part 1|language=pl|via=[[YouTube]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-01-09-tv-9851-story.html|title=Shows for Youngsters and Their Parents Too : A behind-the-scenes look at favorite fairy tales and fables on HBO|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=9 January 1994}}</ref>
The young girls go like this ''(salute)''<br/>
And then like that.

=== Fourth verse ===
''Les musiciens font comme ça''<br/>
''Et puis encore comme ça.''

The musicians go like this ''(they all bow to women)''<br/>
And then like that.

== Variation ==
American music publisher Cherry Lane Music Company has printed a different verse (1993):

''Les jeunes filles font comme ça''<br/>
''Les jeunes gens font comme ça''
The young girls go like this,<br/>
The young people go like this.

{{listen|filename=Sur le pont d'Avignon.ogg|title=Sur le pont d'Avignon|description=|format=[[Ogg]]}}

== In popular culture ==
The ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation]]'' episode "[[Chain of Command (Star Trek: The Next Generation)|Chain of Command]]" uses this song as a means for Captain Picard, an appreciator of philosophy and poetry born in France, to resist the effects of torture.

The French fantasy comic book ''Hypocrite: comment decoder l'etircopyh'' by [[Jean-Claude Forest]] (pub. [[Dargaud]] 1973) centres around the destruction of the Pont de Avignon - here imagined as a giant petrified sabre-toothed tiger spanning the river. During the scenes set on the bridge itself the characters sing this song, led by the ghostly Scottish piper Major Grumble.

A cartoon titled "The Real Story of..... Sur La Pont D'Avignon" was produced by [[Cookie Jar Group|CINAR Animation]] and France animation, featuring the song and a ghost story revolving around a clockmaker and an enchanted organ.<ref>{{cite AV media| url-status = live| archive-url = https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/l8v-88_DCuU| archive-date = 2021-12-11| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8v-88_DCuU| title = Prawdziwy Koniec Balu Na Moście w Avignonie / The Real Story of Sur le Pont d'Avignon: part 1 | website=[[YouTube]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-01-09-tv-9851-story.html|title=SHOWS FOR YOUNGSTERS AND THEIR PARENTS TOO : A behind-the-scenes look at favorite fairy tales and fables on HBO|website=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=9 January 1994}}</ref>

In [[The Simpsons|The Simpsons']] episode ''[[The Crepes of Wrath]] (season 1)'', [[Bart Simpson]] sings that song on the way to his accommodation during his student exchange program.

In German-dubbed version of ''[[The Lion King]]'', [[Zazu (The Lion King)|Zazu]] sings briefly that song to [[Scar (The Lion King)|Scar]] after being forced by latter to sing something more cheerful than "[[Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen]]" instead of singing "[[I've Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts]]".


==References==
==References==
Line 82: Line 133:
==External links==
==External links==
*{{commons category-inline}}
*{{commons category-inline}}
*{{IMSLP|work=On the Bridge of Avignon (Godowsky, Leopold)|cname="On the Bridge of Avignon"}}, arrangement by [[Leopold Godowsky]]
*[https://ingeb.org/songs/surlepon.html "Sur le pont d'Avignon"], ingeb.org


{{Authority control}}
{{Authority control}}
Line 87: Line 140:
[[Category:Avignon]]
[[Category:Avignon]]
[[Category:French folk songs]]
[[Category:French folk songs]]
[[Category:French-language songs]]
[[Category:Songs in French]]
[[Category:Year of song unknown]]
[[Category:Year of song unknown]]
[[Category:European folk dances]]
[[Category:European folk dances]]
[[Category:Group dances]]
[[Category:Group dances]]
[[Category:Songs about dancing]]
[[Category:Songs about dancing]]
[[Category:Songs about cities]]
[[Category:Songs about towns]]
[[Category:Songs about France]]
[[Category:Songs about France]]

Latest revision as of 01:46, 30 November 2024

Pont d'Avignon at dusk

"Sur le pont d'Avignon" (pronounced [syʁ lə pɔ̃ daviɲɔ̃]) ("On the Bridge of Avignon") is a French song about a dance performed on the Pont d'Avignon (officially Pont Saint-Bénézet) that dates back to the 15th century. The dance actually took place under the bridge and not on the bridge (sous le Pont d'Avignon, not sur).[1][2]

Dance description

[edit]
  1. The dance starts out with everyone in pairs, dancing around each other.
  2. When the chorus is done dancers must stop in front of their partners, and traditionally the male will bow on the first part then tip his hat on the second.
  3. When the chorus begins again the dancers repeat step one.
  4. When this stops, so does the dance. The girl curtsies to one side, then the other.
  5. For the first part, dancers repeat step one, and if they have an audience, turn on their heels and bow to them.

Lyrics

[edit]
Pont d'Avignon and its song

Chorus
Sur le pont d'Avignon
l'on y danse, l'on y danse.
Sur le pont d'Avignon
l'on y danse tous en rond.

1. Les beaux messieurs font comme ça,
1. et puis encore comme ça.
—Chorus
2. Les belles dames font comme ça, ... Chorus
3. Les filles font comme ça, ... Chorus
4. Les musiciens font comme ça, ... Chorus

 
On the bridge of Avignon
they are dancing there, they are dancing there.
On the bridge of Avignon
all dance in circles there.

The fine gentlemen go like this (bow)
and then again like this.
—Chorus
The beautiful ladies go like this (curtsy) ...
The young girls go like this (salute) ...
The musicians go like this (they all bow to women) ...

Any number of verses may be invented, depicting other professions or various characters.

Melody

[edit]
% Arrangment by Jean-Baptiste Weckerlin [[:fr:s:Sur le pont d’Avignon (Weckerlin 1870)]] % who uses slightly different words for the verse \header { tagline = ##f } \layout { indent = 0 \context { \Score \remove "Bar_number_engraver" } \context { \Voice \remove "Dynamic_engraver" } } global = { \key g \major \time 2/4 } chorvoice = \relative c' { \global \set midiInstrument = "flute" \autoBeamOff \set Score.tempoHideNote = ##t \tempo 4=100 g'8^>\f g g4 | a8^> a a4 | b8. c16 d8 g, | fis8. g16 a8 d, | g8^> g g4 | a8^> a a4 | b8. c16 d8 g, | a fis g r8 \bar "||" } versevoice = \relative c' { \set midiInstrument = "flute" g'8. g16 g8 g | \set Score.tempoHideNote = ##t \tempo 4=50 a4^> g8 r8 | \tempo 4=100 g8. g16 g8 g | \tempo 4=50 a4^> g8 r8 \bar "||" \tempo 4=100 } chorlyrics = \lyricmode { Sur le pont d’A -- vi -- gnon, l’on y dan -- se, l’on y dan -- se. Sur le pont d’A -- vi -- gnon, l’on y dan -- se tous en rond. } verselyrics = \lyricmode { Les mes -- sieurs font comme ça, les da -- mes font comme ça. } chorright = \relative c'' { \global \set midiInstrument = "vibraphone" \mark \markup "Allegretto" <g d b>8\pp <g d b> <g d b> r8 | <a fis d> <a fis d> <a fis d> r8 | << { b8. c16 d8 g, | fis8. g16 a8 d, } \\ { d4~ d8 s8 | d4~ d8 s8 } >> | <g d b>8 <g d b> <g d b> r8 | <a fis d> <a fis d> <a fis d> r8 | << { b8. c16 d8 g, } \\ { d4~ d8 s8 } >> | <a' e c>8 <fis d c> <g d b>^"Fine" r8 \bar "||" } verseright = \relative c' { \set midiInstrument = "vibraphone" <g' d>8. <g d>16 <g d>8 <g d> | <a e>4^> <g d>8 r8 | <g bes,>8. <g bes,>16 <g bes,>8 <g bes,> | <a c,>4^>^"D.C. al fine" <g bes,>8 r8 \bar "||" } chorleft = \relative c { \global \set midiInstrument = "vibraphone" g8\p d' g r8 | d, a' d r8 | g8. a16 b8 r8 | << { a8. b16 c8 } \\ { d,4~ d8 } >> r8 | e,8 b' e r8 | d, a' d r8 | g8. a16 b8 r8 | c, d g r8 \bar "||" } verseleft = \relative c { \set midiInstrument = "vibraphone" b'8. b16 b8 b8 | c4-> (b8) r8 | <ees, g>8. <ees g>16 <ees g>8 <ees g> | <ees fis!>4-> (<ees g>8) r8 \bar "||" } voicepart = \new Staff { \clef treble \chorvoice \versevoice } \addlyrics { \chorlyrics \verselyrics } pianopart = \new ChoirStaff %{ PianoStaff %} << \new Staff { \clef treble \chorright \verseright } \addlyrics { \chorlyrics \verselyrics } \new Staff { \clef bass \chorleft \verseleft } >> \score { << % \voicepart % activating this line will create a separate vocal staff above. \pianopart >> \layout { } } \score { { << { \chorvoice \versevoice } \\ { \chorright \verseright } \\ { \chorleft \verseleft } >> << \chorvoice \\ \chorright \\ \chorleft >> } \midi { \context { \Score midiChannelMapping = #'instrument } \context { \Staff \remove "Staff_performer" } \context { \Voice \consists "Staff_performer" } } }

Source[3]

In other media

[edit]

In 1951, the National Film Board of Canada produced the 5-minute animated film Sur le pont d'Avignon, in which extravagantly dressed marionettes pantomime the song.[4]

In 1992, a cartoon titled The Real Story of... Sur le pont d'Avignon was produced by CINAR and France Animation, featuring the song and a ghost story revolving around a clockmaker and an enchanted organ.[5][6]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Sous le Pont d'Avignon". www.lookandlearn.com. 25 May 2011 [22 March 1980]. Retrieved 10 August 2024.
  2. ^ "Sur, or is it Sous, le Pont d'Avignon". perfectlyprovence.co. 13 April 2015. Retrieved 23 December 2018.
  3. ^ Sur le pont d'Avignon (Weckerlin 1870) – via French Wikisource, uses slightly different words for the 1st verse.
  4. ^ "Sur le pont d'Avignon by Jean-Paul Ladouceur and Wolf Koenig". National Film Board of Canada. Retrieved 10 August 2024.
  5. ^ Prawdziwy Koniec Balu Na Moście w Avignonie / The Real Story of Sur le Pont d'Avignon: part 1 (in Polish). Archived from the original on 11 December 2021 – via YouTube.
  6. ^ "Shows for Youngsters and Their Parents Too : A behind-the-scenes look at favorite fairy tales and fables on HBO". Los Angeles Times. 9 January 1994.
[edit]
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