Heart of Oak

Heart of Oak (littéralement cœur de chêne, désignant le bois du centre du tronc, le plus solide) est une vielle chanson de marins Britannique, et encore aujourd'hui la marche officielle de la Royal Navy, ainsi que de la composante navale des Forces canadiennes.

Parole et traduction libre

Come, cheer up, my lads, 'tis to glory we steer, — Venez, haut les cœurs, mes gars, la gloire nous guide

To add something more to this wonderful year; — Pour ajouter quelque chose plus à cette année merveilleuse

To honour we call you, as freemen not slaves, — A l'honneur nous vous appelons, comme libres, non comme esclaves

For who are so free as the sons of the waves? — Car qui est plus libre que les enfants des vagues ?

refrain :

Heart of oak are our ships, jolly tars are our men,

we always are ready; Steady, boys, steady!

We'll fight and we'll conquer again and again.

couplet :

We ne'r see our foes but we wish them to stay,

They always see us and they wish us away;

If they run, we will follow, we will drive them ashore,

And if they won't fight, we can do no more.

refrain

couplet :

We'll still make them feel and we'll still make them flee,

And draw them much lower as we guard them at sea,

Then cheer up, my lads, with one heart let us sing,

Oh soldiers, oh sailors, oh statesmen, and king.

refrain (2 fois)

Cœur de chêne

Debout mes gaillards, pointons-nous vers la gloire,

fleurons ajoutons à cet an sans déboire

sans carcans et sans joug,

tout l’honneur nous attend

pour nous qui sommes les fils libres de l’océan.

Coeur de chêne nos navires

gais lurons nos marins

toujours fidèles au poste

hardis! gars! hardis!

l’avenir est à nous les vrais conquérants!

Heart of Oak

(version originale anglaise)

(paroles : par David Garrick, 1759)

(musique : Dr. William Boyce (1711-1779))

Come, cheer up, my lads, 'tis to glory we steer,

To add something more to this wonderful year;

To honour we call you, as freemen not slaves,

For who are as free as the sons of the waves?

CHORUS :

Heart of oak are our ships, jolly tars are our men,

we always are ready; Steady, boys, steady!

We'll fight and we'll conquer again and again.

We ne'er see our foes but we wish them to stay,

They never see us but they wish us away;

If they run, why we follow, and run them ashore,

And if they won't fight us, we cannot do more.

(CHORUS)

They swear they'll invade us, these terrible foes,

They frighten our women, our children and beaus,

But should their flat bottoms in darkness get o'er,

Still Britons they'll find to receive them on shore.

(CHORUS)

Our worthy forefathers, let's give them a cheer,

To climates unknown, did courageously steer.

Through oceans to deserts, for freedom they came,

And dying, bequeathed us their freedom and fame.

(CHORUS)

Britannia triumphant, her ships sweep the sea,

Her standard is Justice -- her watchword, 'be free.'

Then cheer up, my lads, with one heart let us sing,

Our soldiers, our sailors, our statesmen, and Queen.

(CHORUS)

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