Au bord de la mer

Bateau sur l’eau

Il était un petit navire

Le beau bateau

Les petits poissons

Pique la baleine

Viendras-tu dans mon bateau?

Last updated: 5/26/2015 2:02 PM

The songs below are part of ‘Allons-y!’ The French collection

compiled, adapted, translated and illustrated by Dany Rosevear

To listen to music from these songs click on O

To watch the author sing a song click on the title at:

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Bateau, sur l’eau O

A gentle song for winding down and a great favourite with babies as they rock safely back and forth on an adult’s knee and then drop between the knees at the end of each verse.

Watch at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUDaYYJhoMo&feature=related

Two children sit facing each other on the floor holding hands; they sway gently forwards and backwards.

Bateau, sur l’eau, Navigue, navigue. Bateau, sur l’eau, Navigue sur le flots. Bateau sur l'eau, La rivière, la rivière. Bateau sur l'eau, La rivière au bord de l'eau. Plouf! Bateau sur l'eau, La rivière, la rivière. Bateau sur l'eau, Les enfants font plouf dans l'eau. Plouf!

Sail boat, sail boat, It sails on the water. Sail boat, sail boat, It sails along the waves. Sail boat, sail boat, It floats on the river. Sail boat, sail boat, It floats near the shore. Splash! Sail boat, sail boat, It floats on the river. Sail boat, sail boat, The children all dive in! Splash!

Il ètait un petit navire O

The macabre humour of this traditional sailor’s song can be discovered in the complete story version, see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0JRm_yw408 . It is the tale of a sailor who sailed the Mediterranean Sea. Food runs out and straws are drawn to decide who should be eaten by the crew. While the crew discuss whether frying or broiling is best and which sauce to use, the little sailor boy climbs the mast and prays to the heavens. A miracle, courtesy of the Virgin Mary, saves him in the nick of time. Fish fly onto the deck of the ship and the little sailor and crew are spared.

Watch at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gm88fwdPsQ

Il était un petit navire, Il était un petit navire, Qui n’avait ja-ja-jamais navigué, }x2 Qui n’avait ja-ja-jamais navigué, o-hé o-hé! O-hé o-hé matelot! Matelot navigué sur les flots. Oh, there was once a little galleon, Oh, there once was a little galleon, And it had ne-ne-ne-ver sailed away, }x2 And it had ne-ne-ne-ver sailed away, oh no no no! Away, away sailor bold! Sailor bold explore the seven seas.

Pairs make boat shape with arms outstretched holding hands. Gently rock from side to side to the music. Both ‘wring the dishrag’ – raise held hands and turn under in a full circle. Pair join up with a second pair and in wavy lines weave in and out of other quartets like little sea waves. Make good use of space.

Le beau bateau O

This is a circle song where children end up squatting or even prone on the floor depending how raucous you intend the game to be! A grassy playing field would suit the latter.

Watch at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUaRCEwgMZM.

Il tourne en rond notre beau bateau, Il tourne en rond trois fois. Il tourne en rond notre beau bateau, Et tombe… au fond…. de l’eau! PLOUF! Our beautiful boat turns around and around, Three times it turns around. Our beautiful boat turns around and around, It sinks… to the bottom… of the sea! SPLASH!

The circle turns three times. Crouch progressively lower on each phrase. Squat hands over head or fall to the ground while calling out ‘PLOUF!’

Les petits poissons O

Size doesn’t matter in this dreamily gentle song; everyone can do just as well as anyone else as long as they make the same effort. Enhanced by its minor key this makes a good calming down game.

Watch at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SofvAL5T4mk&feature=related

Mime actions around the room. Check use of space to allow for big strong arm movements.

Encourage the children to suggest other animals and the movements they might make e.g. cats prowling, snakes slithering, mice scampering.

Les petits poissons dans l’eau,

Nagent, nagent, nagent, nagent, nagent.

Les petits poissons dans l’eau,

Nagent aussi bien que les gros.

Les petits, les gros, nagent comme il faut,

Les gros, les petits, nagent bien aussi.

Les petits poissons dans l’eau,

Nagent, nagent, nagent, nagent, nagent.

Les petits poissons dans l’eau,

Nagent aussi bien que les gros.

All the little fish swim, swim,

Swimming, swimming, swimming in the water.

All the little fish swim, swim,

Swim just as well as the big ones do.

Little ones and big, swim just as they should,

Big ones and the small, both swim just as

well.

All the little fish swim, swim,

Swimming, swimming, swimming in the

water.

All the little fish swim, swim,

Swim just as well as the big ones do.

Les petits oiseaux dans l’air,

Volent, volent, volent, volent, volent.

Les petits oiseaux dans l’air,

Volent aussi bien que les gros.

Les petits, les gros, volent comme il faut,

Les gros, les petits, volent bien aussi.

Les petits oiseaux dans l’air,

Volent, volent, volent, volent, volent.

Les petits oiseaux dans l’air,

Volent aussi bien que les gros.

All the little birds fly, fly,

Flying, flying, flying in the bright sky.

All the little birds fly, fly,

Fly just as well as the big ones do.

Little ones and big, fly just as they should,

Big ones and the small, both fly just as well.

All the little birds fly, fly,

Flying, flying, flying in the bright sky.

All the little birds fly, fly,

Fly just as well as the big ones do.

Pique la baleine O

Whales are now protected and most hunting is banned; however two million whales had been killed in the fifty years before most countries agreed to stop in 1986. Whaleboat rowing shanties provide a good introduction to the ethics of killing whales and other endangered species.

For a more ecologically sound interpretation, instead of ‘striking the whale’ introduce the idea of whale watching and photography. Many wonderful images and videos of these magnificent creatures can be accessed on the internet.

French whalers sang this jolly song from Normandy, with its theme of a search for a lost love, as they rowed across the Pacific. ‘Boués’ is a corruption of the English ‘boys’.

Watch at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGNR8KY7n0M

Pour retrouver ma douce amie, Oh mes boués, Ouh, la! Ouh la la! Pour retrouver ma douce amie, Oh mes boués, Ouh, la! Ouh la la! Oh for to find her, my sweet friend, Oh my good boys, Oh, la! Oh la la! Oh for to find her, my sweet friend, Oh my good boys, Oh, la! Oh la la! Refrain Pique la baleine, joli baleinier, Pique la baleine je veux naviguer. Pique la baleine, joli baleinier, Pique la baleine je veux naviguer. Hunt with us the great whale, handsome whalers all, Hunt with us the whale and I will steer enthralled. Hunt with us the great whale, handsome whalers all, Hunt with us the whale and I will steer enthralled. Aux mille mers j’ai navigué... I’ve truly sailed a thousand seas... Des mers du Nord et mers du Sud... I’ve sailed the seas from north to south... Je l’ai retrouvée quand je m’ai neyé Drowned in the deep where I found her...

In a circle stand close to each other holding up hands by the little finger. Stand tall with the upper body barely moving. Step three times to the left and a little step to the right. Hold hands high for three beats and back for one. To simplify: Children act out shipboard tasks such as hauling up the anchor, rowing and cleaning the decks in time to the music For more challenge: Make two circles, a larger outer and a smaller inner one of 6-8 children who face those on the outside. Both circles move generally to the left so they will be moving in opposite directions.

Viendras-tu dans mon bateau? O

Come for a row in my beautiful boat and imagine a hazy summer’s afternoon on the river.

Children stand in a circle holding hands; one child stands in the middle.

Viendras-tu dans mon beau bateau, Sur la belle eau de la belle rivière? Viendras-tu dans mon beau bateau, Sur la rivière, sur la belle eau? Will you come in my lovely boat, Floating along on the beautiful river? Will you come in my lovely boat, Out on the river, the water’s so good? Oui, j’irai dans ton bateau, Sur la belle eau de la belle rivière? Oui, j’irai dans ton bateau, Sur la rivière, sur la belle eau? Yes, I’ll come in your lovely boat, Floating along on the beautiful river. Yes, I’ll come in your lovely boat, Out on the river, the water’s so good.

Children walk round in a circle singing. The one in the middle walks round in the opposite direction. On the last line that child chooses a partner. Children in the circle sit and move as one swaying gently from side to side. The two in the middle row back and forth in time to the music. Next time the song is sung the pair in the middle hold hands and walk in the opposite direction to the outer circle. These two then choose new partners. The game continues until all children are rowing on the river.

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