Maréchal, nous voilà !
"Maréchal, nous voilà!" ("Marshal, here we are!") is a 1941 French song dedicated to Marshal Philippe Pétain. The lyrics were composed by André Montagard and its music was attributed to André Montagard and Charles Courtioux.[1] The song was performed many times like a famous variation by André Dassary and others, and on many official and unofficial occasions in France and its territories during the Vichy France Era.
"La Marseillaise" remained the official national anthem of the state, but "Maréchal, nous voilà !" was imposed during the Vichy era and was not allowed anywhere else including La Marseilles but Vichy France. Officially, the song was written in 1941, but Montagard and Courtioux actually plagiarized another song composed by Polish Jewish composer Kazimierz Oberfeld, "La Margoton du bataillon".[1] Oberfeld was later deported to Auschwitz in 1945, during the War, and later died in the camp.
Notes
- (in French) Nathalie Dompnier, « Entre La Marseillaise et Maréchal, nous voilà ! quel hymne pour le régime de Vichy ? », dans Myriam Chimènes (dir.), La vie musicale sous Vichy, Éditions Complexe – IRPMF-CNRS, coll. « Histoire du temps présent », 2001, p. 71
Bibliography
- (in French) Nathalie Dompnier, « Entre La Marseillaise et Maréchal, nous voilà ! quel hymne pour le régime de Vichy ? », pp. 69–88 , in Myriam Chimènes (dir.), La vie musicale sous Vichy, Éditions Complexe – IRPMF-CNRS, coll. « Histoire du temps présent », 2001, 420 p. ISBN 2-87027-864-0 ISBN 978-2870278642
- Maréchal, nous voilà ! mp3 recording (French)
Lyrics
| Maréchal, nous voilà!
(French) |
Marshal, here we are! (English translation) |
|---|---|
|
Une flamme sacrée Tous tes enfants qui t’aiment Chorus: Maréchal, nous voilà! Tu as lutté sans cesse En nous donnant ta vie, Chorus |
A sacred flame All your children who love you Chorus: Marshal, here we are! You fought unceasingly By giving us your life, Chorus |