Formed in 1976, they have toured extensively through North America and Europe. As well as the traditional accordion, fiddle, guitar, piano and double bass, the band added a four-piece horn section in 1990 which gives an element of jazz to the music. In 1998, they contributed a song to the Canadian Celtic music compilation by The Chieftains, Fire in the Kitchen.
The group's name means "the smiling boot", which refers to the appearance of a work boot with worn-out soles.
They have received three Canadian Juno awards and several Felix awards from the Quebec recording industry. They are known for their high energy live performances and in 2000 were voted Best Live Act at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. BBC Radio 3 has also played their music in mainstream programmes.
See their website: http://www.bottinesouriante.com/
La chanson de l'ivrogne
La Bottine Souriante Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Une p'tite chanson pour t? cher d'vous faire rire
Le seul plaisir dans un repas
C'est d'ob? ir au ma? tre
? La ma? tresse de la maison
Moi j'voudrais bien lui plaire
Vous savez tous que je n'chante pas
Vous excus'rez tout' mes d? fauts
Si j'manque? mon devoire
Le jour que j'suis venu au monde
C'tait un grand jour de f? te
Le plus beau nom qu'ils m'ont donn?
Le plus fin des ivrognes
Le vin? tait mon parrain
La liqueur? tait ma marraine
Pis mon p? re lui j'le connais pas
On m'dit qu'ma m? re est belle
Le jour quand j'ai? t? baptis?
On a eu ben du fun
C? c'te jour-l? qu'on m'a f? t?
Avec du bon vin d'rhum
J'prenais le vin avec mon parrain
La liqueur avec ma marraine
Pis mon p? re lui y en prenait pas
Y? tait sao? l d'puis trois semaines
Un jour j'devins joli gar? on
? A c? pas des histoires!
Toutes les p'tites filles d'la fact'rie d'coton
? A s'battait pour m'avoir
Mais aujourd'hui je suis chang?
Je ne suis plus le m? me
Quand les filles me r'gardent passer
Elles disent: Regarde donc c't'air b? te
Voil? la fin de ma chanson
Chantez-moi z'en une autre
Chantez-moi la d'un plus haut ton
Vous? tes capable vous autres
Pour moi j'ai fait tout' mon possible
M'en faites pas de reproches
S'il y en a parmi vous autres qui m'en veut
Avec une bi? re qu'y approchent
The lyrics of La Bottine Souriante's song "La chanson de l'ivrogne" tell the story of an alcoholic man who wants to make the listeners laugh. He believes the only pleasure in a meal is pleasing the hostess, whom he wants to impress. He acknowledges that he is not a good singer and asks for forgiveness if he fails his duty. He then reveals that on the day he was born, he was given the name of "the finest drunkard," and wine and liquor were his godparents. His father is absent, but he is told his mother is beautiful. He remembers his baptism as a fun-filled day with good wine and rum, where he drank with his godparents.
The man used to be a handsome young man, and all the girls would fight to win his heart, but now he has changed. He is no longer the same, and when girls look at him, they think he looks stupid. He concludes by asking the listeners to sing him another song, preferably with a higher tone, as he has done his best. If anyone is angry with him, they can approach him with a beer.
Line by Line Meaning
? Coutez j'm'en vas vous chanter
Listen, I'm going to sing you a little song trying to make you laugh.
Le seul plaisir dans un repas
The only pleasure in a meal is to obey the host.
C'est d'ob? ir au ma? tre
That is to obey the host.
? La ma? tresse de la maison
To the mistress of the house.
Moi j'voudrais bien lui plaire
I would really like to please her.
Vous savez tous que je n'chante pas
You all know that I can't sing.
Vous allez bien le voire
You'll see it soon enough.
Vous excus'rez tout' mes d? fauts
Please excuse all of my mistakes.
Si j'manque? mon devoire
If I don't do my duty.
Le jour que j'suis venu au monde
The day I was born.
C'tait un grand jour de f? te
It was a great day of celebration.
Le plus beau nom qu'ils m'ont donn?
The best name they gave me.
Le plus fin des ivrognes
The finest of drunks.
Le vin? tait mon parrain
Wine was my godfather.
La liqueur? tait ma marraine
Liquor was my godmother.
Pis mon p? re lui j'le connais pas
And my father, I don't know him.
On m'dit qu'ma m? re est belle
They tell me my mother is beautiful.
Le jour quand j'ai? t? baptis?
The day I was baptized.
On a eu ben du fun
We had a lot of fun.
C? c'te jour-l? qu'on m'a f? t?
That's the day they celebrated me.
Avec du bon vin d'rhum
With good rum wine.
J'prenais le vin avec mon parrain
I took wine with my godfather.
La liqueur avec ma marraine
Liquor with my godmother.
Pis mon p? re lui y en prenait pas
And my father, he didn't drink any.
Y? tait sao? l d'puis trois semaines
He was sober for three weeks.
Un jour j'devins joli gar? on
One day, I became a good-looking young man.
? A c? pas des histoires!
That's not a story!
Toutes les p'tites filles d'la fact'rie d'coton
All the little girls from the cotton factory.
? A s'battait pour m'avoir
Were fighting to have me.
Mais aujourd'hui je suis chang?
But today, I have changed.
Je ne suis plus le m? me
I'm not the same anymore.
Quand les filles me r'gardent passer
When the girls watch me pass by.
Elles disent: Regarde donc c't'air b? te
They say: Look at that silly guy.
Voil? la fin de ma chanson
That's the end of my song.
Chantez-moi z'en une autre
Sing me another one.
Chantez-moi la d'un plus haut ton
Sing it in a higher tone.
Vous? tes capable vous autres
You guys are capable.
Pour moi j'ai fait tout' mon possible
For me, I did my best.
M'en faites pas de reproches
Don't blame me.
S'il y en a parmi vous autres qui m'en veut
If any of you guys are mad at me.
Avec une bi? re qu'y approchent
Just come closer with a beer.
Writer(s): La Bottine Souriante
Contributed by Ryan V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.