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/
Sur la route
La Bottine Souriante Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Par un dimanche au soir en m'en allant veiller
Dans mon chemin rencontre
Une vieille fille qui pleurait
Ch'pas capable, sur la montagne du loup
Ch'pas capable, sur la montagne du loup
Ch'pas capable d'y arriver
Ch'pas capable, sur la montagne du loup
Ch'pas capable d'y arriver
Je lui ai demandé qu'avez-vous à pleurer
Je lui ai demandé qu'avez-vous à pleurer
Je pleure, je suis vieille fille
J'ai pas pu m'en trouver
Ch'pas capable, sur la montagne du loup
Ch'pas capable, sur la montagne du loup
Ch'pas capable d'y arriver
Ch'pas capable, sur la montagne du loup
Ch'pas capable, sur la montagne du loup
Ch'pas capable d'y arriver
J'arrive dans l'autre monde l'visage tout massacré
J'arrive dans l'autre monde l'visage tout massacré
St-Pierre qu'est à la porte
Veut pas m'laisser rentrer
St-Pierre qu'est à la porte veut pas m'laisser rentrer
St-Pierre qu'est à la porte veut pas m'laisser rentrer
Car il m'a demandé êtes-vous marié
Ch'pas capable, sur la montagne du loup
Ch'pas capable, sur la montagne du loup
Ch'pas capable d'y arriver
Ch'pas capable, sur la montagne du loup
Ch'pas capable, sur la montagne du loup
Ch'pas capable d'y arriver
Car il m'a demandé êtes-vous marié
Car il m'a demandé êtes-vous marié
J'ai ben cherché partout
J'ai pas pu m'en trouver
Ch'pas capable, sur la montagne du loup
Ch'pas capable, sur la montagne du loup
Ch'pas capable d'y arriver
Ch'pas capable, sur la montagne du loup
Ch'pas capable, sur la montagne du loup
Ch'pas capable d'y arriver
J'ai ben cherché partout, j'ai pas pu m'en trouver
J'ai ben cherché partout, j'ai pas pu m'en trouver
Vous autres mes jeunes filles
Tâchez d'vous marier
Ch'pas capable, sur la montagne du loup
Ch'pas capable, sur la montagne du loup
Ch'pas capable d'y arriver
Ch'pas capable, sur la montagne du loup
Ch'pas capable, sur la montagne du loup
Ch'pas capable d'y arriver
Vous autres mes jeunes filles, tâchez d'vous marier
Vous autres mes jeunes filles, tâchez d'vous marier
Car la mort d'une vieille fille
C'est une mort enragée
Ch'pas capable, sur la montagne du loup
Ch'pas capable, sur la montagne du loup
Ch'pas capable d'y arriver
Ch'pas capable, sur la montagne du loup
Ch'pas capable, sur la montagne du loup
Ch'pas capable d'y arriver
The song "Sur la montagne du loup" by La Bottine Souriante tells the story of a single woman who is lamenting that she has never been able to marry despite her best efforts. She is crying on a Sunday evening as she walks alone when someone approaches her and asks her what is wrong. She responds that she is an old maid and has never been able to find a husband. She then repeats the refrain "Ch'pas capable, sur la montagne du loup" which means "I'm not capable, on the mountain of the wolf." This line suggests that she feels unable to achieve what she wants in life, which is a husband.
In the next verse, the woman expresses her fear of dying alone and going to the afterlife with a "massacred" face. When she arrives at the gate to heaven, she is denied entry because she is not married. St. Peter, the gatekeeper to heaven, is asking her whether she ever managed to get married during her lifetime. She replies that she has searched everywhere but has never been able to find a husband. She repeats the refrain "Ch'pas capable" several times to convey her inability to achieve her goals.
The woman's message to young girls is to try and get married because dying as an old maid is a "death in rage." Overall, the song evokes a somber tone and speaks to the social pressure women have faced over time to get married and the fear of dying alone.
Line by Line Meaning
Par un dimanche au soir en m'en allant veiller
On a Sunday evening while I was going out to watch
Dans mon chemin rencontre
I met on my path
Une vieille fille qui pleurait
An old girl who was crying
Ch'pas capable, sur la montagne du loup
I'm not capable on the mountain of the wolf
Ch'pas capable d'y arriver
I'm not capable of getting there
Je lui ai demandé qu'avez-vous à pleurer
I asked her why are you crying
Je pleure, je suis vieille fille
I cry, I'm an old maid
J'ai pas pu m'en trouver
I couldn't find anyone
J'arrive dans l'autre monde l'visage tout massacré
I arrive in the other world with a face all battered
St-Pierre qu'est à la porte
St-Peter who's at the door
Veut pas m'laisser rentrer
Doesn't want to let me in
Car il m'a demandé êtes-vous marié
Because he asked me if I was married
J'ai ben cherché partout
I searched everywhere
Vous autres mes jeunes filles
You other young girls
Tâchez d'vous marier
Try to get married
Car la mort d'une vieille fille
Because the death of an old maid
C'est une mort enragée
Is a furious death
Lyrics © Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN)
Written by: Bernard Guy Bouchard, Gilles Cantin, Yves Lambert, Pierre Laporte, Andre Marchand, Martin leo Racine
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind