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/
Un air si doux
La Bottine Souriante Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Un soir en m'y promenant (bis)
Dans mon chemin j'ai rencontré
Une tendre jolie brune
Dans sa main blanche elle tenait
Je sais pas de quoi c'que c'est (bis)
Je lui ai demandé la belle
Je m'en vais chercher de l'eau
C'est à la claire fontaine
Oui, la belle si tu voulais
Avec toé, ah! oui j'irais (bis)
Je l'ai pris par sa main blanche
Et avec moi j'l'ai amenée (bis)
Je lui ai coulé sous le bras
Par-dessous sa collerette
Elle me dit d'un air si doux
Cher amant que cherchez-vous (bis)
Je ne cherche pas grand-chose
Je ne vis qu'en languissant (bis)
Je suis pas comme ces amants
Qui font l'amour pour une heure
Moi, je suis l'amant si doux
J'fais l'amour, c'est pour toujours (bis)
C'est moi le roi de l'amour
Ah! cette aimable tourterelle
Tous les jours je lui disais (bis)
Ah! que nous serions heureux
D'être mariés ensemble
Ah! que nous serions heureux
D'être mariés tous deux (bis)
Oui! la belle si tu voulais
Avec toé, ah! oui j'irais
In this classic Quebecois folk song, the singer is out for a walk by the light of the moon when he encounters a beautiful young woman holding something in her hand. They strike up a conversation and he learns that she is on her way to fetch water from a nearby spring. He offers to accompany her, and she agrees, leading him to imagine a future in which they are married and living happily together. She asks him what he is searching for in life, and he responds with a declaration of his desire for a lifelong commitment to love rather than fleeting passion.
The song is notable for its simple yet evocative language that captures the mood and rhythms of daily life in rural Quebec before the advent of modern technology and urbanization. The singer's encounter with the young woman reflects the charm and romance of a bygone era when social interactions were face-to-face and often centered around nature and community.
This song has been covered by numerous artists and has become a beloved part of the folk music canon in Quebec and beyond. Its enduring popularity reflects the timeless themes of love, longing, and the search for meaning and connection in life that continue to resonate with audiences today.
Line by Line Meaning
C'est au beau clair de la lune
It was in the beautiful moonlight
Un soir en m'y promenant (bis)
One evening, while walking
Dans mon chemin j'ai rencontré
I met
Une tendre jolie brune
A sweet pretty brunette
Dans sa main blanche elle tenait
She was holding
Je sais pas de quoi c'que c'est (bis)
I don't know what it is
Je lui ai demandé la belle
I asked the beautiful one
Où allez-vous donc si tard? (bis)
Where are you going so late?
Je m'en vais chercher de l'eau
I am going to fetch some water
C'est à la claire fontaine
It's at the clear fountain
Oui, la belle si tu voulais
Yes, my beautiful, if you would like
Avec toé, ah! oui j'irais (bis)
I would go with you
Je l'ai pris par sa main blanche
I took her by her white hand
Et avec moi j'l'ai amenée (bis)
And I brought her with me
Je lui ai coulé sous le bras
I held her close to me
Par-dessous sa collerette
Underneath her collar
Elle me dit d'un air si doux
She said to me in such a sweet way
Cher amant que cherchez-vous (bis)
My dear lover, what are you looking for?
Je ne cherche pas grand-chose
I'm not looking for much
Je ne vis qu'en languissant (bis)
I live in longing
Je suis pas comme ces amants
I'm not like those lovers
Qui font l'amour pour une heure
Who make love for an hour
Moi, je suis l'amant si doux
I am the lover so sweet
J'fais l'amour, c'est pour toujours (bis)
I make love for forever
C'est moi le roi de l'amour
I am the king of love
Ah! cette aimable tourterelle
Ah, this lovely turtledove
Tous les jours je lui disais (bis)
Every day I told her
Ah! que nous serions heureux
Oh, how happy we would be
D'être mariés ensemble
To be married together
Ah! que nous serions heureux
Oh, how happy we would be
D'être mariés tous deux (bis)
To be married, just the two of us
Oui! la belle si tu voulais
Yes, my beautiful, if you would like
Avec toé, ah! oui j'irais
I would go with you
Contributed by Madelyn C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.