Today they are one of the longest-standing Breton music groups surviving from the folk-rock revival of the 1970s. A popular live band in France, Tri Yann is famous for their outlandish costumes and theatrical presentation on stage. The band members are multi-instrumentalists, and usually the number of instruments on the stage is usually far greater than the number of musicians.
Current members:
Jean-Louis Jossic - Vocals, bombarde
Jean Chocun - Vocals, mandolin, guitar
Jean-Paul Corbineau - Vocals, acoustic guitar
Gérard Goron - Vocals, drums
Jean-Luc Chevalier - Electric guitar, bass guitar
Konan Mevel - Bagpipes, flutes
Fred Bourgeois - Vocals, keyboards
Christophe Peloil - Vocals, violin
Former members:
Bernard Baudriller - Bass guitar
Jérôme Gasmi - Drums
Christope Le Helley - Flute
Complainte De Yuna Madalen
Tri Yann Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Le printemps ramène les longues journées
Les journées de peine dans les champs de blé
De Monsieur Étienne de Kérandoaré
Mari Madalen, Mari plac'h gwechall
Le printemps ramène les longues journées,
Diwezhiou labour, er parkou segal,
Le dimanche elle le voyait prier dans l'église de Hédé
Dieu tu l'aimais, soumise, effacée, il ne t'a jamais regardée.
Yuna Madalen, un siècle a passé
Le printemps ramène les longues journées
Plus lourde est la chaîne quand revient l'été
Pour une ouvrière de chez Kérandoaré
Yuna Madalen, goude kant goan,
Le printemps ramène les longues journées
Re bounner ar bec'h pa ze gouezh an hanv,
'Vit ur vicherouez eus ti Kérandoaré.
Mais le dimanche pendant qu'il va chasser aux garennes de Hédé
Tu vas à Rennes, tu vas dessiner sur l'usine un poing noir serré.
The lyrics of the song "Complainte De Yuna Madalen" by Tri Yann tell the story of three women across different time periods, all of whom are connected to Monsieur Étienne de Kérandoaré. The first woman, Marie Madalen, is from the distant past and is experiencing sorrowful days in the fields of wheat due to her association with Monsieur de Kérandoaré. The second woman, Yuna Madalen, is a factory worker in the present day and feels burdened by her association with Monsieur de Kérandoaré, experiencing even greater hardship as the summer comes. The third woman is looking back at Yuna Madalen's life from a distant future and reflecting on her rebellion against Monsieur de Kérandoaré's dominance.
Line by Line Meaning
Marie Madalen, du fond du passé
Marie Madalen, a woman from the past
Le printemps ramène les longues journées
Spring brings long days
Les journées de peine dans les champs de blé
Days of hard work in the wheat fields
De Monsieur Étienne de Kérandoaré
For Monsieur Étienne de Kérandoaré
Mari Madalen, Mari plac'h gwechall
Marie Madalen, Marie girl of old
Diwezhiou labour, er parkou segal
Endless work, in the churchyard
Parkou braz an Aotrou Stephan Kérandoaré
The big graveyard of Sir Stephan Kérandoaré
Le dimanche elle le voyait prier dans l'église de Hédé
On Sundays she saw him praying in the church of Hédé
Dieu tu l'aimais, soumise, effacée, il ne t'a jamais regardée.
You loved God, submissive, unnoticed, he never looked at you.
Yuna Madalen, un siècle a passé
Yuna Madalen, a century has passed
Plus lourde est la chaîne quand revient l'été
The chain is heavier when summer comes
Pour une ouvrière de chez Kérandoaré
For a worker from Kérandoaré
Yuna Madalen, goude kant goan
Yuna Madalen, after a hundred years
Re bounner ar bec'h pa ze gouezh an hanv,
The pain returns when summer is here,
'Vit ur vicherouez eus ti Kérandoaré.
For a little maid of Kérandoaré.
Mais le dimanche pendant qu'il va chasser aux garennes de Hédé
But on Sundays while he goes hunting in the warrens of Hédé
Tu vas à Rennes, tu vas dessiner sur l'usine un poing noir serré.
You go to Rennes, you draw a clenched black fist on the factory.
Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION, ALLO MUSIC EDITIONS
Written by: Christian VIGNOLES, Jean Louis JOSSIC, Gérard GORON, Jean-Paul CORBINEAU, Jean CHOCUN, Bernard BAUDRILLER, Gilles SERVAT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind