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
Le Renard
Tri Yann Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Toile rouge au vent, vent de l'ouragan, vent de guerre, loi des géants.
La Loire roule sang, Le Renard mort à belles dents
Bois le rouge sang, le sang des Normands, que la brume noie dans le temps.
Ils ont réduit Vannes en fumée, de Noel à Saint -Jean,
Landevennec et Noirmoutier, de Paques à Saint - Laurent,
Fauché le foin, mangé le blé,
Et bu le vin des francs.
Refrain,
Ils ont féri, ils ont forcé, pucelles et filles en champs,
Ils ont pillé Rennes et navré, bourgeois et paysans,
Défait Redon, Redon noyé, dans la Vilaine en sang
j'ai mis le cuir noir et l'acier, avec Anglois et clans
Refrain,
Passée la mer, avons marché, sur Nantes et ses murs blancs,
Jeté la lance et reculé, du levant au couchant
Ardé par le feu de l'étè, j'ai bu l'eau du torrent,
Jailli du coeur d'un peuplier,
Dedans le pré d'Anian.
The song "Le Renard" by Tri Yann paints a picture of the chaos and destruction brought about by war. The first verse talks about the sound of a sail flapping in the wind and the baying of a fox in a field - suggesting a scene of a battle where nature is not untouched. The use of the color red in the line "Toile rouge au vent" adds to the bloodshed and violence being described. The second line implies that the fox, representing a cunning and wily character, has met its own violent end. The mention of the Normans and the mist drowning them in time is a reference to the Norman invasion of Brittany in the 10th century.
The following verse describes the destruction brought about by the invaders who have burned down Vannes, Landevennec, Noirmoutier, and Dol; and have plundered farms and gardens, consuming and drinking all they could lay their hands on. The chorus then talks about their actions of violence towards innocent women and girls, with their pillage including ravaging Rennes and attacking both the upper and lower classes. The third verse describes the French forces rallying together, with the singer putting on their black leather and steel armor, joining forces with the English and other clans, they marched and fought across the land. The verse also mentions the burning heat of summer and the drink from a stream, showing the hardships and struggles of war.
Line by Line Meaning
La voile claque au vent, Le Renard glapit dans le champ,
The sail flaps in the wind, while the fox yelps in the field.
Toile rouge au vent, vent de l'ouragan, vent de guerre, loi des géants.
Red canvas in the wind, hurricane wind, war wind, law of giants.
La Loire roule sang, Le Renard mort à belles dents
The Loire flows with blood, the fox dies strongly.
Bois le rouge sang, le sang des Normands, que la brume noie dans le temps.
Drink the red blood, the Normans' blood, that the mist drowns in time.
Ils ont réduit Vannes en fumée, de Noel à Saint -Jean,
They reduced Vannes to ashes, from Christmas to St. John's.
Landevennec et Noirmoutier, de Paques à Saint - Laurent,
Landevennec and Noirmoutier, from Easter to St. Laurent.
Ravagé fermes et vergers, de Dol ont fait leur camp
Ravaged farms and orchards, they made their camp in Dol.
Fauché le foin, mangé le blé,
Mowed the hay, ate the wheat,
Et bu le vin des francs.
And drank the wine of the Franks.
Refrain,
Chorus,
Ils ont féri, ils ont forcé, pucelles et filles en champs,
They struck, they forced, maidens and girls in the fields,
Ils ont pillé Rennes et navré, bourgeois et paysans,
They looted Rennes and injured, bourgeois and peasants,
Défait Redon, Redon noyé, dans la Vilaine en sang
Defeated Redon, Redon drowned, in the Vilaine River with blood.
j'ai mis le cuir noir et l'acier, avec Anglois et clans
I put on black leather and steel, with English and clans.
Refrain,
Chorus,
Passée la mer, avons marché, sur Nantes et ses murs blancs,
Having crossed the sea, we marched on Nantes and its white walls,
Jeté la lance et reculé, du levant au couchant
Thrown the spear and retreated, from east to west.
Ardé par le feu de l'étè, j'ai bu l'eau du torrent,
Burned by the summer fire, I drank water from the stream,
Jailli du coeur d'un peuplier, dedans le pré d'Anian.
Sprung from the heart of a poplar, inside the meadow of Anian.
Contributed by Skyler W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.