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
Princes Qu'En Mains Tenez
Tri Yann Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pille tant l'hyver que l'este,
Voyez qu'il a trop povre este.
Sont cours aux robins des Princes de Bretagne,
Sont coups aux vilains si Princes les dédaignent,
Ni les cours aux vilains, ni les coups aux robins.
Que les povres gens meurent souvent,
C'est sans déplaisir, fain et froidure,
Que seigneurs entre eux vont battant.
Seigneurs nous tenez comme rebelles,
Parlant plus en hault qu'en bas ton.
Justice ne menez qu'au baston.
Gens qui de justice avez la charge,
Par trop n'y voyez qu'en prélats,
De vous en parler suis très las.
Souvent vous tenez femme pour folle,
Qui se vend pour le plus donnant,
Mais pire faictes-vous bien souvent.
A la fois suffit une cavale,
Au Roy une robe un hostel.
Le Roy se mourra, je suis tel.
The song Princes qu'en mains tenez by Tri Yann talks about the life of the poor people who are being oppressed by the Princes of Brittany who hold everything in their hands. The lyrics point out the struggles faced by the poor people who are left to suffer from hunger and cold, while the Princes plunder everything throughout the year. The chorus mentions how the Princes' attitudes are responsible for the poor condition of the people.
The verses of the song tell us about how the Princes of Brittany deal with robins and vilains. The robins are the nobles, and the vilains are the peasants. The Princes of Brittany show no mercy to the peasants and treat them with an attitude of disdain. The song points out how the poor people often die due to their misery while the nobles spend their time fighting with each other.
The lyrics also mention the corruption prevalent in the justice system, where justice is often delivered by using a club. The song criticizes the people who are responsible for delivering justice and points out their lack of concern for the poor people's issues.
Overall, the song Princes qu'en mains tenez is a song of rebellion that calls for justice for the oppressed people of Brittany.
Line by Line Meaning
Vous qu'en main tenez tout votre peuple
You who hold your entire people in your hand
Pille tant l'hyver que l'este,
Plundering as much in winter as in summer
Voyez qu'il a trop povre este.
See how he has been too poor
Sont cours aux robins des Princes de Bretagne,
Their attention is on the bird-calls of the princes of Brittany
Sont coups aux vilains si Princes les dédaignent,
They strike the peasants if the princes ignore them
Ni les cours aux vilains, ni les coups aux robins.
Neither the attention to the peasants nor the strikes against the princes
C'est par déplaisirs, faim et froidure
It is by hardships, hunger, and cold
Que les povres gens meurent souvent,
That poor people often die
C'est sans déplaisir, fain et froidure,
It is without hardship, hunger, or cold
Que seigneurs entre eux vont battant.
That lords are often fighting among themselves
Seigneurs nous tenez comme rebelles,
Lords hold us as rebels
Parlant plus en hault qu'en bas ton.
Speaking louder to the top than the bottom
Justice ne menez qu'au baston.
Leading justice only with a stick
Gens qui de justice avez la charge,
People who have been tasked with justice
Par trop n'y voyez qu'en prélats,
See too much in the prelates
De vous en parler suis très las.
I am tired of talking about you
Souvent vous tenez femme pour folle,
You often consider women foolish
Qui se vend pour le plus donnant,
Who sells herself to the highest bidder
Mais pire faictes-vous bien souvent.
But you often do worse
A la fois suffit une cavale,
Once is enough for a horse
Au Roy une robe un hostel.
A robe and a hostel to the king
Le Roy se mourra, je suis tel.
The king will die, I am sure.
Contributed by Gavin T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.