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French translation: English Christmas song

16:10 Dec 24, 2005
English to French translations [Non-PRO]
Music / chanson de noel
English term or phrase: Ding, dong merrily on high
Is there a French version of the English Christmas carol that begins "Ding, dong merrily on high..."?

If so, is there a web site where I can find the words?
Kathi Rich
French translation:English Christmas song
Explanation:
I may be wrong but I do not think this song has ever been translated in French. All French sites refer to it with its English title.

Good luck... and Merry Christmas!
Selected response from:

Merline
Local time: 04:56
Grading comment
Merci
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
2 +2English Christmas song
Merline
3Based on an old french dance but English lyrics
jemo


  

Answers


28 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5 peer agreement (net): +2
English Christmas song


Explanation:
I may be wrong but I do not think this song has ever been translated in French. All French sites refer to it with its English title.

Good luck... and Merry Christmas!


    Reference: http://www2.ac-lyon.fr/enseigne/musique/humbert/Liensdec04.p...
Merline
Local time: 04:56
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench
Grading comment
Merci

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  DocteurPC: I don't know for sure, but never heard it in French, anyway...it's Christmas, so Merry Christmas
6 hrs
agree  Iman Zeid
7 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

8 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
ding, dong merrily on high
Based on an old french dance but English lyrics


Explanation:
The origine is a french dance called "le Branle de l'Official" quelquefois écrit "le Branle de l'Officiel". The english lyrics have been added afterwards:

"The first carols centered on dancing, something upon which the church frowned. In fact, the carol "Ding! Dong! Merrily on High" is credited to Thoinot Arbeau, an anagram for the French cleric Jehan Tabourot, who published a treatise on dancing in 1588. The tune comes from the "Branle de l'official," a spirited, flirtatious dance in which men lifted women into the air.
http://mymerrychristmas.com/2005/song.shtml

Description en vieux français, et tablature:

"N'a pas long temps que ce branle est en termes, lequel se dance par mesure binaire, & par petits saults, comme le hault-barrois, & se commence par un double a gaulche & un double a droit repetez. Puis les danceurs vont tousjours a gaulche six simples durant, a la fin desquels les joueurs d'instruments font la cadance, lors les hommes preignent les femmes par le faulx du corps, & les font saulter & bondir en l'air, pour tumber a ladicte cadance, & cependant les hommes se tiennent fermes sur les pieds pour les soustenir, & en ces endroicts sont bien empeschez ceulx qui se parforcent de souslever celles qui ne se veuillent ayder de leurs coustez.
[page 0186]
Tabulature du branle de l'Official."
voir:
http://www.graner.net/nicolas/arbeau/orcheso22.php

en français moderne ici:
http://www.danceries-provins.com/danses/official.html


"La mélodie de Ding, dong, merrily on high est bâtie sur le Branle de l'Official de Thoinot Arbeau (1558) avec un texte de George Ratcliffe Woodward (1845-1934).
The melody of Ding, dong, merrily on high is based on the Branle de l'Official by Thoinot Arbeau (1558) with a text by George Ratcliffe Woodward (1845-1934)."
http://www.najihakim.com/works/notes/troisnoels.html

""Branle de l'Officiel" is another lively tune made for dancing -- in this case, the popular French dance tune became better known to modern audiences as "Ding Dong Merrily on High."
http://www.rambles.net/taverner_carol.html

jemo
United States
Local time: 04:56
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 125
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