La Marseillaise

Here’s a link to La Marsellaise, the French National Anthem.  This video includes both French and English lyrics.  The English lyrics used in the video are very close to a literal translation (there are some typos).  The lyrics I’ve posted below are of a more “English” version of the song.  They try to capture the spirit of the song more than the word-for-word translation.

It’s B L O O D Y  I tell you…just B L O O D Y!

Arise patriotic citizens

The day of glory is at hand

The bloody banner of tyranny

Has been raised against us

In the fields, hear the shouting

Of the fearsome soldiers

Who are coming to cut your families’ throats

Citizens take up arms

Form your battalions

March, march

Spill the enemy’s blood

Over the land

What do this horde of slaves,

Traitors and conspiratorial kings want?

For whom have they wrought their vile iron chains?

Frenchmen this outrage is prepared for us!

What can we do to stop them in their plan

To return us to the slavery of an evil past?

What! These foreign cohorts

Would have themselves ruling out courts!

Sending their mercenary phalanxes

To murder our warrior sons

They would bring us, chained, to our knees

As they rule over us

Tremble, tyrants and traitors

Who bring dishonor to good men

Tremble, for you evil schemes

Will get their come-uppance

We are all France’s soldiers in the fight against you

Ready to man the breach should our young heroes fall

Frenchmen, as magnanimous warriors

Bear or hold back your blows

Spare these sad victims

That they regret taking up arms against us

But not these bloody despots

These accomplices of Bouille

All these tigers who pitilessly

Ripped out their mothers’ wombs

We shall follow our elders into the pit

Where we shall find their ashes and their epitaphs

We prefer to join them in death

Or to avenge them, rather than live in shame

Drive on patriots

Support our avenging arms

Join the struggle of those who defend

Liberty, cherished liberty

Let victory come to our banner

And let your triumph and our glory

Be the last sights of your dying enemies!

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