Le Régiment de Sambre et Meuse

Cover of the music sheet

Le Régiment de Sambre et Meuse (lit. "Sambre-et-Meuse regiment") is a French song and military march by Robert Planquette and Paul Cezano.

Le Régiment de Sambre et Meuse
1905 recording of Le Régiment de Sambre et Meuse sung by Pierre d'Assy
1905 recording sung by Pierre d'Assy

Le Régiment de Sambre et Meuse
1910 instrumental recording of Le Régiment de Sambre et Meuse
1910 instrumental recording

Le Régiment de Sambre et Meuse
1919 recording of Le Régiment de Sambre et Meuse sung by Enrico Caruso
1919 recording sung by Enrico Caruso

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The original poem was written in 1870 by Paul Cezano, in the wake of the Franco-Prussian War and the first days of the French Third Republic. The references to the Army of Sambre-et-Meuse set Republican, soldierly mood.

The next year, music was composed by Robert Planquette. In 1879, it was arranged as a military march by Joseph François Rauski.

"Le Régiment de Sambre et Meuse" was the official march of the Royal 22e Régiment of Canada until it was replaced in 1935 by "Le Royal 22e régiment," written by Capt C. O'Neill 1922-37 followed by the current official quick march "Vive la Canadienne," in 1939.[1]

Le Régiment de Sambre et Meuse is popular in the USA, where it is sometimes played at American football games, most notably by The Ohio State University Marching Band during its signature Script Ohio formation,[2] and at West Point graduations.[3] It is also often used for marches of the Belgian military schools in Brussels (KMS) and Sint-Truiden (KSOO) because of the historic link of this song with Belgium.

Lyrics

French English

1er couplet:

Tous ces fiers enfants de la Gaule
Allaient sans trêve et sans repos
Avec leur fusil sur l'épaule
Courage au cœur et sac au dos
La gloire était leur nourriture
Ils étaient sans pain, sans souliers
La nuit, ils couchaient sur la dure
Avec leur sac pour oreiller

Refrain:

Le régiment de Sambre et Meuse
Marchait toujours au cri de "Liberté"
Cherchant la route glorieuse
Qui l'a conduit à l'immortalité

1st verse:

All these proud children of Gaul
Marched without respite or ease
With their rifles on their shoulders
Courage in their hearts and packs on their backs
Glory was their nourishment
With neither bread nor shoes
They slept on the hard ground
With their packs beneath their heads.

Chorus:

The regiment of "Sambre et Meuse"
Always marched to the call of freedom
Seeking the path of glory
That led them to immortality

References

External links

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