trobaire.org

a collection of literature from poets, bards, songwriters, and skalds in the SCA

Les Vilaines de Bretagnie

olivier's picture
olivier
Poem (Canso): 
Chanterai d’un vilaine, Jean le gloton
Que logioit en la vile de Soisson
Un matin avuec son meute les chassant
Si de la terre un jardin d’or levant.
Fleures precieux, les merveilles de Gascoigne.
Ja le gloton prendt un tresour roial
Sa famille conseillent que l’est special
Veulent que vivre avuec bel compaignie
Les partissant et vont a Bretagnie.
Sources thermales et chevalieres dignes.
Dirons “au revoir” a Jean et famille
Les vilaines que plus riche d’un gentille
Rendrez au manor et la fantasie
Mangerez a ta faim de cortoisie.
Vos reposerez. Deshabillerez les bottes.
Ja rendrez et nos rejoindrez.
Translation: 

I'll let you see if you can figure this one out. It's not too difficult, I think - or you could just read the explanation below.

Documentation / Explanation (Razo): 
This song could also be called "Le balade de Jean le Gloton." I wrote it one afternoon in a fit of boredom. To be honest, I didn't really 'write' it - it's actually just a medieval rendition of the theme from The Beverly Hillbillies, "The Ballad of Jed Clampett." The idea behind it was to fool the audience into believing it's a real medieval song - begin singing very slowly, with chord progressions of the piece, but add plenty of runs and improvise as needed until about halfway through the song (having slowly sped up and streamlined the melody up to that point) and then just cut loose with hilarity.
One day I'll perform it properly. Maybe.