114 - Pique la Baleine
Words: traditional (translated by Jesse Ferguson)Tune: traditional
A French South Seas Sperm Whale Fishery song, we think this might be the most romantic whaling shanty out there. Massive thanks to Shanty Sam Wheatley for transcribing the phonetic version of the French, and for his assistance in helping us find a singable English version.
French language lyrics
Phonetic version of the French
English version
French Version
Pour retrouver ma douce amie
Oh mes boués, ouh là ouh là là.
Pour retrouver ma douce amie
Oh mes boués, ouh là ouh là là.
Pique la baleine, joli baleinier
Pique la baleine, je veux naviguer.
Aux mille mers j’ai navigué.
Oh mes boués, ouh là ouh là là.
Des mers du nord aux mers du sud.
Oh mes boués, ouh là ouh là là.
Pique la baleine…
Dans les grands fonds, elle m’espérait
Oh mes boués, ouh là ouh là là.
Dans les grands fonds, elle m’espérait
Oh mes boués, ouh là ouh là là.
Pique la baleine, joli baleinier
Pique la baleine, je veux naviguer.
Tous deux ensemble on a pleuré.
Oh mes boués, ouh là ouh là là.
En couple à elle, j’m’suis couché.
Oh mes boués, ouh là ouh là là.
Pique la baleine…
Phonetic French
Pour Retro-Vear Ma Doose-Ah-Me
Oh, May Bwey, Ooh-la Ooh-laa-laa
Pour Retro-Vear Ma Doose-Ah-Me
Oh, May Bwey, Ooh-la Ooh-laa-laa
Peek-eh la Ba-le-neh, Jo-lee Ba-loo-ner
Peek-eh la Ba-le-neh-joh-voo Na-vi-gay
Oh meal mear jay Na-vi-gay
Oh, May Bwey, Ooh-la Ooh-laa-laa
Day mare-doo-Nord oh mare-doo-Soo
Oh, May Bwey, Ooh-la Ooh-laa-laa
Peek-eh la Ba-le-neh…
Don les-grau-fōn, ell mes-per-ayt
Oh, May Bwey, Ooh-la Ooh-laa-laa
Don les-grau-fōn, ell mes-per-ayt
Oh, May Bwey, Ooh-la Ooh-laa-laa
Peek-eh la Ba-le-neh, Jo-lee Ba-loo-ner
Peek-eh la Ba-le-neh-joh-voo Na-vi-gay
Toos day en-som-blon eh pleh-reh
Oh, May Bwey, Ooh-la Ooh-laa-laa
On coo-plah-ell, jeh swee coo-sheh
Oh, May Bwey, Ooh-la Ooh-laa-laa
Peek-eh la Ba-le-neh…
English Language
these words were adapted by the Auntie Shanty Crew from a translation byFor to find my lost true-love
Oh, my boys, ooh la, ooo la la
For to find my lost true-love
Oh, my boys, ooh la, ooo la la
You strike at the whale now, joli whalerman
You strike at the whale while I take helm in hand
Through a thousand seas I set sail
Oh, my boys, ooh la, ooo la la
Through a thousand seas I set sail
Oh, my boys, ooh la, ooo la la
You strike at the whale…
From cold north seas to far south seas
Oh, my boys, ooh la, ooo la la
From cold north seas to far south seas
Oh, my boys, ooh la, ooo la la
You strike at the whale…
I found my love when I was drowned
Oh, my boys, ooh la, ooo la la
In darkened depths, waiting for me
Oh, my boys, ooh la, ooo la la
You strike at the whale now, joli whalerman
You strike at the whale while I take helm in hand
Together there we wept for joy
Oh, my boys, ooh la, ooo la la
Together there we wept for joy
Oh, my boys, ooh la, ooo la la
You strike at the whale…
And there, entwined, we took our rest
Oh, my boys, ooh la, oooh la la
And there, entwined, we took our rest
Oh, my boys, ooh la, oooh la la
You strike at the whale…