Songs We Like to Sing


Published 1912
Marseillaise Hymn
French National Song

         Rouget De Lisle


Ye sons of France, awake to glory!
Hark, hark! what myriads bid you rise!
Your children, wives, and grandsires hoary;
Behold their tears, and hear their cries,
Behold their tears and hear their cies!
Shall hateful tyrants, mischief breeding,
With hireling hosts, a ruffian band,
Affright and desolate the land
While peace and liberty lie bleeding?
To arms, to arms, ye brave!
Th' avenging sword unsheathe!
March on, March on, all hearts resolved
On victory or death!

With luxury and pride surrounded,
The vile, insatiate despots dare,
Their thirst for gold and pow'r unbounded,
To mete and vend the light and air,
To mete and vend the light and air.
Like beasts of burden would they load us,
Like gods would bid their slaves adore;
But man is man, and who is more?
Then shall they longer lash and goad us?
To arms, to arms, ye brave!
Th' avenging sword unsheathe!
March on, March on, all hearts resolved
On victory or death!

Oh, Liverty! can man resign thee,
Once having felt thy gen'rous flame?
Can dungeons, bolts and bars confine thee?
Or whips thy noble spirit tame?
Or whips thy noble spirit tame?
Too long the world has wept bewailing
That falsehood's dagger tyrants wield;
But freedom is our sword and shield,
And all their arts are unavailing:
To arms, to arms, ye brave!
Th' avenging sword unsheathe!
March on, March on, all hearts resolved
On victory or death!








© 1999, Lynn Waterman