French Wartime Songs

In World War I, France's favorite song was the lilting Madelon. The first seven months of World War II produced no successor. One try, Victoire, Daughter of Madelon, was a by-blow which died aborning. For the honor of the Republic, and to give French soldiers something to sing, a contest was held which brought in 484 war songs. Twenty jurors winnowed the songs down to 20, which were sung for ten days to the Paris public. Last week the votes were in. Soldiers' votes counted five; civilians' one. All jingo songs were quickly eliminated: the winners had to do with love and food. First prize ($200) went to Bonjour les Demoiselles (Hello, Girls); second ($100) to La Gamelle `a Gamelin (Gamelin's Bucket).

Says Bonjour les Demoiselles: There's always happiness when there's love. Chorus:

Bonjour les d'moiselles,

Grace `a vous, `a vous, `a vous,

La vie est belle (Repeat above).

Tout est plus doux.

Vous avez des regards qui nous ensorcellent

Et des baisers troublants qui nous rendent fous (Repeat first two lines).

On tiendra l'coup (We can take it).

More rousing is La Gamelle `a Gamelin. Its simple chorus: From Gamelin's bucket all the troop eats soup. All the troop dunks its bread, in Gamelin's bucket.

Sentiments of the song: The general who commands our army is a real daddy to all us soldiers. In his honor a pal in the trenches wrote this song which we all sing: (chorus). Lately the President of the Republic with his dear better half came to camp. Both of them, carried away by the music sang with us, arm-in-arm: (chorus).

Authors of Bonjour les Demoiselles are Private Roger Bernstein, 28, a pianist for Music Publisher Salabert (one of the jurors), and Jean Vogade, 48, pianist to Tenor Tino Rossi. The Gamelin song was concocted by Jean Rodor, 58, veteran of World War I and a professional librettist, and Corporal Paul Durand, 32, composer of a French hit song, Tell Me That You Love Me.

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