Mademoiselle from Armentières

Mademoiselle from Armentières

Original Text
Version 1: Anthony Hopkins, Songs from the Front & Rear: Canadian Servicemen's Songs of the Second World War (Edmonton: Hurtig, 1979): 27. M 1679.18.S6 Robarts Library. Version 2: Carl Sandburg, The American Songbag (New York: Harcourt, Brace, and Co., 1927): 440-42. M 162 A657 1927 Music Library
1.2Mademoiselle from Armentières, Parley-voo?
1.3Mademoiselle from Armentières,
1.4She hasn't been kissed in forty years,
1.5Hinky, dinky, parley-voo.
1.6Mademoiselle from Armentières, Parley-voo?
1.7Mademoiselle from Armentières, Parley-voo?
1.9When she cried the tears ran down her back,
1.10Hinky, dinky, parley-voo.
1.11Mademoiselle from Armentières, Parley-voo?
1.12Mademoiselle from Armentières, Parley-voo?
1.13She never could hold the love of man
1.14'Cause she took her baths in a talcum can,
1.15Hinky, dinky, parley-voo.
1.16Mademoiselle from Armentières, Parley-voo?
1.17Mademoiselle from Armentières, Parley-voo?
1.18She had four chins, her knees would knock,
1.19And her face would stop a cuckoo clock,
1.20Hinky, dinky, parley-voo.
1.21Mademoiselle from Armentières, Parley-voo?
1.22Mademoiselle from Armentières, Parley-voo?
1.23She could beg a franc, a drink, a meal,
1.24But it wasn't because of sex appeal,
1.25Hinky, dinky, parley-voo.
1.26Mademoiselle from Armentières, Parley-voo?
1.27Mademoiselle from Armentières, Parley-voo?
1.28She could guzzle a barrel of sour wine,
1.29And eat a hog without peeling the rind,
1.30Hinky, dinky, parley-voo.
1.32The MPS think they won the war, Parley-voo.
1.33The MPS think they won the war,
1.34Standing guard at the café door,
1.35Hinky, dinky, parley-voo.
1.36The officers get the pie and cake, Parley-voo.
1.37The officers get the pie and cake, Parley-voo.
1.38The officers get the pie and cake,
1.39And all we get is the bellyache,
1.40Hinky, dinky, parley-voo.
1.41The sergeant ought to take a bath, Parley-voo.
1.42The sergeant ought to take a bath, Parley-voo.
1.43If he changes his underwear
1.45Hinky-dinky, parley-voo.
1.46You might forget the gas and shells, Parley-voo.
1.47You might forget the gas and shells, Parley-voo.
1.48You might forget the groans and yells
1.49But you'll never forget the mademoiselles,
1.50Hinky, dinky, parley-voo.
1.51Mademoiselle from Armentières, Parley-voo?
1.52Mademoiselle from Armentières, Parley-voo?
1.53Just blow your nose, and dry your tears,
1.54We'll all be back in a few short years,
1.55Hinky, dinky, parley-voo.
VERSION ##
2.1Two German officers crossed the Rhine, parlee-voo,
2.2Two German officers crossed the Rhine, parlee-voo,
2.3Two German officers crossed the Rhine
2.4To kiss the women and drink the wine, hinky dinky, parlee-voo.
2.5"Oh farmer, have you a daughter fair, parlee--voo,
2.6Oh farmer, have you a daughter fair, parlee-voo,
2.7Oh farmer, have you a daughter fair
2.8Who can wash a soldier's underwear, hinky dinky, parlee-voo.
2.9Mademoiselle from Armentières, parlee-voo,
2.10Mademoiselle from Armentières, parlee-voo,
2.11Mademoiselle from Armentières
2.12She ain't even heard of underwear, hinky dinky, parlee-voo.
2.13Mademoiselle from Armentières, parlee-voo,
2.14Mademoiselle from Armentières, parlee-voo,
2.15If you never wash your underwear
2.16You'll never get the Croix de Guerre, hinky dinky, parlee-voo.
2.17Many and many a married man, parlee-voo,
2.18Many and many a married man, parlee-voo,
2.19Many and many a married man
2.20Wants to go back to France again, hinky dinky, parlee-voo.
2.21The captain he's carrying the pack, parlee-voo,
2.22The captain he's carrying the pack, parlee-voo,
2.23The captain he's carrying the pack,
2.24Hope to Lord it breaks his back, hinky dinky, parlee-voo.
2.25The officers get all the steak, parlee-voo,
2.26The officers get all the steak, parlee-voo,
2.27The officers get all the steak,
2.28And all we get is the belly-ache, hinky dinky, parlee-voo.
2.29The M. P.s say they won the war, parlee-voo,
2.30The M. P.s say they won the war, parlee-voo,
2.31The M. P.s say they won the war
2.32Standing on guard at a cafe door, hinky dinky, parlee-voo.
2.33The little marine in love with his nurse, parlee-voo.
2.34The little marine in love with his nurse, parlee-voo,
2.35The little marine in love with his nurse,
2.36He's taken her now for better or worse, hinky dinky, parlee-voo.
2.37Mademoiselle all dressed in white, parlee-voo,
2.38Mademoiselle all dressed in blue, parlee-voo,
2.39Mademoiselle all dressed in black,
2.40'Cause her little marine he didn't come back, hinky dinky, parlee-voo.
2.41You might forget the gas and shell, parlee-voo,
2.42You might forget the gas and shell, parlee-voo,
2.43You might forget the gas and shell,
2.44You'll never forget the mademoiselle, hinky dinky, parlee-voo.

Notes

1.1] Armentières: a region in northern France west of Lille.
Parley-voo: `do you speak ...' (French), a proposition. Back to Line
1.8] hack: worthless horse. Back to Line
1.31] MPS: military policemen. Back to Line
1.44] frogs: Frenchmen.
Croix-de-Guerre: French military decoration. Back to Line
Publication Start Year
1914
Publication Notes
Version 1: ca. 1914-1918, amplified 1939-45. Version 2: ca. 1914-18.
RPO poem Editors
Ian Lancashire
RPO Edition
RPO 1998-2001.
Rhyme