The French

National A

nthem

By Elisa 3

ème 4,Comenius

project, RREV

The history of the "Marseillaise"

The Marseillaise is a patriotic song of the French Revolution, first adopted as the national anthem of France from July 14, 1795 to 1804, then permanently in 1879 under the Third Republic. The first six verses were written by Rouget de Lisle (1760 - 1836) in 1792 for the Army of the Rhine in Strasbourg, following the declaration of war from France to Austria. The Marseillaise was originally a war song and a hymn to freedom. Its words consist of a patriotic call for general mobilization and encouragement to fight against tyranny and against foreign invasion.During the WWII, it was sometimes replaced by a hymn in honour of Pétain entitled “Marshal, here we come”.

In 1974,during his term as President of the French Republic, Valéry Giscard d'Estaing reduced the tempo of the Marseillaise. But in 1981, President Mitterand restored the original version of 1879.

I like our national anthem and I think it's a shame that the music has often been modified.

French Version

English Version

Let's go children of the fatherland,The day of glory has arrived!

Against us tyranny'sBloody flag is raised! (repeat)

In the countryside, do you hearThe roaring of these fierce soldiers?

They come right to our armsTo slit the throats of our sons, our wives!

Refrain

Grab your weapons, citizens!Form your battalions!

Let us march! Let us march!May impure bloodWater our fields!

Allons enfants de la patrie,Le jour de gloire est arrivé !Contre nous de la tyrannie

L'étendard sanglant est levé ! (bis)Entendez-vous dans les campagnes,

Mugir ces féroces soldats ?Ils viennent jusque dans nos brasÉgorger nos fils, nos compagnes !

Refrain

Aux armes, citoyens !Formez vos bataillons !Marchons ! Marchons !

Qu'un sang impurAbreuve nos sillons !

The End