"Cadet Rousselle" was a popular French song that satirized a French bailiff by the name of Guillaume (William) Rousselle, widely known as Cadet Rousselle.

The man

Guillaume Rousselle was born in Orgelet, Jura on April 30, 1743, and died in

Auxerre Auxerre ( , ) is the capital of the Yonne department and the fourth-largest city in Burgundy. Auxerre's population today is about 35,000; the urban area (''aire d'attraction'') comprises roughly 113,000 inhabitants. Residents of Auxerre are r ...

on January 28, 1807. In his 1945 book on Cadet Rousselle, Pierre Pinsseau details Rousselle's life in Auxerre beginning with his 1783 arrival in the town. The circumstances and exact date of Guillaume Rousselle's arrival in Auxerre are unknown, but it is believed to be 1763, one year after the death of his father. His first jobs included work as a domestic servant and lackey and later he worked as a bailiff's clerk. On March 15, 1780, he petitioned the Lieutenant General of the Bailiwick of Auxerre for the position of head bailiff of the Bailiwick and Courts of Auxerre. His eligibility for this position was confirmed by his Majesty on March 8, 1780, which shows that he had been living in the town for several years. His appointment in 1780 as a Court bailiff provided sufficient income to allow the purchase of a small house, which had an old porch on top of which he added a construction in the shape of a narrow

loggia In architecture, a loggia ( , usually , ) is a covered exterior gallery or corridor, usually on an upper level, but sometimes on the ground level of a building. The outer wall is open to the elements, usually supported by a series of columns ...

. He was seen as a jovial bon vivant, a little eccentric, but he enjoyed the sympathy of his fellow citizens. In Auxerre, he was seen as "good revolutionary", perhaps a little too much so. After a stint in prison between 1794 and 1795, he carefully limited his activities to his official duties as bailiff. In his 1874 novel

Ninety-Three 93 may refer to: * 93 (number) * one of the years 93 BC, AD 93, 1993, 2093, etc. * 93 Seine-Saint-Denis, French department, Paris, Île-de-France * Atomic number 93: neptunium * ''Ninety-Three'', English title of ''Quatrevingt-treize'' (same meani ...

Victor Hugo Victor-Marie Hugo (; 26 February 1802 – 22 May 1885) was a French Romantic writer and politician. During a literary career that spanned more than sixty years, he wrote in a variety of genres and forms. He is considered to be one of the great ...

has

Danton Georges Jacques Danton (; 26 October 1759 – 5 April 1794) was a French lawyer and a leading figure in the French Revolution. He became a deputy to the Paris Commune, presided in the Cordeliers district, and visited the Jacobin club. In August ...

mock

Robespierre Maximilien François Marie Isidore de Robespierre (; 6 May 1758 – 28 July 1794) was a French lawyer and statesman who became one of the best-known, influential and controversial figures of the French Revolution. As a member of the Esta ...

for monopolizing the floor at the Convention for two hours: :Cadet Rousselle made speeches :That are not long when they are short.

The song

In 1792, Gaspard de Chenu, a writer of spiritual and satirical songs, wrote the song "Cadet Rousselle" to the tune of a song about Jean de Nivelle. The song spread beyond the limits of the city when volunteers from Auxerre introduced it to the

Armée du Nord The Army of the North or Armée du Nord is a name given to several historical units of the French Army. The first was one of the French Revolutionary Armies that fought with distinction against the First Coalition from 1792 to 1795. Others existe ...

. It later spread through all levels of society. In 1919

John Ireland John Benjamin Ireland (January 30, 1914 – March 21, 1992) was a Canadian actor. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his performance in ''All the King's Men'' (1949), making him the first Vancouver-born actor to receive an Oscar nomina ...

Arnold Bax Sir Arnold Edward Trevor Bax, (8 November 1883 – 3 October 1953) was an English composer, poet, and author. His prolific output includes songs, choral music, chamber pieces, and solo piano works, but he is best known for his orchestral musi ...

Frank Bridge Frank Bridge (26 February 187910 January 1941) was an English composer, violist and conductor. Life Bridge was born in Brighton, the ninth child of William Henry Bridge (1845-1928), a violin teacher and variety theatre conductor, formerly a m ...

and Eugene Goossens wrote ''Variations on "Cadet Roussel"'' as an encore piece for voice and piano. In 1930 Goossens arranged this composite work for small orchestra, publishing it as his Op. 40. and the piece was first performed at the

Savoy Theatre The Savoy Theatre is a West End theatre in the Strand in the City of Westminster, London, England. The theatre was designed by C. J. Phipps for Richard D'Oyly Carte and opened on 10 October 1881 on a site previously occupied by the Savoy Pala ...

in London on 28 February 1932 under the auspices of The Camargo Society.Theatre programme: ''The Camargo Society Second Production'' at the Savoy Theatre, 28 and 29 February 1932. Programme states "first performance" of ''Variations on the Air "Cadet Rouselle"''. ''Cadet Rouselle'' was also used by

Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky , group=n ( ; 7 May 1840 – 6 November 1893) was a Russian composer of the Romantic period. He was the first Russian composer whose music would make a lasting impression internationally. He wrote some of the most popu ...

in his ballet ''

The Nutcracker ''The Nutcracker'' ( rus, Щелкунчик, Shchelkunchik, links=no ) is an 1892 two-act ballet (""; russian: балет-феерия, link=no, ), originally choreographed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov with a score by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaiko ...

'', along with other children's songs.

The film

''Cadet Rousselle'' was the title of a 1954 French film by

André Hunebelle André Hunebelle (1 September 1896 – 27 November 1985) was a French maître verrier (master glassmaker) and film director. Master Glass Artist After attending polytechnic school for mathematics, he became a decorator, a designer, and then a mas ...

. It is a freely interpreted film that based itself on the song and the recurrence of the number 3 in many aspects of the character's adventures.

Lyrics of the song ''Cadet Rousselle'', by Gaspard de Chenu

: Cadet Rousselle has three houses, : Cadet Rousselle has three houses, : They have not beams or rafters. : They have not beams or rafters. : They give lodging to the swallows, : What do you say about Cadet Rousselle? : Ah! Ah! Ah! Yes, truly, : Cadet Rousselle is a good boy! .. : Cadet Rousselle has three outfits, : Cadet Rousselle has three outfits, : Two in yellow, the other of gray paper, : Two in yellow, the other of gray paper, : He wears it when it's freezing, : Or when it rains or when it hails ... : Ah! Ah! Ah! Yes, truly, : Cadet Rousselle is a good boy! .. : Cadet Rousselle has three hats, : Cadet Rousselle has three hats, : Two are round and not beautiful, : Two are round and not beautiful, : The third has two pointed cones, : From his head, it takes its form ... : Ah! Ah! Ah! Yes, truly, : Cadet Rousselle is a good boy! .. : Cadet Rousselle has three lovely eyes, : Cadet Rousselle has three lovely eyes, : One looks to Caen, the other to Bayeux, : One looks to Caen, the other to Bayeux, : Because his vision is not clear, : The third eye is his monocle. : Ah! Ah! Ah! Yes, truly, : Cadet Rousselle is a good boy! .. : Cadet Rousselle has a sword, : Cadet Rousselle has a sword, : Very long, but totally rusted, : Very long, but totally rusted, : He says it does not look for quarrels : It's only for sparrows and swallows. : Ah! Ah! Ah! Yes, truly, : Cadet Rousselle is a good boy! .. : Cadet Rousselle has three shoes, : Cadet Rousselle has three shoes, : He puts two on his two feet, : He puts two on his two feet, : The third does not tread the ground, : He uses it to fit his beautiful ... : Ah! Ah! Ah! Yes, truly, : Cadet Rousselle is a good boy! .. : Cadet Rousselle has three hairs, : Cadet Rousselle has three hairs, : Two for the face, one for the tail, : Two for the face, one for the tail, : And when he sees his mistress, : He puts all three into a braid. : Ah! Ah! Ah! Yes, truly, : Cadet Rousselle is a good boy! .. : Cadet Rousselle has three sons, : Cadet Rousselle has three sons, : One is a robber, another is lazy, : One is a robber, another is lazy, : The third is a little trickster, : In which he resembles Cadet Rousselle. : Ah! Ah! Ah! Yes, truly, : Cadet Rousselle is a good boy! .. : Cadet Rousselle has three big dogs, : Cadet Rousselle has three big dogs, : One hunts hares, the other hunts rabbits, : One hunts hares, the other hunts rabbits, : The third flees when it is called, : Just like the dog of Jean de Nivelle. : Ah! Ah! Ah! Yes, truly, : Cadet Rousselle is a good boy! .. : Cadet Rousselle has three beautiful cats, : Cadet Rousselle has three beautiful cats, : Who do not ever catch rats; : Who do not ever catch rats; : The third does not give a fig, : It takes to the attic and hides in the dark. : Ah! Ah! Ah! Yes, truly, : Cadet Rousselle is a good boy! .. : Cadet Rousselle has married : Cadet Rousselle has married : His three girls in three districts, : His three girls in three districts, : The first two are less than beautiful, : The third has no brains. : Ah! Ah! Ah! Yes, truly, : Cadet Rousselle is a good boy! .. : Cadet Rousselle has three dollars, : Cadet Rousselle has three dollars, : To pay his creditors; : To pay his creditors; : Once he had shown his resources, : He tightened them in his purse. : Ah! Ah! Ah! Yes, truly, : Cadet Rousselle is a good boy! .. : Cadet Rousselle became an actor, : Cadet Rousselle became an actor, : As Chénier became an author, : As Chénier became an author, : When at the cafe, he plays a role, : The blind find it very droll. : Ah! Ah! Ah! Yes, truly, : Cadet Rousselle is a good boy! .. : Cadet Rousselle cannot die, : Cadet Rousselle cannot die, : Because, before he walks no more, : Because, before he walks no more, : They say he has to learn his letters, : So he can make himself his epitaph. : Ah! Ah! Ah! Yes, truly, : Cadet Rousselle is a good boy!

References

{{Authority control French songs