"Douce Dame Jolie", sometimes referred to only as 'Douce Dame', is a song from the 14th century, by the French composer

Guillaume de Machaut Guillaume de Machaut (, ; also Machau and Machault; – April 1377) was a French composer and poet who was the central figure of the style in late medieval music. His dominance of the genre is such that modern musicologists use his death to ...

. The song is a

virelai A ''virelai'' is a form of medieval French verse used often in poetry and music. It is one of the three '' formes fixes'' (the others were the ballade and the rondeau) and was one of the most common verse forms set to music in Europe from the l ...

, belonging to the style ars nova, and is one of the most often heard medieval tunes today. Many modern recordings omit the lyrics, however. One of the most famous musical pieces of the Middle Ages, 'Douce Dame' has been performed by a plethora of artists, mostly but not always in medieval style. Among others are

Annwn Annwn, Annwfn, or Annwfyn (in Middle Welsh, ''Annwvn'', ''Annwyn'', ''Annwyfn'', ''Annwvyn'', or ''Annwfyn'') is the Otherworld in Welsh mythology. Ruled by Arawn (or, in Arthurian literature, by Gwyn ap Nudd), it was essentially a world of ...

(with lyrics), Ayragon (with lyrics), Theo Bleckmann (with lyrics), Els Berros de la Cort,

Corvus Corax The common raven (''Corvus corax'') is a large all-black passerine bird. It is the most widely distributed of all corvids, found across the Northern Hemisphere. It is a raven known by many names at the subspecies level; there are at least ...

, Schelmish (with lyrics), Dr Cosgill,

Fable of the Bees ''The Fable of The Bees: or, Private Vices, Publick Benefits'' (1714) is a book by the Anglo-Dutch social philosopher Bernard Mandeville. It consists of the satirical poem ''The Grumbling Hive: or, Knaves turn'd Honest'', which was first publish ...

, Filia Irata, Två fisk och en fläsk (with lyrics), Wisby Vaganter, A La Via! (with lyrics), Lisa Lynne, The John Renbourn Group (with English lyrics), WirrWahr, Wolfenmond, Saltatio Mortis, Angels of Venice (soprano Christina Linhardt, harpist Carol Tatum) and

Legião Urbana Legião Urbana (Portuguese for Urban Legion) was a Brazilian rock band formed in 1982 in Brasília, Distrito Federal. The band primarily consisted of Renato Russo (vocals, bass and keyboards), Dado Villa-Lobos (guitar) and Marcelo Bonfá ( ...

(no lyrics, named "A Ordem dos Templários" (The Templar Order))

Lyrics

Original French From

/ref> : : : : : : : Modern French translation : : : : : : : English translation :''Sweet, lovely lady :''for God's sake do not think'' :''that any has sovereignty'' :''over my heart, but you alone. For always, without treachery Cherished Have I you, and humbly All the days of my life Served Without base thoughts. Alas, I am left begging For hope and relief; For my joy is at its end Without your compassion. :''Sweet, lovely lady.... But your sweet mastery Masters My heart so harshly, Tormenting it And binding In unbearable love, So that y heartdesires nothing but to be in your power. And still, your own heart renders it no relief. :''Sweet, lovely lady.... And since my malady Healed Will never be Without you, Sweet Enemy, Who takes Delight in my torment With clasped hands I beseech Your heart, that forgets me, That it mercifully kill me For too long have I languished. :''Sweet, lovely lady....

References

*Stanley, John. Classical Music: An Introduction to Classical Music Through the Great Composers & Their Masterworks, 1994 John Stanley. *Hindely, Geoffrey, editor. Larousse Encyclopedia of Music, 1971 The Hamlyn Publishing Group Limited {{Authority control 14th-century songs Compositions by Guillaume de Machaut Medieval compositions

Lyrics

See also

References