"Mademoiselle from Armentières" is an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

song that was particularly popular during

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

. It is also known by its ersatz French hook line, 'Inky Pinky Parlez Vous,' or the American variant 'Hinky Dinky Parlez-vous' (variant: ''Parlay voo''). 'Inky Pinky' was a Scottish children's name for parsnip and potato cakes, but it has been suggested that an onomatopoeic reference to the sound of bed springs is a more likely soldier's ribald derivation.

Origins

"Mademoiselle from Armentières" has roots in a tradition of older popular songs; its immediate predecessor seems to be the song "Skiboo" (or "Snapoo"), which was also popular among British soldiers of World War 1. Earlier still, the tune of the song is thought to have been popular in the

French Army The French Army, officially known as the Land Army (french: Armée de Terre, ), is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces. It is responsible to the Government of France, along with the other components of the Armed For ...

in the 1830s; at this time the words told of the encounter of an inn-keeper's daughter, named Mademoiselle de Bar le Duc, with two German officers. During the Franco-Prussian War of 1870, the tune was resurrected, and again in 1914 when the British and Allied soldiers got to know it. The ''

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette The ''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette'', also known simply as the PG, is the largest newspaper serving metropolitan Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Descended from the ''Pittsburgh Gazette'', established in 1786 as the first newspaper published west of the All ...

'' of December 4, 1939, reported that the historical inspiration for the song had been a young Frenchwoman named Marie Lecoq (later Marie Marceau), who worked as a waitress at the Café de la Paix in

Armentières Armentières (; vls, Armentiers) is a commune in the Nord department in the Hauts-de-France region in northern France. It is part of the Métropole Européenne de Lille. The motto of the town is ''Pauvre mais fière'' (Poor but proud). Geogra ...

at the time of the war. Despite the obscenity of many popular versions of the song, it was reportedly quite clean in its original form. The song's first known recording was made in 1915 by

music hall Music hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment that was popular from the early Victorian era, beginning around 1850. It faded away after 1918 as the halls rebranded their entertainment as variety. Perceptions of a distinction in Bri ...

baritone A baritone is a type of classical male singing voice whose vocal range lies between the bass and the tenor voice-types. The term originates from the Greek (), meaning "heavy sounding". Composers typically write music for this voice in the r ...

Jack Charman.

Use

"Mademoiselle from Armentières" was considered a risqué song and not for 'polite company', and when sung on the radio and TV, as in ''

The Waltons ''The Waltons'' is an American historical drama television series about a family in rural Virginia during the Great Depression and World War II. It was created by Earl Hamner Jr., based on his 1961 book ''Spencer's Mountain'' and the 1963 film ...

'', typically only the first verse was sung. The lyrics on which this opinion is based are recorded in the

Gordon "Inferno" Collection The Robert W. Gordon "Inferno" Collection is about 200 pages of original and typescript copies of correspondence and letters that were separated from the main collection of the Archive of Folk Song, Library of Congress, by Robert W. Gordon, first ...

. It is also the third part (the first two being " Has Anyone Seen the Colonel?" and "

It's a Long Way to Tipperary "It's a Long Way to Tipperary" (or "It's a Long, Long Way to Tipperary") is an English music hall song first performed in 1912 by Jack Judge, and written by Judge and Harry Williams, though authorship of the song has long been disputed. It ...

") of the regimental march of

Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI, generally referred to as the Patricia's) is one of the three Regular Force infantry regiments of the Canadian Army of the Canadian Armed Forces. Formed in 1914, it is named for Princess Patrici ...

. ''

Mademoiselle from Armentières "Mademoiselle from Armentières" is an English song that was particularly popular during World War I. It is also known by its ersatz French hook line, 'Inky Pinky Parlez Vous,' or the American variant 'Hinky Dinky Parlez-vous' (variant: ''Parlay v ...

'' was also the name of a 1926 British film directed by

Maurice Elvey Maurice Elvey (11 November 1887 – 28 August 1967) was one of the most prolific film directors in British history. He directed nearly 200 films between 1913 and 1957. During the silent film era he directed as many as twenty films per year. He a ...

and starring

Estelle Brody Estelle Brody (15 August 1900 – 3 June 1995) was an American actress who became one of the biggest female stars of British silent film in the latter half of the 1920s. Her career was then derailed by a series of ill-advised decisions and ...

. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

the comic duo

Flanagan and Allen Flanagan and Allen were a British singing and comedy double act most active during the 1930s and 1940s. Its members were Bud Flanagan (1896 – 1968, born Chaim Weintrop) and Chesney Allen (1894–1982). They were first paired in a Florrie For ...

had a hit with "Mademoiselle from Armentières", with other music and lyrics written by Ted Waite, referring to the original song. When

Lindisfarne Lindisfarne, also called Holy Island, is a tidal island off the northeast coast of England, which constitutes the civil parish of Holy Island in Northumberland. Holy Island has a recorded history from the 6th century AD; it was an important ...

played their song "We Can Swing Together" on stage in the early 1970s, it developed into a lengthy harmonica medley which included a verse and chorus from this as well as several other songs, some also traditional. "Three German Officers Crossed the Rhine" is a song with much more ribald set of lyrics, popular on rugby tours but sung to the same tune or to that of "

When Johnny Comes Marching Home "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" (Roud 6637), sometimes "When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again", is a popular song from the American Civil War that expressed people's longing for the return of their friends and relatives who were fighting in the ...

". It was originally sung in the allied trenches during the First World War. A reworked version known as the “fart song” or as “an old lady of 92” was popular in schools, particularly in the UK, with lyrics celebrating a flatulent journey including Bristol and Rome. A reworked version of the melody was used in the Israeli songwriter

Haim Hefer Haim Hefer ( he, חיים חפר 29 October 1925 – 18 September 2012) was a Polish-born Israeli songwriter, poet and writer. He wrote for numerous composers and musical artists, as well as for military bands. Several of his songs, including "H ...

's song "בחולות" ("Bacholot" or "Bakholot", "In the Sands"), best known for its performance by the singer

Yossi Banai Yosef "Yossi" Banai ( he, יֹוסֶף "יֹוסִי" בַנָאי; April 13, 1932 – May 11, 2006) was an Israeli performer, singer, actor, and dramatist. Biography Banai was born in Jerusalem during the Mandate era, and grew up in the neighbor ...

. The song consist of six stanzas telling of a tendency among the narrator's family males to take out the beloveds into (and conceive their children in) the titular sands.

Lyrics

There are many variations to the lyrics, but a typical 1940s version of the song would go as follows: Three German officers crossed the

Rhine ), Surselva, Graubünden, Switzerland , source1_coordinates= , source1_elevation = , source2 = Rein Posteriur/Hinterrhein , source2_location = Paradies Glacier, Graubünden, Switzerland , source2_coordinates= , so ...

Parlez-Vous
Three German officers crossed the Rhine
Parlez-Vous
Three German officers crossed the Rhine
To fuck the women and drink the wine
Inky pinky parlez-vous
They breached the

line Line most often refers to: * Line (geometry), object with zero thickness and curvature that stretches to infinity * Telephone line, a single-user circuit on a telephone communication system Line, lines, The Line, or LINE may also refer to: Arts ...

in a

Tiger tank Tiger tank may refer to: *Tiger I, or ''Panzerkampfwagen'' Tiger ''Ausf. E'', a German heavy tank produced from 1942 to 1944 *Tiger II, or ''Panzerkampfwagen'' Tiger ''Ausf. B'', a German heavy tank produced from 1943 to 1945, also known as ''Kön ...

Parlez-vous
They breached the line in a Tiger tank
Parlez-vous
They breached the line in a Tiger tank
One to drive and two to

wank Wank may refer to: * WANK (computer worm), a computer worm that attacked DEC VAX/VMS systems through DECnet in 1989 * WXTY, a radio station (99.9 FM) licensed to serve Lafayette, Florida, United States, which held the call sign WANK from 2010 to 2 ...

Inky pinky parlez-vous
They came upon a wayside

inn Inns are generally establishments or buildings where travelers can seek lodging, and usually, food and drink. Inns are typically located in the country or along a highway; before the advent of motorized transportation they also provided accommo ...

Parlez-vous
They came upon a wayside inn
Parlez-vous
They came upon a wayside inn
Parked the tank and walked right in
Inky pinky parlez-vous
Oh landlord have you a daughter fair
Parlez-vous
Oh landlord have you a daughter fair
Parlez-vous
Oh landlord have you a daughter fair
With eyes of blue and long blonde hair
Inky pinky parlez-vous
My daughter she is much too young
Parlez-vous
My daughter she is much too young
Parlez-vous
My daughter she is much too young
To be fucked by you, you bastard

Hun The Huns were a nomadic people who lived in Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Eastern Europe between the 4th and 6th century AD. According to European tradition, they were first reported living east of the Volga River, in an area that was part ...

Inky pinky parlez-vous
Oh father dear I'm not too young
Parlez-vous
Oh father dear I'm not too young
Parlez-vous
Oh father dear I'm not too young
I've been fucked by the

blacksmith A blacksmith is a metalsmith who creates objects primarily from wrought iron or steel, but sometimes from #Other metals, other metals, by forging the metal, using tools to hammer, bend, and cut (cf. tinsmith). Blacksmiths produce objects such ...

's son
Inky pinky parlez-vous
They fucked her in, they fucked her out
Parlez-vous
They fucked her up, they fucked her down
Parlez-vous
They fucked her till she was dead and then
They fucked her back to life again
Inky pinky parlez-vous

Lyricists

There are several claims to having written the lyrics for this song: * Edward Rowland and a Canadian composer, Gitz Rice * Harry Carlton and Joe Tunbridge * British songwriter

Harry Wincott Alfred James Walden (1 January 1867 – 20 April 1947), known professionally as Harry Wincott, was an English songwriter. Biography He was born in Lambeth, London, the eldest child of Charlotte and Alfred Walden, a coach builder. He started w ...

* Alfred Charles Montin supposedly wrote "Mademoiselle from Armentières" while stationed in France and composed the music for "The Caissons Go Rolling Along" at Fort Sheridan, Ill., shortly before his unit was transferred to

Fort Sill Fort Sill is a United States Army post north of Lawton, Oklahoma, about 85 miles (136.8 km) southwest of Oklahoma City. It covers almost . The fort was first built during the Indian Wars. It is designated as a National Historic Landmark ...

. The lyrics for the artillery march were written by Brig. Gen.

Edmund L. Gruber Edmund Louis "Snitz" Gruber (November 11, 1879 – May 30, 1941) was an artillery officer and general in the United States Army who also gained popularity as composer of military music. He served as Commandant of the Command and General Staff Co ...

, when he was a second lieutenant. Montin was born and raised in

Nice Nice ( , ; Niçard: , classical norm, or , nonstandard, ; it, Nizza ; lij, Nissa; grc, Νίκαια; la, Nicaea) is the prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes department in France. The Nice agglomeration extends far beyond the administrative c ...

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

. He migrated to the United States and started a tour of duty as an army band director in the days when the band was an important regimental organization. Also included in his music career was a tour with the famed John Philip Sousa Band.”

References

External links

One version of lyrics
* ''firstworldwar.com'' �

* ''horntip.com'' �

* ''horntip.com'' – [http://www.horntip.com/html/books_%26_MSS/1910s/1917-1933_gordon_inferno_collection_%28MSS%29/index.htm#3144-madamoiselle Mademoiselle from Armentieres (3144) from The Robert W. Gordon "Inferno" Collection in the Archive of Folk Song, Library of Congress] * * * ''originals.be'' �
More information about the song
* by

Line Renaud Line Renaud (born 2 July 1928) is a French singer, actress and AIDS activist. Early life Line Renaud was born Jacqueline Ente in Pont-de-Nieppe on 2 July 1928. Her mother Simone was a shorthand typist; her father was a truck driver during the we ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mademoiselle from Armentieres Songs of World War I 1915 songs Songs about France