Le Boudin - March of the Foreign Legion (120 Beats)

The 88 beat version is also on my channel - this is the Americanized version ! Check also on my channel - Marche de la Legion and La Legion marche as well as Le Boudin.

One of my favourite military pieces - but I have many

Le Boudin is the official march of the French Foreign Legion. Le Boudin is a reference to boudin, a type of blood sausage or black pudding. Le boudin colloquially meant the gear (rolled up in a red blanket) that used to top the backpacks of Legionnaires. The song makes repeated reference to the fact that the Belgians don't get any "blood sausage", since the King of Belgium at the time forbade his subjects from joining the Legion.

While the tune was composed prior to the Legion's departure for Mexico in the 1860s the words were probably adopted shortly after 1870 as many men from Alsace and Lorraine (regions recently lost to Germany) joined the Legion.

Le Boudin is sung while standing to attention by all ranks of the French Foreign Legion. The Legion marches at only 88 steps per minute, much slower than the 120 steps per minute of all other French military units. Consequently, the Legion contingent at the Bastille Day march holds up the rear. Nevertheless, the Legion gets the most enthusiastic response from the crowd.

Tiens, voilà du boudin, voilà du boudin, voilà du boudin Pour les Alsaciens, les Suisses et les Lorrains, pour les Belges y en a plus, ce sont des tireurs au cul.

1st sonnerie
Nous sommes des dégourdis,
Nous sommes des lascars
Des types pas ordinaires.
Nous avons souvent notre cafard,
Nous sommes des légionnaires.
1st couplet
Au Tonkin, la Légion immortelle
À Tuyen-Quang illustra notre drapeau,
Héros de Camerone et frères modèles
Dormez en paix dans vos tombeaux.
2nd sonnerie
Nos anciens ont su mourir.
Pour la gloire de la Légion.
Nous saurons bien tous périr
Suivant la tradition.
2nd couplet
Au cours de nos campagnes lointaines,
Affrontant la fièvre et le feu,
Oublions avec nos peines,
La mort qui nous oublie si peu.
Here you are, some blood pudding, some blood pudding, some blood pudding For the Alsatians, the Swiss, and the Lorrains, For the Belgians, there's none left, They're lazy shirkers (repeat)

1st sonnet
We're at ease,
We're rough-and-tough
No ordinary guys,
We've often got our black moods,
We are Legionnaires
1st couplet
At Tonkin, the Immortal Legion
At Tuyen-Quang we honoured our flag,
The heroes of Camerone and model brothers
Sleep in peace in your tombs
2nd sonnet
Our ancestors died
For the glory of the Legion.
We will all perish
According to the tradition.
2nd couplet
During our far-off campaigns,
Battling fever and fire,
May our pain help us forget,
Death, who never forgets us.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• boudin
• frech
• foreign
• legion
• military
• etranger
• kepi
• blanc

[angel75020]

Just a small problem : this march is played too quickly -the Legion walk at 88 step/min. and a "normal" army at 120.

But the music is perfect.

[jonjamg]

@angel75020 88 beats also on this channel

[Normacly]

@kingbleah White flags? Seriously, what is up with the people who hated on the French military. Sorry, but last time I check, the British had the same problem as the French in WW1 and WW2. Just that UK luckily happen to be separate from the European mainland.

[cayenne52]

As a former member of the German Air Force, I bow with respect to one of the best military units, because of their spirit, pride and comradeship.............felici­tacions ....all the best for the future.........

[flammabletube]

@1stREMESquaddie De Gaule at least did NOT surrender to the germans like so many french generals did nor did he act under the traiter darlan he at least fought with the British and led the Free French army

[republicain85]

@414jockey

What matters is not where they come from. They are honorable people who have given their lives in the service of our Nation. We owe them total recognition, and that is my case personally. I have an immense lot of respect for the Légion Etrangère. They are some of the bravest and also their patriotism and sense of duty towards the French Republic cannot be doubted.

[jsoholt]

Hmmm, I hought this was a video about the French Foreign Legion, and their pride of their unit.  Or did I miss something here?

(ex legionnaire 18000)

[1stREMESquaddie]

Yes, and had the French coward De Gaulle at the head of the liberation march.

What a joke he was, hiding in England.

[SatansBoner93]

Oh France, U SO CRAZY

[BOUCHAK]

Very honestly, there is nothing we can do : ALL HATES US, and all came for from countries that leads the world : USA, ENGLAND so and so ... this is very easy for them to pretend we are cowards just because they do not want to know what happens in vetwenns 1WW ans 2WW ... BUT NOW : USA is leaving IRAK (1st tchnologic army of the world) is not ABLE to occuied IRAK! USA lost every were, us veteran are all depressed and we, the frogs are COWARDS!

[BOUCHAK]

Alls hate and realy hate us ... my grand fafher an officer were killed in battle of France, his father the same, my father was pilot in french algaria war (horror, mutilation so dans so) for exemple,two brther of my grand mother were killed in 1WW, father of my mother was french nazi collaborator (what can I do againts that?) and her grand father was injuried until dead ... and now, when french soldier are killed in action in Afhanistan, american applaudide (just read the comments) ...

[runa007able1]

Guck an: Die marschieren mit 'Schlachterschürze' .

[JedediahSmith1]

Vive la legion! One of todays' elite fighting forces,,I'm an ex-US marine

[jonjamg]

@patricia8120 Hitler's army was half of europe away in Poland, he had committed nearly all of his troops. Much of his large weaponry was still horse drawn, it was not all mechanized. The number of tanks available to him was not as great as imagined. Both the allies were too slow in getting off the mark. I hate to say it but Churchill was right all the way along. Hitler could not have fought a war on two fronts at that time, indeed he was unable later when he had more tanks.