Douce Dame Jolie

"Douce Dame Jolie", sometimes referred to only as 'Douce Dame', is a song from the 14th century, by the French composer Guillaume de Machaut. The song is a virelai, belonging to the style ars nova, and is one of the most often heard medieval tunes today. Most modern recordings omits the lyrics, however.

Douce dame jolie,
Pour dieu ne pensés mie
Que nulle ait signorie
Seur moy fors vous seulement.
Qu'adès sans tricherie
Chierie
Vous ay et humblement
Tous les jours de ma vie
Servie
Sans villain pensement.
Helas! et je mendie
D'esperance et d'aïe;
Dont ma joie est fenie,
Se pité ne vous en prent.
Douce dame jolie...
Mais vo douce maistrie
Maistrie
Mon cuer si durement
Qu'elle le contralie
Et lie
En amour tellement
Qu'il n'a de riens envie
Fors d'estre en vo baillie;
Et se ne li ottrie
Vos cuers nul aligement.
Douce dame jolie...
Et quant ma maladie
Garie
Ne sera nullement
Sans vous, douce anemie,
Qui lie
Estes de mon tourment,
A jointes mains deprie
Vo cuer, puis qu'il m'oublie,
Que temprement m'ocie,
Car trop langui longuement.
Douce dame jolie...

* * *

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,
[My heart] desires nothing
but to be in your power.
And still, your own heart
renders it no relief.
Sweet, lovely lady....
And since my malady
Will not
Be annulled
Without you, Sweet Enemy,
Who takes
Delight of my torment
With clasped hands I beseech
Your heart, that forgets me,
That it mercifully kill me
For too long have I languished.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Douce
• Dame
• Jolie

[Gsylou]

Wow, yes...the best version i find. Slow, beautiful...perfect !

[JohnnyTightlips1]

Slightly confused why our band logo is on the background for this song!

[buttaflystar91]

@JohnnyTightlips1 Apparently there are two bands named Annwn :)

[buttaflystar91]

Perfection! 

[archonte57]

Montjoie Saint Denis !!

[byf43]

Makes all the little hairs at the back of your neck stand up.

Who sings? Is it Sabine Hornung?

[Stepenwoolf]

Exellent!

t-ks!