Le Boudin is the official march

March (music)

A march, as a musical genre, is a piece of music with a strong regular rhythm which in origin was expressly written for marching to and most frequently performed by a military band. In mood, marches range from the moving death march in Wagner's Götterdämmerung to the brisk military marches of John...

 of the French Foreign Legion

French Foreign Legion

The French Foreign Legion is a unique military service wing of the French Army established in 1831. The foreign legion was exclusively created for foreign nationals willing to serve in the French Armed Forces...

. Le Boudin is a reference to boudin

Boudin

Boudin describes a number of different types of sausage used in French, Belgian, German, French Canadian, Creole and Cajun cuisine.-Types:*Boudin blanc: A white sausage made of pork without the blood. Pork liver and heart meat are typically included...

, a type of blood sausage

Blood sausage

Black pudding, blood pudding or blood sausage is a type of sausage made by cooking blood or dried blood with a filler until it is thick enough to congeal when cooled. The dish exists in various cultures from Asia to Europe...

 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

Belgium

Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...

 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

Bastille Day

Bastille Day is the name given in English-speaking countries to the French National Day, which is celebrated on 14 July of each year. In France, it is formally called La Fête Nationale and commonly le quatorze juillet...

 march brings up the rear. Nevertheless, the Legion gets the most enthusiastic response from the crowd.

Lyrics

French

English

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, 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 Tonkin Tonkin , also spelled Tongkin, Tonquin or Tongking, is the northernmost part of Vietnam, south of China's Yunnan and Guangxi Provinces, east of northern Laos, and west of the Gulf of Tonkin. Locally, it is known as Bắc Kỳ, meaning "Northern Region"... , la Légion immortelle À Tuyen-Quang Siege of Tuyen Quang The Siege of Tuyen Quang was an important confrontation between the French and the Chinese armies in Tonkin during the Sino-French War...  illustra notre drapeau, Héros de Camerone Battle of Camarón The Battle of Camarón, which occurred 30 April 1863 between the French Foreign Legion and the Mexican army, is regarded by the Legion as a defining moment in its history...  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. Nous la Légion.

Here you are, some blood pudding, some blood pudding, some blood pudding For the Alsatians Alsace Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²... , the Swiss Switzerland Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition.... , and the Lorrains Lorraine (province) The Duchy of Upper Lorraine was an historical duchy roughly corresponding with the present-day northeastern Lorraine region of France, including parts of modern Luxembourg and Germany. The main cities were Metz, Verdun, and the historic capital Nancy.... , For the Belgians, there's none left, 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, For we are Legionnaires 1st couplet In Tonkin Tonkin campaign The Tonkin Campaign was a armed conflict fought between June 1883 and April 1886 by the French against, variously, the Vietnamese, Liu Yongfu's Black Flag Army and the Chinese Guangxi and Yunnan armies to occupy Tonkin and entrench a French protectorate there... , the Immortal Legion At Tuyen Quang Siege of Tuyen Quang The Siege of Tuyen Quang was an important confrontation between the French and the Chinese armies in Tonkin during the Sino-French War... 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 tradition. 2nd couplet During our far-off campaigns, Facing fever and fire, Forgetting with our sadness, Death, which forgets us so little. We're the Legion.

External links

• Le Boudin mp3 audio