A young man pursues a girl. The girl’s mother likes him, but the girl won’t have him. “Drink up,” she says, to add insult to his rejection.
Venez Jeunes Gens, 1996. Lucy Doucet. T-3257. Beaton Institute, Cape Breton University.
Artist
Lucy Doucet
Lucy Jane Doucet was born on March 1, 1909 in Belle Côte, Inverness County. She was the fourth of nine children born to Marcellin and Flavie Chiasson. Lucy attended school in Belle Côte until grade four. Her parents then suggested that she leave her studies to work at the lobster canning factory in Margaree Harbour. She worked as a manual labourer at the factory each spring for three years.
She later moved to Halifax, where she found work as a cook, parlour maid, butler, valet and kitchen maid in various family homes and at the Queens Hotel. On November 25, 1935, she married her husband Henry. Six years later, Lucy and Henry left Halifax for Belle Côte with their two children, Florence and Daniel, where they would spend the rest of their lives together.
Lucy had a lifelong passion for music. While attending the Belle Côte school, she learned many traditional French, English and Irish songs from a teacher. In her later years, Lucy remembered many of these songs and willingly shared them with individuals interested in preserving this part of Cape Breton’s music history. She passed away at the age of 96 on March 15, 2005.
These rare audio recordings of Lucy Doucet found on this website will help future generations understand and appreciate the rich history of Acadian music.
Lyrics
Venez Jeunes Gens
1. Venez jeunes gens, écoutez la complainte
D’un jeune fille et son bien aimé,
Elle qui l’aimait pas d’un coeur fidèle
Son amant qui i’aimait tendrement.
2. Par un beau soir est assis auprès d’elle
En lui parlant des discours d’un amant
Sa tendre mère qu’était là à l’ententre
Elle l’aimait comme un de ses enfants.
3. Aimer donc un amant qui vous aime
A quoi sert-on ces discours alongés
Si il savait que vous l’aimeriez encore
Cela l’empècherais de mourir.
4. Combien de fois j’ai passé la rivière
En regardant les blancs brisant sur l’eau,
En regardant les blancs brisant sur l’eau
Voila la recompense j’en ai de vous.
5. Mon cher amant, si j’t’ai fais des promesses
Je m’suis certaine les avoir accompli
O verse O verse belleri un plein verre
Car un plein verre eu vaut mieux que demi,
O verse O verse belleri un plein verre
Car un plein verre eu vaut mieux que demi.