Quand un soldat (1954/56) - Yves Montand

Fleur au fusil tambour battant il va

Il a vingt ans un cœur d´amant qui bat

Un adjudant pour surveiller ses pas

Et son barda contre ses flancs qui bat

Quand un soldat s´en va-t-en guerre il a

Dans sa musette son bâton d´maréchal

Quand un soldat revient de guerre il a

Dans sa musette un peu de linge sale

Partir pour mourir un peu

A la guerre à la guerre

C´est un drôle de petit jeu

Qui n´va guère aux amoureux

Pourtant c´est presque toujours

Quand revient l´été

Qu´il faut s´en aller

Le ciel regarde partir

Ceux qui vont mourir

Au pas cadencé

Des hommes il en faut toujours

Car la guerre car la guerre

Se fout des serments d´amour

Elle n´aime que l´son du tambour

Quand un soldat s´en va-t-en guerre il a

Des tas de chansons et des fleurs sous ses pas

Quand un soldat revient de guerre il a

Simplement eu d´la veine et puis voilà…

Flower to the gun beating drum he goes

He is twenty years old with a beating lover's heart

A warrant officer to watch his steps

And his gear against his beating sides

When a soldier goes to war he has

In his musette his marshal's baton

When a soldier returns from war he has

In his haversack some dirty laundry

Leaving to die a little

To war to war

It's a funny little game

Who hardly goes to lovers

Yet it is almost always

When does summer come back

That we have to go

The sky is watching

Those who will die

In quick time

Men are always needed

Because the war because the war

Doesn't care about oaths of love

She only likes the sound of the drum

When a soldier goes to war he has

Loads of songs and flowers under her feet

When a soldier returns from war he has

Just lucked out and then voila...