Alouette (song)

"Alouette"
Song
LanguageFrench
Written1879
GenreFolk
SongwriterTraditional

"Alouette" ([aluɛt(ə)]) is a popular Quebecois children's song, commonly thought to be about plucking the feathers from a lark. Although it is in French, it is well known among speakers of other languages; in this respect, it is similar to "Frère Jacques". Many US Marines and other Allied soldiers learnt the song while serving in France during World War I and took it home with them, passing it on to their children and grandchildren.

Although "alouette" is pronounced [alwɛt(ə)] as two or three (when the final e muet is pronounced) syllables in Standard French, it is more commonly pronounced [aluɛt(ə)] as three or four syllables in Quebec French, as mirrored by the first four notes of the melody.