"Auprès de ma blonde" (French for "Next to My Girl") or "Le Prisonnier de Hollande" ("The Prisoner of Holland") is a popular chanson dating to the 17th century. The song tells the story of a woman who laments to the birds in her father's garden that her husband is a prisoner in Holland. It appeared during or soon after the Franco-Dutch War (1672–78), during the reign of Louis XIV, when French sailors and soldiers were commonly imprisoned in the Netherlands.

Auprès de ma blonde

The song's quick pace and lively melody made it well-suited to military marches, and it is still commonly played at parades. For the same reasons, it gained widespread popularity as a drinking song and nursery rhyme.

History

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The song was composed in 1704 during the reign of Louis XIV. A local tradition attributes the composition to André Joubert du Collet.[1]

Music

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ Robine, Marc (2000). Anthologie de la chanson française (in French). Éditions Albin Michel. p. 291. ISBN 2226074791.