Origins
"Mademoiselle from Armentières" has roots in a tradition of older popular songs. Its immediate predecessor seems to be the song "Skiboo", or "Snapoo", which was popular among British soldiers of World War I. The tune of the song is thought to have been popular in the
French Army in the 1830s. The words told of the encounter of an innkeeper's daughter, named Mademoiselle de
Bar-le-Duc, with two German officers. During the
Franco-Prussian War of 1870, the tune was resurrected, and again in 1914 when the British and other Allied soldiers got to know it. The
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette of December 4, 1939, reported that the historical inspiration for the song had been a young Frenchwoman named Marie Lecoq, later Marie Marceau, who worked as a waitress at the Café de la Paix in
Armentières during the war. Despite the obscenity of many popular versions of the song, it was reportedly quite clean in its original form. The song's first known recording was made in 1915, by
music hall baritone Jack Charman. The song "Mademoiselle from Armentieres", as known in World War I may have been written by Cecil H. Winter in 1915 and 1916, during his time in England and France fighting with the New Zealanders. He was Australian, having been raised in the
Riverina region of
New South Wales. He was to take Riverina for his writings of Australian bush poetry culminating in the writing of a book of such poetry (
The Story of Bidgee Queen & Other Verses, Century Books, 1929). From a young age he wrote for the
Australian Bulletin Magazine. He emigrated to New Zealand prior to World War I, living in
Bluff,
Southland, New Zealand. ==Use==
Use
"Mademoiselle from Armentières" was considered a risqué song and not for 'polite company'. When sung on the radio and TV, as in
The Waltons, typically only the first verse was sung. The lyrics on which this opinion is based are recorded in the
Gordon "Inferno" Collection. It is the third part of the regimental march of
Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry. The first two are "
Has Anyone Seen the Colonel?" and "
It's a Long Way to Tipperary".
Mademoiselle from Armentières was the name of a 1926 British film directed by
Maurice Elvey and starring
Estelle Brody.
Mademoiselle From Armentieres was the title of a 1927 espionage, thriller novel by
Cecil Street, writing under the name
John Rhode. During
World War II the comic duo
Flanagan and Allen had a hit with "If a Grey Haired Lady Says 'How's Your Father?' (That's Mademoiselle from Armentieres)", written by Ted Waite, which refers to the original song. When
Lindisfarne played their song "We Can Swing Together" on stage in the early 1970s, it developed into a lengthy harmonica medley which included a verse and chorus from this as well as several other songs, some also traditional. "Three German Officers Crossed the Rhine" is a song with a much more ribald set of lyrics, popular on rugby tours but sung to the same tune or to that of "
When Johnny Comes Marching Home". It was originally sung in the allied trenches during the First World War. A reworked version known as the "fart song" or as "an old lady of 92" was popular in schools, particularly in the UK, with lyrics celebrating a flatulent journey including Bristol and Rome. A reworked version of the melody was used in the Israeli songwriter
Haim Hefer's song "בחולות" ("Bacholot" or "Bakholot", "In the Sands"), best known for its performance by the singer
Yossi Banai. The song consist of six stanzas telling of a tendency among the narrator's family males to take out the beloveds into, and conceive their children in, the titular sands. In America, most recognize the melody with completely different lyrics, as the theme song for the character
Clarabell the Clown on the children's TV series
Howdy Doody. ==Lyrics==
Lyrics
Multiple versions of the song exist. One variation goes as follows: Mademoiselle from Armentieres, Parley-voo? Mademoiselle from Armentieres, Parley-voo? Mademoiselle from Armentieres, She hasn't been kissed in forty years, Hinky, dinky, parley-voo. Mademoiselle from Armentieres, Parley-voo? Mademoiselle from Armentieres, Parley-voo? She had the form like the back of a hack, When she cried the tears ran down her back, Hinky, dinky, parley-voo. Mademoiselle from Armentieres, Parley-voo? Mademoiselle from Armentieres, Parley-voo? She never could hold the love of man 'Cause she took her baths in a talcum can, Hinky, dinky, parley-voo. Mademoiselle from Armentieres, Parley-voo? Mademoiselle from Armentieres, Parley-voo? She had four chins, her knees would knock, And her face would stop a cuckoo clock, Hinky, dinky, parley-voo. Mademoiselle from Armentieres, Parley-voo? Mademoiselle from Armentieres, Parley-voo? She could beg a franc, a drink, a meal, But it wasn't because of sex appeal, Hinky, dinky, parley-voo. Mademoiselle from Armentieres, Parley-voo? Mademoiselle from Armentieres, Parley-voo? She could guzzle a barrel of sour wine, And eat a hog without peeling the rind, Hinky, dinky, parley-voo. The MPs think they won the war, Parley-voo. The MPs think they won the war, Parley-voo. The MPs think they won the war, Standing guard at the café door, Hinky, dinky, parley-voo. The officers get the pie and cake, Parley-voo. The officers get the pie and cake, Parley-voo. The officers get the pie and cake, And all we get is the bellyache, Hinky, dinky, parley-voo. Mademoiselle from Armentieres, Parley-voo? Mademoiselle from Armentieres, Parley-voo? They say they mechanized the war So what the hell are we marching for? Hinky-dinky, parley-voo. The sergeant ought to take a bath, Parley-voo. The sergeant ought to take a bath, Parley-voo. If he changes his underwear The frogs will give him the Croix-de-Guerre, Hinky-dinky, parley-voo. You might forget the gas and shells, Parley-voo. You might forget the gas and shells, Parley-voo. You might forget the groans and yells But you'll never forget the mademoiselles, Hinky, dinky, parley-voo. Mademoiselle from Armentieres, Parley-voo? Mademoiselle from Armentieres, Parley-voo? Many and many a married man Wants to go back to France again Hinky, dinky, parley-voo. Mademoiselle from Armentieres, Parley-voo? Mademoiselle from Armentieres, Parley-voo? Just blow your nose, and dry your tears, We'll all be back in a few short years, Hinky, dinky, parley-voo. == Lyricists ==