The lyrics of the song are in the
Occitan language.
Lo Panoccinari, the most comprehensive Occitan dictionary, documents one hundred and fifty-six versions of
Se Canta from Languedoc, Provence, Auvergne, Gascony, and Limousin. On 9 February 2002, the almond tree near the
Nîmes fountain that is mentioned in several verses was replanted after its famous predecessor died. Although most texts are linked to the original Febusian poem, not all are: the shepherd and wedding versions, for instance, have different themes despite a common tune. Between brackets are the odd extra verses that can be heard but are not part of the regular lyrics. The lyrics are the 2nd oldest for an anthem of a country or cultural region: only the
Kimigayo, the
national anthem of
Japan, has older lyrics; the third oldest is the anthem of
the Netherlands,
Wilhelmus. ==References==