Les Copains d’abord English translation

No it was not the wicked raft of wreck'd Medusa, this good craft
Non ce n′était pas le radeau de la méduse, ce bateau
Let it be known in all the ports, known in all the ports
Qu'on se le dise au fond des ports, dise au fond des ports
Yes, she would sail so nice and sweet, all across the briny deep
Il naviguait en père peinard sur la grand mare des canards
And was named The Comrades Aboard, The Comrades Aboard
Et s′appelait les copains d'abord, les copains d'abord

Her "fluctuat nec mergitur" made no claim to literature
Ses fluctuat nec mergitur, c′était pas d′la littérature
Whatever spellbinders may say, spellbinders may say
N'en déplaise aux jeteurs de sorts, aux jeteurs de sorts
Her captain and seaworthy men
Son capitaine et ses matelots
They were no sons of ruffians
N′étaient pas des enfants d'salauds
But bona fide, free consorts, the comrades aboard
Mais des amis franco de port, des copains d′abord

But there were no luxurious ducks
C'étaient pas des amis de luxe
No little Castor or Pollux
Des petits Castor et Pollux
Nor folks from Sodom and Gomorr', Sodom and Gomorr'
Des gens de Sodome et Gomorrhe, Sodome et Gomorrhe
They did not need affinity with Montaigne or La Boétie
C′étaient pas des amis choisis par Montaigne et La Boétie
And they tom-fooled around and snored, the comrades aboard
Sur le ventre ils se tapaient fort, les copains d'abord

Yet of angels there was no sign
C'étaient pas des anges non plus
From Gospels they'd not read a line
L′évangile, ils l′avaient pas lu
But they all loved each other well, it showed in the sail
Mais ils s'aimaient toutes voiles dehors, toutes voiles dehors
John, Peter, Paul and company was their only litany
Jean, Pierre, Paul et compagnie, c′était leur seule litanie
Their credo, their confiteor, the comrades aboard
Leur crédo, leur confiteor, aux copains d'abord

If Trafalgar would overwhelm, their friendship always took the helm
Au moindre coup de Trafalgar, c′est l'amitié qui prenait l′quart
It always pointed true to north, pointed true to north
C'est elle qui leur montrait le nord, leur montrait le nord
And were they ever in distress, their arms would wave an "S.O.S"
Et quand ils étaient en détresse, qu'leurs bras lançaient des S.O.S
You'd have thought they were semaphores, the comrades aboard
On aurait dit des sémaphores, les copains d′abord

When to a rendezvous they'd go, not often was there a no-show
Au rendez-vous des bons copains, y′avait pas souvent de lapins
If one of them was not on board, it meant he was no more
Quand l'un d′entre eux manquait à bord, c'est qu′il était mort
But never could their friendship dim, as the deep seas closed over him
Oui mais jamais, au grand jamais, son trou dans l'eau n′se refermait
A hundred years after the peal, they would mourn him still
Cent ans après, coquin de sort, il manquait encore

I've taken many boats before, but only this one, I felt sure
Des bateaux j'en ai pris beaucoup mais le seul qui ait tenu le coup
Would always steer straight on her course, steer straight on her course
Qui n'ait jamais viré de bord, -mais viré de bord
Yes, she would sail so nice and sweet, all across the briny deep
Naviguait en père peinard, sur la grand mare des canards
And was named The Comrades Aboard, The Comrades Aboard
Et s′appelait les copains d′abord, les copains d'abord

I've taken many boats before, but only this one, I felt sure
Des bateaux j′en ai pris beaucoup mais le seul qui ait tenu le coup
Would always steer straight on her course, steer straight on her course
Qui n'ait jamais viré de bord, -mais viré de bord
Yes, she would sail so nice and sweet, all across the briny deep
Naviguait en père peinard sur la grand mare des canards
And was named The Comrades Aboard, The Comrades Aboard
Et s′appelait les copains d'abord, les copains d′abord