Description

•  L’ete by Cécile Chaminade
• Key: A major
• French and English languages
• Best suited for the soprano voice
• This song has been scanned from sheet music that is in the public domain

French lyrics

Singable English translation by Clifton Bingham

Ah! Sing, sweet bird of spring, sing to the flowers through the glad hours.
Lightly, lightly, in summer sing. O sweet bird of spring! Sing to the roses summer uncloses.
Sing, sing, in summer bird of spring Ah!

Sunlight is beaming, Woodlands are gleaming.
Full is the world of sun and light!
Green leaves are growing, mellow winds blowing!
All things are joyous, gay and bright! Ah! All that is sweet will soon take wing.
Summer flies, sunlight dies.
Sing, bird of spring! Ah!

Ah, Sing, sweet bird of  spring, tell over thy tale air the day’s fall.
Gaily, softly, air thou must wing.
O sweet bird of  spring!
Though too must leave us, autumn bereave us,
Sing or sing in summer bird of spring! Ah!
Sing, oh sing wait bird of spring!

Over the meadows fall dark shadows, lists to the counsel ere too late.
Sunlight is fleeting, sun or retreating, ere has faded woo by thy mate!
Ah, all that is sweet will soon take wing, our summer fly summer dies.
Sweet bird of spring.  Ah!