SON AR CHISTR
Created on 15/07/2002Latest update on 21/04/2024
Artist: Alan Stivell
Author: Jean Bernard/Jean-Marie Prima
Label: Fontana
Year: 1970
Means Song Of The Cider. On his debut album Reflets and B-side of Brocéliande. Original title in Cornouaille dialect: Ev' chistr 'ta, Laou, first published in 1951 by traditional Breton activist Polig Monjarret. So this is not a Stivell (real name: Cochevelou) original. Depending on the source, either written by both Breton teen coauthors or by a Breton thin whistler to counter the monotony of farm work, but who was rumoured ending up as a clochard in Paris. Cut by any self-respecting Breton folk band. Both Youenn Gwernig from the Finistère (1925-2006) and the band Quic en Groigne from St. Malo sang it as Ev jistr 'ta, Laou. Also a soccerfield song in Hoffenheim (GER) as Sieben Tagen lang.
Covers:
- 1940:
Elen Guychard [oldest recording as Tudjentii Baod in Languidic (Pays vannetais)]
- 1941:
François-Louis Grall [as Ev Chistr 'ta, Laou, almost literally using Polig Monjarret's lyrics]
- 1951:
Jul Gwernig [sacristain (sexton) of Scaër]
- 1960:
Korollerien Breiz Izel [dance group from Basse-Bretagne]
- 1971:
Martin Carthy [as Willie's Lady; lyrics: Ray Fisher; is also Child ballad #6 from Mrs. Brown's collection from Falkland, Aberdeenshire; first copy: 1783]
- 1974:
Youenn Gwernig [as Son ar Jistr on album Distro ar Gelted (the Return of the Kelts), the version of his dad Jul]
- 1976:
Bots [as Zeven Dagen Lang; also sung in German in '80 igniting Scooter in the 90s]
- 1976:
Frida Boccara [as La Mariée]
- 1977:
Oktoberklub [as So wollen wir kämpfen]
- 1978:
Quebreizh [from Quebec]
- 1980:
Angelo Branduardi [same theme in Gulliver (Italian) and in Sans aucun doute (French)]
- 1982:
Ray Fisher [as Willy's Lady]
- 1987:
Chieftains [as Ev' chistr 'ta, Laou on Celtic Wedding: Music of Brittany; learned it from Youenn Gwernig]
- 1994:
Dieter Troubleyn [as Zeven Dagen Lang]
- 1998:
Rapalje [as Wat Zullen We Drinken]
- 1999:
Scooter [same melody in How Much Is The Fish; electro version]
- 2003:
Blackmore's Night [as All For One]
- 2013:
Anaïs Mitchell & Jefferson Hamer [as Willie's Lady]
- 2020:
Like Mike & Dimitri Vegas [as The Chase]
Coauthor Jean-Marie Prima wrote about the origin of Son ar Chistr in the Revue Musique Bretonne in July 1995 (N°132, p 22-24).
