Le Fanion de La Légion

Down below, it's the vast land
Dominated by a small fort
In the plain, there's silence
And up high, in the clear morning
A silhouette to the four winds throws
The sharp notes of a bugle
But a gunshot answers back

Ah la la la la beautiful story
There are thirty guys in the bastion
Bare-chested, dreaming of fights
They've got wine in their canteens
Supplies and ammunition
Ah la la la la beautiful story
Up there on the walls of the bastion
In the sun, glory hovers
And in the wind, a flag flaps
It's the flag of the Legion!

The bastards hold the plain
Up there in the little fort
For a long week now
Death takes its toll every morning
Thirst and fever
Dry out their lips
To every call of the bugle
It's the gunfire that responds

Ah la la la la beautiful story
Twenty remain in the bastion
Bare-chested, covered in glory
They have no more water in their canteens
And almost no ammunition
Ah la la la la beautiful story
Flapping in the wind on the bastion
And riddled like a sieve
There’s still the flag
The beautiful flag of the Legion!

As night covers the plain
The "bastards," toward the fort
Slipped in like hyenas
They fought until morning
Howls of rage
Savage hand-to-hand
The dogs were scared of the lions
They didn’t take the position

Ah la la la la beautiful story
Only three remain in the bastion
Bare-chested, covered in glory
Bloodied, bruised, and in rags
Without water, bread, or ammunition
Ah la la la la beautiful story
They still hold the bastion
But can’t shout victory
They’ve been robbed of the flag
The beautiful flag of the Legion!

But suddenly the cannon thunders
Reinforcements finally arrive
On the horizon, a column
Emerges in the morning
And the echo repeats the call of the trumpets
Rising toward the hill
A cry from up high answers back

Ah la la la la beautiful story
The three who are in the bastion
On their chests all blackened
With blood, damn it
Have drawn beautiful flags
Ah la la la la beautiful story
They can lift their heads
And toward the sky shout victory
At attention on the bastion
They yell present the Legion!