Quand Madelon... (La Madelon)

For the rest, the pleasure of the soldier,
It's right there, just steps from the forest
A house with walls all covered in ivy
"Aux Tourlourous" is the name of the tavern.
The maid is young and kind,
Light as a butterfly.
Like her wine, her eye sparkles,
We call her Madelon
We dream of her at night, we think of her during the day,
She's just Madelon but for us, it's love

{Chorus:}
When Madelon comes to serve us drinks
Under the arbor, we brush against her skirt
And each one tells her a story
A story in their own way
Madelon is not strict with us
When we touch her waist or chin
She laughs, that's all the harm she knows how to do
Madelon, Madelon, Madelon!

We all have a girl back home
Who's waiting for us and whom we'll marry
But she's far, too far for us to tell her
What we'll do when the class returns
Counting the days, we sigh
And when time seems long to us
All that we can't tell her
We'll tell Madelon
We kiss her in the corners. She says "do you want to finish..."
We pretend it's someone else, it pleases us
{to Chorus}

A corporal in a fancy kepi
Went to find Madelon one fine morning
And, madly in love, told her she was pretty
And that he came to ask for her hand
Madelon, not stupid, in the end,
Replied with a smile:
And why would I take just one man
When I love a whole regiment?
Your friends will come. You won't have my hand
I need it too much to pour them wine
{to Chorus}