Freedom Triumphant
(Tune: Boyne Water)
| TYPE | 3 - Complex Melody |
| TOPIC | French Revolution |
| TUNE STRUCTURE | A8 B8 |
| VERSE STRUCTURE | 5v 8l |
| TIME SIGNATURE | C |
| KEY SIGNATURE | ♯ |
| TONAL CENTRE | A |
| INCIPIT | GFGB♭FGFDB♭,CDB♭ |
| GENRE | Ballad |
| TEXT SOURCE | James Porter, Paddy's Resource or the Harp of Erin (Dublin, c.1798), p.10 |
| TUNE SOURCE | James Aird, A Selection of Scotch, English, Irish and Foreign Airs, 2 vols. (Glasgow, 1790-97), Vol II p.43 no.118 |
| FIRST LINE | The fourteenth of July in Paris town |
| NOTATED INCIPIT | |
| This song from Paddy's Resource (1798) is set to the tune of the well known Orange song 'The Boyne Water'. The first printing of the melody under this title is found in the second volume of James Aird's series of publications, printed between 1790 and 1797. It is not possible to date precisely a printed copy of 'The Boyne Water' and so this song is likely to have been the first printed set of words to the tune. | |
Freedom TriumphantThe fourteenth of July, in Paris town,There was a glorious battle,where many a tyrant lay on the groundBy canons that did rattleThe people firmly did advance,which made their foes to wonder;Their country's right they did maintainThe Bastille tore asunder.The tocsin's sound did soon resound,All ranks did fly to armsBoth young and old, as I am told,Not fearing war's alarms.The hue and cry 'Live, Free or Die'Was heard from each defenderAnd Viva la! was the tune they played,To make their foes surrender.French soldiers then, like honest men,Said, 'Sure these are our brothers;Why then should we not join to freeOur children, wives and mothers?We need not be the least afraid,We'll elect our own commander;For God will be our chief this day-Freedom's banner we fight under'.A standard then they did prepare,Liberty's stripes they raised,which did inspire with electric fireFrenchmen so long enslaved;With sword in hand they marched on,Their foes they soon did scatter,Their tyrant's crown was then struck down,And soon they did it tatter.From France now see Liberty's treeIts branches wide extending;The Swine to it for shelter run-Full fast they are assembling:They grunt and groan, with hideous tone,Against all base connivers;They now unite, and swear they'll biteTheir unrelenting drivers.