"Se Canta" (; 'If It Sings'), also known as "Se Chanta" or "Aqueras Montanhas", is an anthem associated with Occitania. It is also a very old popular song, known all over Occitania.Francisco J. Oroz Arizcuren & Gerhard Rohlfs: Romania cantat: Lieder in alten und neuen Chorsätzen mit sprachlichen, literarischen und musikwissenschaftlichen Interpretationen, 1980, p. 364: [...] l'air et certains versets de cette chanson qui connaît de très nombreuses variantes, sont encore assez universellement connus. [...] La connaissance de cette chanson est reconnue sans gêne, on la chante souvent avec une certaine fierté. [...] L'intérêt particulier de la chanson Aquelas Montanhas [...] provient avant tout du fait qu'elle est à peu près la seule chanson occitane répandue à travers plusieurs dialectes d'oc qui soit encore connue d'un grand public. According to legend, it was written by Gaston III Fébus (1331–1391), Count of Foix and Béarn.Institut d'Estudis Occitans 65: [...] era famusa cançon de Gaston Fébus, aquiu Aqueras montanhas que tan nautas son [...] Nemausensis.com: Certains historiens le font remonter à Gaston Phébus qui l'aurait dédié à son épouse pour se faire pardonner son comportement volage. Whebdo: Gaston Phébus (1331-1391): Devint en 1343 Comte de Foix et seigneur de Béarn sous le nom de Gaston III. Prit le surnom de Phébus (soleil) pour illustrer sa blondeur et son désir de puissance. C'était un homme d'état puissant et indépendant, passionné de chasse et... de femmes. C'est pour se faire pardonner ses nombreuses infidélités qu'il écrivit ce chant destiné à son épouse retirée dans sa famille en Espagne.
Since 1993, it has an official statusOfficial Conselh Generau d'Aran website: Eth Plen deth Conselh Generau d'Aran a aprovat aué per unanimitat era letra oficiau der Imne Nacionau d'Aran, pr'amor qu'enquia ara non ne disposaue, a despièch qu'era cançon popular Montanhes Araneses siguesse reconeishuda coma imne d’Aran en 1993, declaracion que non venguec acompanhada dera letra corresponenta. in Aran Valley (a comarca in Catalonia, Spain) with the title Montanhes Araneses. It has been the official anthem of Toulouse FC since August 6, 2010.TFC website: Depuis aujourd’hui, le TFC a trouvé un hymne, son hymne. Et le choix s’est porté sur « Se Canto », la ballade amoureuse la plus populaire de la région, que les plus fervents reprennent depuis toujours dans le virage Est. La Dépêche du Midi: «Se canto», l'hymne officiel du TFC, a raisonné pour la première fois dans l'enceinte du Stadium.
It is also popular in the High Aragon (Spain) with the name of Aqueras montanyas or Aqueras montañas, sung in Aragonese, with similar lyrics. It was compiled by the Aragonese group Biella Nuei and later sung, among others, by the singer-songwriter José Antonio Labordeta.
Se Canta is often regarded as the unofficial anthemChristian-Pierre Bedel: Peiralèu, 1999: Se Canta, l'hymne national occitan.Elisabeth Cestor: Les musiques particularistes: chanter la langue d'oc en Provence à la fin du XXe siècle, 2005, p. 112: Parmi les airs les plus connus, il y a Se Canta, l'hymne des félibres. of all Occitania and most people living in that region know the words to the first verse and chorus even if they are not native Occitan speakers themselves.
Notable occasions on which it has been sung include the opening ceremony of the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin on 10 February 2006Chambra d'Òc: la Presidente Mercedes Bresso che in una intervista a Repubblica ha dichiarato di essersi commossa al momento dell'esecuzione dell'Inno Se Chanta alla cerimonia inaugurale. (by L'Ange Gardien ChorusOfficial Province of Turin website ), and in the French National Assembly on 3 June 2003 (by Jean Lassalle,Marianne magazine in protest at a perceived slight on the Pyrenean village of Urdos by Minister of the Interior Nicolas Sarkozy).
Se Canta was commercially covered by a number of singers and bands, among which are Lou Dalfin, Patric, André Dassary, Charé Moulâ, Calabrun (from Germany), Jean-Bernard Plantevin, Coriandre, Tòni de l'Ostal, Biella Nuei (Aragón), Crestian Almergue e lo Grop Tèst, Corrou de Berra and Dorothée.
Lyrics The lyrics of the song are in the Occitan language. Lo Panoccinari, the most comprehensive Occitan dictionary, documents one hundred and fifty-six versions of Se Canta from Languedoc, Provence, Auvergne, Gascony, and Limousin.Mica GBM, Lo Panoccinari (Volume Three) (2025), pp. 524–534. On 9 February 2002, the almond tree near the Nîmes fountain that is mentioned in several verses was replantedThe sign reads: Le Docte Collège des Consuls de Nîmes et la ville de Nîmes ont planté cet amandier pour que la Font de Nimes se perpétue le 9 février 2002. after its famous predecessor died. Although most texts are linked to the original Febusian poem, not all are: the shepherd and wedding versions, for instance, have different themes despite a common tune. Between brackets are the odd extra verses that can be heard but are not part of the regular lyrics. The lyrics are the 2nd oldest for an anthem of a country or cultural region: only the Kimigayo, the national anthem of Japan, has older lyrics; the third oldest is the anthem of the Netherlands, Wilhelmus.
Compared lyrics and translations of all known versions National version English translation Narbonne version English translation Provence version English translation Valadas version English translation Dejós ma fenèstra,I a un aucelonTota la nuèch canta,Canta sa cançon. Outside my window,There is a little birdIt sings all nightIt sings its song. Al fons de la prada,I a'n pibol traucat:Lo cocut i canta,Benlèu i a nisat. Across the meadow,There's a poplar with a holeWhere a cuckoo sings:It must be nesting there. Sota ma fenèstra,I a un aucelon,Tota la nuèch canta,Canta sa cançon. Outside my windowThere is a little birdIt sings all night,It sings its song. Denant de ma fenèstra,I a un aucelon,Tota la nuèch chanta,Chanta sa chançon. Outside my window,There is a little birdIt sings all night,It sings its song. Se canta, que cante,Canta pas per ieu,Canta per ma miaQu'es al luènh de ieu. If it sings, let it sing,It's not singing for me,It sings for my loveWho's far away from me. Se canta, que cante,Canta pas per ieu,Canta per ma mia,Qu'es al luènh de ieu. If it sings, let it sing,It's not singing for me,It sings for my loveWho's far away from me. Se canta e recanta,Canta pas per ieu:Canta per ma miaQu'es au luènh de ieu. If it sings and sings again,It's not singing for me,It sings for my loveWho's far away from me. Se chanta, que chante,Chanta pas per ieu,Chanta per ma miaQu'es al luènh de ieu. If it sings, let it sing,It's not singing for me,It sings for my loveWho's far away from me. Aquelas montanhasQue tan nautas son,M'empachan de veireMas amors ont son. Those mountainsThat are so highKeep me from seeingWhere are my love. Dejós ma fenèstra,I a un aucelon,Tota la nuèit canta,Canta sa cançon. Outside my window,There is a little birdSinging all night,Singing its song. Aquelei montanhasQue tant autas son,M'empachan de veireMeis amors ont son. Those mountainsThat are so highKeep me from seeingWhere are my love. Aquelas montanhasQue tant autas sonM'empachan de veireMes amors ont son. Those mountainsThat are so highKeep me from seeingWhere are my love. Baissatz-vos, montanhas,Planas, levatz-vos,Per que pòsca veireMas amors ont son. Lay down, o mountains,Rise up, o plains,So I may seeWhere are my love.Aquelas montanhas,Que tan nautas son,M'empachan de veire,Mas amors ont son. Those mountainsThat are so highKeep me from seeingWhere are my love. Autas, ben son autas,Mai s'abaissaràn,E meis amoretasVèrs ieu revendràn. High, they're so highBut they will lay downAnd my dear love will come back to me.Autas, ben son autas, Ma s'abaissarèn Et mas amoretas vers ieu tornarènHigh, they are so high, But they will lay down And my dear love will come back to me. Aquelas montanhasTant s'abaissaràn,Que mas amoretasSe raprocharàn. Those mountainsWill lay down so lowThat my dear loveWill come closer. Baissatz-vos, montanhas,Planas, auçatz-vos,Per que pòsca veire,Mas amors ont son. Lay down, o mountains,Rise up, o plains,So I may seeWhere are my love. Baissatz-vos, montanhas,Planas auçatz-vos,Per que pòsque veireMeis amors ont son. Lay down, o mountainsRise up, o plains,So I may seeWhere are my love.Baissatz-vos montanhas, Planas levatz-vos, Perquè pòsque veire Mes amors ont sonLay down, o mountains, Rise up, o plains,