Article

'Gens du pays'

Published Online February 7, 2006

Last Edited December 16, 2013

'Gens du pays'. Song written by Gilles Vigneault and Gaston Rochon for the 1975 St-Jean-Baptiste celebrations on Mount Royal, Montreal. Its popularity has made it almost a national anthem in Quebec, where it is sung frequently by crowds at rallies or on festive occasions.

'Gens du pays'

'Gens du pays'. Song written by Gilles Vigneault and Gaston Rochon for the 1975 St-Jean-Baptiste celebrations on Mount Royal, Montreal. Its popularity has made it almost a national anthem in Quebec, where it is sung frequently by crowds at rallies or on festive occasions. The refrain, in triple time, has a waltz tempo and invites all 'countrymen' to 'let themselves speak of love'. It is used widely at birthdays, 'countrymen' being replaced by the name of the person whose birthday it is.

Vigneault has performed the song for the LPs 1 fois 5 (2-Kébec-Disc KD 923-924), Gilles Vigneault à Bobino (Le Nordet GVN-1008-1009) and Je vous entends chanter (2-Kébec-Disc KD-507-508). 'Gens du pays' was published by Éditions du Vent qui vire. It should not be confused with 'Les Gens de mon pays', also by Vigneault.