"Auprès de ma blonde" (French for "Next to My Girlfriend") or "Le Prisonnier de Hollande" ("The Prisoner of Holland") is a popular chanson dating to the 17th century. It appeared during or soon after the Franco-Dutch War (1672–78), during the reign of Louis XIV, when French sailors and soldiers were commonly imprisoned in the Netherlands. The song is the first track of "Songs of the World" by the Norman Luboff Choir. It was meant to represent France, on a two album set that included songs from all around the world.
The song's quick pace and lively melody made it well-suited to military marches, and it is still commonly played at parades. For the same reasons, it gained widespread popularity as a drinking song and nursery rhyme.
Appearances
References
Auprès de ma blonde Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA