Tomorrow Belongs to Nous Autres . . .

So I am absurdly pleased with myself. I recently revisited John Walker’s brilliant documentary Quebec Mon Pays. You’ll remember that I raved about it back in 2016? When it appeared? Yeah, right. This time around, I was taken with the tune that victorious Pequistes sang in celebration of the 1976 election of the Parti Quebecois, which was led by Rene Levesque. The hymn-like song took over my head and, though I found it familiar, I could not identify it.  I went onto a couple of listservs and asked if anyone had any ideas.  People suggested a few tunes and a quasi-consensus emerged that it was probably Mon Pays, the Gilles Vigneault classic. Trouble is, I know that song well . . . and I didn’t think that was it. Fortunately, I had bought a DVD of the film . . . and so I went back into it and found the moment. This time, I caught a snatch of lyric. Given Cyberspace, that was all it took. And the song is . . . DRUM ROLL PLEASE . . . Demain Nous Appartient. When they slow the tempo and launch into the chorus? A partir d’aujourd’hui . . . Demain nous appartient . . . . Wow! The songwriter is Stephane Venne, an old pal of Denys Arcand. OK, the politics don’t work for me. But give a listen. What an anthem!

3 Comments

  1. Bob Currie on June 14, 2022 at 9:54 am

    Right…., “Gens du pays” it is NOT. Doesn’t even come close.
    Certainly a catchy little thing tho.

    • Bob Currie on June 14, 2022 at 9:58 am

      Sorry, was referring to Vigneault’s “Mon Pays” (as referenced above )

      • Ken McGoogan on June 14, 2022 at 10:31 am

        Both Vigneault tunes — Gens du pays and Mon Pays — are well-known classics. What surprises me is that Demain Nous Appartient is so little known outside Quebec. The song’s chorus, beginning A partir d’aujourd’hui, is to me absolutely indelible.

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