De cap tà l'immortèla ("To the Edelweiss"), or simply L'immortèla ("The Edelweiss"), is a song by Los de Nadau, an Occitan-speaking band from Béarn. It was composed in 1978 and has since grown so popular all across Occitania it is sometimes thought to be traditional folklore, just like Se Canta or Copa Santa. It is a hymn to freedom and the love for the motherland. L'immortèla, besides referring to the white flower with a yellow heart found only in the high mountains, means "the immortal one".
Lyrics Occitan originalEnglish translationSèi un país e ua flor, e ua flor, e ua flor. Que l'aperam la de l'amor, la de l'amor, la de l'amor…
Haut, Peiròt, vam caminar, vam caminar, de cap tà l'immortèla Haut, Peiròt, vam caminar, vam caminar, lo país vam cercar!
Au som deu malh, que i a ua lutz, que i a ua lutz, que i a ua lutz Qu'i cau guardar los uelhs dessús, los uelhs dessús, los uelhs dessús…
Que'ns cau traucar tot lo segàs, tot lo segàs, tot lo segàs Tà ns'arrapar, sonque las mans, sonque las mans, sonque las mans…
Lhèu veiram pas jamei la fin, jamei la fin, jamei la fin La libertat qu'ei lo camin, qu'ei lo camin, qu'ei lo camin…
Après lo malh, un aute malh, un aute malh, un aute malh Après la lutz, ua auta lutz, ua auta lutz, ua auta lutz…I know a place and a flower, and a flower, and a flower. They call the flower of love, the flower of love…
Up we'll walk, Li'l Peter, to the edelweiss. Up we'll walk, Li'l Peter, until we find that place!
On top of that peak, there's a light, there's a light, there's a light You must keep an eye on, an eye on, an eye on…
We'll have to cross the brambles, cross the brambles, cross the brambles And hang only by our hands, by our hands, by our hands…
We may never see the end of it, the end of it, the end of it. Freedom's the only path, the only path, the only path…
After that peak, yet another peak, another peak, another peak, After that light, yet another light, another light, another light…
External links Live version Nadau's official site
ca:L'immortèla