" Debout, les paras! " is one of the most famous songs of airborne troops, recounting their march towards the aircraft, and the seemingly unreal moments which immediately precede a jump, conducting the paras towards their breathtaking adventures.
The song especially lauds the virtues, faith and enthusiasm of Free French SAS (Special Air Service) parachutists and commandos whose motto was "Who dares, is a winner", and whose spirit of courage and sacrifice was inherited and perpetuated by the 1st RPIMa of Bayonne, its worthy successor.
Fighting alongside British SAS, these elite troops, between 1940 and 1945, forged a real legendary reputation through their audacity and temerity. The distinguished themselves, first in North Africa and Crete, and later on in France, where they were dropped on June 5, 1944, as forerunners of the Operation Overlord.
By guiding the actions of the Brittany maquis, they hindered the movements of German units which were trying to get through to Normandy. They fought all over the national territory, and carried on with the French campaign battles right up to the German border. Many of them sacrificed their tender life as a price to have Europe regain her freedom.
Shortly after the Liberation, in the region of Paris, parachutist premilitary training programmes were carried out under the supervision of SAS veterans during which they taught this song to young volunteers.
Early 1957, during the Algerian War, "Debout les paras" was sung at the 1° RCP. In 1959 and 1960, it was taught to young conscripts of the C.I. 18° R.C.P., at Pau, who were having classes at the Hameau and Idron Camps. The 1° RCP, 9° RCP, 18° RCP, and many other parachutists units, have had to sing and still sing this song very so often.
Debout, les paras, il est temps d' s'en aller,
Sur la route au pas cadencé.
Debout les paras, il est temps de sauter,
Sur notre patrie bien-aimée.
Dans les prés, dans les champs,
Les pépins dans le vent,
La mitraille accompagnera nos chants.
R: Parachutiste, vois le ciel est clair
Serre les dents, il est temps de sauter.
Le stick est prêt, le stick est prêt,
Tout le monde ira, tout le monde ira.
Pas un ne se, pas un ne se, dégonflera.
Parachutiste, vois le ciel est clair,
Serre les dents, il est temps de sauter.
Pour venir avec nous, pas besoin d'être gros,
Il suffit d'avoir du culot.
Pour venir avec nous, pas besoin d'être grand,
Il suffit d'avoir un peu de cran.
C'est trop dur vous direz,
C'est trop fort vous penserez,
Allons donc un peu de bonne volonté.
Allons, les copains, avec tout le barda,
Dans l'avion qui mène au combat.
Surtout les copains, n'oubliez pas le pépin,
Car là-haut y a pas de magasin.
Mais ne vous en faites pas,
Même s'il ne s'ouvre pas,
On se retrouvera quand même tous en bas.