The beauty of French lyrics

[kepa1]

Greeting form France!

First, I hope not to sound pedantic, even more because these is my first post here, nore out of topic, since this has little to do with jazz guitar, but there is something I would like to share about the quality of French lyrics (in comparison with their English translation).

There are a few songs I know in both versions and can appreciate undistinctively, though my preference goes to my native language for at least two reasons : my ear is accustomed to French and there is often a poetic aspect to it, especially with the songs that were written a long time ago, when song writers would try to render the style that was, in my opinion, the most inflential at the time : literature.

Enough said and let's have a look at Les Feuilles Mortes (paroles by poet Jacques Prévert), which would later give Autumn Leaves. In French, it goes like this:

(First part, half spoken word)

Oh ! Je voudrais tant que tu te souviennes,
Des jours heureux où nous étions amis,
En ce temps-là, la vie était plus belle,
Et le soleil plus brûlant qu'aujourd'hui...

Les feuilles mortes se ramassent à la pelle,
Tu vois, je n'ai pas oublié,
Les feuilles mortes se ramassent à la pelle,
Les souvenirs et les regrets aussi…

Et le vent du nord les emporte,
Dans la nuit froide de l'oubli,
Tu vois, je n'ai pas oublié,
La chanson que tu me chantais…

(Most known part, which would later be used for the American version)

C'est une chanson,
Qui nous ressemble,
Toi, tu m'aimais, et je t'aimais...

Nous vivions tous,
Les deux ensemble,
Toi qui m'aimais, moi qui t'aimais...

(Last part, spoken word)

Mais la vie sépare ceux qui s'aiment,
Tout doucement,
Sans faire de bruit,
Et la mer efface sur le sable,
Les pas des amants désunis…

One of the first version was sung by Cara Vaucaire, back in the 1950's (with a classical instrumental introduction that sounds but familiar) :

Yves Montand would sing it with a jazzier band of musicians (this version does cover the first spoken part) :

More than a translation of the original version, the English lyrics have reduced the text and been adapted with a more personalised, less melancholic vision of long gone love.

Let's try a more "faithful" translation of the song (but not without errors and sure not rendering the beauty of its older sister) :

Oh, how I wish you could remember,
The happy days when we were friends, (friends meaning lovers, here)
In these times, life was more beautiful,
An the sun, hotter than today…

The falling leaves... (I can't find a good tranlation for "se ramassent à la pelle", which is very idiomatic)
You see, I never forgot,
The falling leaves... (again),
Memories and regrets, too…

And the icy wind blows them away,
In the cold night of forgetness,
You see, I never forgot,
This song that you used to sing...

This is a song,
That sounds like us,
You were in love with me, I was in love with you,

We used to live,
Together,
You, loved me and I loved you...

But life spreads apart those who are in love,
Very slowly,
Without a sound, (allegory)

And the sea erases from the sand,
The footprints of the torn out lovers...

Anyway, I hope you'll enjoy the versions of this great song and will certainly be back with other examples I have in mind, like My Way / Comme d'Habitude and Cry Me a River, an American standard with an interesting French version, that was released in the 1980's.

Alain

[benhatchins]

These French lyrics are absolutely beautiful, and they really capture that nostalgic, poetic feel. I love how language and melody come together in your examples — very evocative. Reading through the thread, I remembered checking is edreams reputable earlier while planning a trip to Paris, funny how thoughts wander. Thanks for posting these — linguistic and musical beauty in one.

[Aiq]

Thank you.

I watched Pépé le Moko yesterday.

[jameslovestal]

Thank you.

I watched Pépé le Moko yesterday.

That is one fine film. I watch Jean Gabin anytime TCM shows his films, as well as other French films from that era.

[Jim Soloway]

I think it's just the nature of translating or rewriting lyrics in a different language. First and foremost, lyrics have to be singable. They have to work with the melody harmony and meter. That usual means that the inner meaning and emotional intent have a much lower priority than they did in the original version. Autumn Leaves is just one example among many.

[kepa1]

Jim, you are probably right about the inevitability of adaptating. But, somehow, I believe that it is the very nature of English / American language and a certain state of mind that has their own specifications and rendition. I can't elaborate, missing views and ways to properly express them.

Anyway, I am back with another transatlantic (but not really jazz) standard, Comme d'Habitude, which will give, in the hands of Paul Anka, My Way.

Ironically enough, Comme d'Habitude was first sung and co-written by Claude François (with the help of Gilles Thibaut and Jacques Revaux), who at the time was the leader of the Yéyés, a bunch of singers who specialised in covers of the American hit parade. Most of their songs haven't passed the test ot ime but Comme d'Habitude remains a classic.

I can't tell for sure but I heard many times that Claude François wouldn't sing this song because the lyrics were too pessimistic and that he is the one who had the idea of a crescendo chorus (in tonality, sorry if that doesn't make sense), surely to counterbalance the sadness of the whole picture. And yes, the lyrics are, actually, an evocation of day to day routine and false appearances in a love relationship :

Je me lève, Et je te bouscule, Tu n'te réveilles pas,
Comme d'habitude...

Sur toi, Je remonte le drap, J'ai peur que tu aies froid,
Comme d'habitude...

Ma main, Caresse tes cheveux, Presque malgré moi,
Comme d'habitude...

Mais toi, Tu me tournes le dos,
Comme d'habitude...

Et puis, Je m'habille très vite, Je sors de la chambre,
Comme d'habitude...

Tout seul, Je bois mon café, Je suis en retard,
Comme d'habitude...

Sans bruit, Je quitte la maison, Tout est gris dehors,
Comme d'habitude.

J'ai froid, Je relève mon col,
Comme d'habitude.

(Refrain)
Comme d'habitude, Toute la journée, Je vais jouer, A faire semblant.
Comme d'habitude, Je vais sourire, Comme d'habitude, Je vais même rire.
Comme d'habitude, Enfin je vais vivre.
Comme d'habitude...

Et puis, Le jour s'en ira, Moi, je reviendrai,
Comme d'habitude...

Toi, Tu seras sortie, Pas encore rentrée,
Comme d'habitude...

Tout seul, J'irai me coucher, Dans ce grand lit froid,
Comme d'habitude...

Mes larmes, Je les cacherai,
Comme d'habitude...

(Refrain)
Mais comme d'habitude, Même la nuit, Je vais jouer, A faire semblant.
Comme d'habitude, Tu rentreras, Comme d'habitude, Je t'attendrai.
Comme d'habitude, Tu me souriras.
Comme d'habitude...

Comme d'habitude, Tu te déshabilleras, Oui, comme d'habitude, Tu te coucheras.
Oui, comme d'habitude, On s'embrassera.
Comme d'habitude...

Comme d'habitude, On fera semblant. Comme d'habitude, On fera l'amour.
Oui comme d'habitude, On fera semblant.
Comme d'habitude...

Again, here is a very basic and surely not stylish translation ; as you will notice, the meaning of the lyrics is quite different from their intenational counterpart :

I get up, and "stumble" upon You, You are still asleep, as usual...
On your shoulder, I pull the sheet, Fearing that You may be cold, as usual...
My hand caresses your hair, almost against my will, as usual...
But you keep your back to me, as usual...

Then, I put my clothes on very fast, I get out of the bedroom, as usual...
On my own, I drink a cup of coffee, I am late, as usual...
Without a sound, I leave the house, Everything is grey outside, as usual...
I am cold, I pull up my collar, as usual

(Breakout chorus)
As usual, all day long, I will play and pretend,
As usual, I will smile, as usual, I will even laugh,
A usual, I will live at last, as usual...

And then, the light will go down, and I will be back, as usual...
You, will be still out, not back home yet, as usual...
Alone, I will go to sleep, in this cold and large bed, as usual...
My tears, I will hide them, as usual

(Breakout Chorus)
But as usual, even at night, I will pretend,
As usual, You will come back, as usual, I will be waiting for you
As usual, You will smile to me, as usual...

As usual, You will quit your clothes,
as usual, You will come to bed,
oh, as usual, We will kiss eachother, as usual...

As usual, We will pretend, as usual, We will make love
As usual, We will pretend, as usual...

[ragman1]

I swallowed hard and tried this in the Google translator. It's not bad given that convincingly natural translations are so difficult. The 'se ramassent à la pelle' bit is quite good, I think, because it relates so well with memories and regrets carried away by the wind.

Oh! I wish so much that you would remember,
The happy days when we were friends,
In those days, life was more beautiful,
And the sun was warmer than today...

The dead leaves are gathered up by the shovelful,
You see, I haven't forgotten,
The dead leaves are gathered up by the shovelful,
Memories and regrets too…

And the north wind carries them away,
Into the cold night of oblivion,
You see, I haven't forgotten,
The song you used to sing to me…

[ragman1]

Anyone remember a book called 'Mots d'Heures: Gousses, Rames'? That was fun.