Thursday, 21 January 2010

Index of Brassens' Songs

Song List. The album is in brackets after the song title
The title of each post links directly to the song(s)
Putain de Toi -Les Amoureux des bancs publics 1953

Trompe la mort - Don Juan 1976

La legende de la Nonne -Chanson pour l'Auvergnat 1955

La mauvaise herbe – (Les amoureux des bancs publics) 1954

Mourir pour des idees (Fernande) 1972

La tondue - The girl with the shaven head-(Les copains d'abord) 1964/65

Three songs of love and romance- Brassens style
La chasse aux papillons (La mauvaise reputation)
J'ai rendez-vous avec vous (Les amoureux des bancs publics)
La premiere fille (Les amoureux des bancs publics)

La non-demande en mariage (Supplique pour etre enterre a la plage de Sete)

Les Trompettes de la Renommee from album of the same name

Saturne (Les copains d'abord

La Cane de Jeanne (Les Amoureux des Bancs Publics)

Il n'y a pas d'amour heureux (Les amoureux des bancs publics)

Dans l'eau de la claire fontaine (Les trompettes de la renommee)

L'Orage (Le Mecreant)

1)Les copains d'abord (Les copains d'abord)

Ballade des dames du temps jadis -one verse


Les amours d’antan (Les trompettes de la renommé)

Fernande (Fernande)

Les amoureux des bancs publics (Les amoureux des bancs publics)

Auprès de mon arbre (Chanson pour l’Auvergnat)

Oncle Archibald (Je me suis fait tout petit)

Le Gorille (La mauvaise réputation)

Le parapluie (La mauvaise réputation)

La mauvaise réputation (La mauvaise réputation)

Je me suis fait tout petit (Je me suis fait tout petit)

Chanson pour l’Auvergnat (Chanson pour l’Auvergnat)

Il suffit de passer le pont (La mauvaise réputation)

Les Passantes (Fernande)

Une jolie fleur (Chanson pour l’Auvergnat)

Georges Brassens, born at Sète on the 22nd October 1921
Died 29th October 1981 at Saint-Gély-du-Fesc, Héraul, the region of his birth



On this blogsite I have posted twenty-eight famous songs by Georges Brassens, with videos, French lyrics and my translation.

My hope is to share my enthusiasm for his songs.

In my translation, I seek to make the meaning as clear as possible. Unfortunately a translator cannot convey the poetry, which resides solely in the words written by Georges Brassens. The quality of his verse has been honoured by the most august literary authorities in France.

He is a true lyric poet because he expresses thoughts and feelings from the heart. He crafts his words and rhythms with infinite care and skill and he tantalises and entertains with different levels of meaning.

And with all this, he does not take himself too seriously and is a great guy!

Putain de Toi

Some of Brassens’ biographers talk of a girl called Jo, with whom Brassens had a passionate relationship. Like the girl in this poem, she was twenty years old, stunning to look at and totally amoral. Brassens’ bohemian character was attracted by her devil-may-care attitude to life and the liberality of her love. Unfortunately the irresponsibility, which was amusing when applied to the society around them, became unacceptable within a personal relationship and she brought a lot of turmoil into his life. This led to the break-up.

As in “Une Jolie Fleur”, the poet feels the need to insult his former girl-friend – in this case notably by his choice of title. He is blaming a spontaneous girl for what she is and what he had always known her to be. Men at times can be pathetic!

There are other similarities between “Putain de Toi” and “Une Jolie Fleur”, and it could be that both poems refer to the same girl. In both, Brassens certainly betrays his sense of hurt and disappointment over this girl (or these girls).

Unfortunately, I can find no Brassens recording of this song



Putain (1) de toi
En ce temps-là, je vivais dans la lune (1)
In those times then, I lived inside the moon
Les bonheurs d'ici-bas m'étaient tous défendus
The joys of here below were all forbidden me
Je semais des violettes et chantais pour des prunes
I used to sow violets and sing for peanuts
Et tendais la patte aux chats perdus...
And offered my paw to greet lost cats.(2)

Ah ah ah ah! putain de toi!
Ah ah ah ah ! little tart you !
Ah ah ah ah ah! pauvre de moi...
Ad ah ah ah ah !poor little me

Un soir de pluie, v'là qu'on gratte à ma porte
One rainy night, there’s scratching at my door (3)
Je m'empresse d'ouvrir, sans doute un nouveau chat !
I rush to open, no doubt another cat !
Nom de Dieu, l' beau félin que l'orage m'apporte
Bloody Hell, (4)the fine feline the storm brings me
C'était toi, c'était toi, c'était toi...
It was you, it was you, it was you
Ah ah ah ah! putain de toi!
Ah ah ah ah ! little tart you !
Ah ah ah ah ah! pauvre de moi...
Ad ah ah ah ah !poor little me

Les yeux fendus et couleur de pistache (5)
With almond eyes colour of pale green
T'as posé sur mon coeur ta patte de velours(6)
You placed upon my heart your safe velvet paw
Fort heureus'ment pour moi t'avais pas de moustache
Very lucky for me you did not have whiskers
Et ta vertu ne pesait pas trop lourd...
And your virtue did not weigh too heavy

Ah ah ah ah! putain de toi!
Ah ah ah ah ! little tart you !
Ah ah ah ah ah! pauvre de moi...
Ad ah ah ah ah !poor little me

Aux quatre coins de ma vie de bohème
To the four corners of my gypsy life
T'as prom'né, t'as prom'né le feu de tes vingt ans
You took round, you took the fire of your twenty years
Et pour moi, pour mes chats, pour mes fleurs, mes poèmes
Both for me, for my cats, for my flowers, my poems
C'était toi la pluie et le beau temps...
That was you the rain and the fine days

Ah ah ah ah! putain de toi!
Ah ah ah ah ! little tart you !
Ah ah ah ah ah! pauvre de moi...
Ad ah ah ah ah !poor little me

Mais le temps passe et fauche à l'aveuglette
But time goes past, reaping willy nilly
Notre amour mûrissait à peine que déjà,
Our love had scarcely blossomed when already
Tu brûlais mes chansons, crachais sur mes violettes,
You were burning my songs, spitting on my violets
Et faisais des misèr's à mes chats...
And making my cats’ lives a misery
Ah ah ah ah! putain de toi!
Ah ah ah ah ! little tart you !
Ah ah ah ah ah! pauvre de moi...
Ad ah ah ah ah !poor little me

Le comble enfin, misérable salope,
The final limit came miserable wench,
Comme il n' restait plus rien dans le garde-manger,
As there was nothing left in the food cupboard
T'as couru sans vergogne, et pour une escalope,
You ran off shamelessly, and for an escalope
Te jeter dans le lit du boucher !
You jumped into bed with the butcher.
Ah ah ah ah! putain de toi!
Ah ah ah ah ! little tart you !
Ah ah ah ah ah! pauvre de moi...
Ad ah ah ah ah !poor little me

C'était fini, t'avais passé les bornes
It was all over, you had gone just too far
Et, r'nonçant aux amours frivoles d'ici-bas,
And, renouncing the frivolous loves down here
J' suis r'monté dans la lune en emportant mes cornes,
I climbed back into the moon taking horns she gave me
Mes chansons, et mes fleurs, et mes chats...
My flowers, and my songs, and my cats
Ah ah ah ah! putain de toi!
Ah ah ah ah ! little tart you !
Ah ah ah ah ah! pauvre de moi...
Ad ah ah ah ah !poor little me
Georges Brassens
1953 - Les amoureux des bancs publics,
Translation Notes

1) « je vivais dans la lune ». Brassens talks about these days in « Auprès de mon Arbre ». He lived cut off from the world in a dilapidated attic, where there were gaps in the masonry that allowed him to live with the moon and the stars.
2) Some of the felines whom he welcomed were human. From « Auprès de mon Arbre » we learn that in those carefree days a number of different girls slipped in to pass the night with him.
3) Apologies for the language, but brassens was taken aback by the stunning young girl who came to offer herself to him
4) “couleur de pistache ». The noun means pistachio nut and the adjective describes a soft shade of green.
5) “patte de velours » As in the English “velvet paws”, the meaning is “claws retracted”.

Return to Index page

Trompe la mort

« Trompe la mort »: Brassens wrote this song in 1976 after alarmist reports appeared in the newspapers about the severity of his medical problems. Brassens was only 55 years old. The song claims that he as fit as ever and has a time left to live: « C'est pas demain la veille, Bon Dieu, de mes adieux ». The song explains that all the symptoms the journalists were quoting were just his theatrical pretences as a showman and he deals with each in turn.

However the defence that Brassens makes is not what it seems. His excuses are deliberately preposterous, beginning with the claim that his hair hasn’t really gone white - for dramatic effect he is wearing a white wig over the jet black hair he had been well known for. He ends with a last verse of total farce.

Under the comic exaggeration is the sad message that the newspaper reports are correct. The formidable Georges Brassens is experiencing serious physical decline with death not far away. He had five more years to live after writing this song and died in 1981.

Unfortunately I have not been able to find a Brassens video for this song, but the guitarist on this video sings the words very clearly.


TROMPE LA MORT(1) – CHEATING DEATH
Avec cette neige à foison
With this snow a-plenty
Qui coiffe, coiffe ma toison,
Which caps my mop of hair
On peut me croire, à vue de nez,
One may think me,at a rough glance
Blanchi sous le harnais
Turned white by the long grind.
Eh bien, Mesdames et Messieurs,
Well then, ladies and gentlemen
C'est rien que de la poudre aux yeux,(2)
Its nothing more than powder in your eyes
C'est rien que de la comédie,
It’s nothing but simple play-acting
Que de la parodie :
Than simple parody

C'est pour tenter de couper court
It’s to try to stop in its tracks
À l'avance du temps qui court,
The advance of racing time
De persuader ce vieux goujat
To persuade this old tormenter
Que tout le mal est fait déjà.
That all the harm’s already done
Mais dessous la perruque j'ai
But under the wig I have
Mes vrais cheveux couleur de jais,
My true hair coloured still jet-black
C'est pas demain la veille,(3) Bon Dieu !
It’s not the time quite yet, Good God !
De mes adieux.
For my farewells


Et si j'ai l'air moins guilleret,
And if I look less sprightly
Moins solide sur mes jarrets,(4)
Less firm on my sturdy legs
Si je chemine avec lenteur
If I move with a slight slowness
D'un train de sénateur,
At a senator’s pace
N'allez pas dire : "Il est perclus"
Don’t go saying : « He has gone lame »
N'allez pas dire : "Il n'en peut plus ",
Do’nt go saying : « He has had it »
C'est rien que de la comédie,
It’s nothing but simple play-acting
Que de la parodie :
Than simple parody


Histoire d'endormir le temps,
Matter of lulling time to sleep
Calculateur impénitent,
Calculator impenitent
De tout brouiller, tout embrouiller
Stirring the lot, stirring the lot up
Dans le fatidiqu' sablier.
In the hourglass of fate
En fait, à l'envers du décor,
In fact, backstage, behind the set
Comme à vingt ans, je trotte encore,
I walk nimbly as at twenty
C'est pas demain la veille, Bon Dieu !
It’s not the time quite yet, Good God !
De mes adieux.
For my farewells


Et si mon coeur bat moins souvent
And if my heart beats less often
Et moins vite qu'auparavant,
And less quickly then before
Si je chasse avec moins de zèle
If I chase with less hot zeal
Les gentes demoiselles,
Those of the fair sex
Pensez pas que je sois blasé
Think not that I am grown weary
De leurs caresses, leurs baisers,
Of their caress and of their kiss
C'est rien que de la comédie,
It’s nothing but simple play-acting
Que de la parodie :
Than simple parody

Pour convaincre le temps berné
To convince credulous old time
Qu'mes fêt's galantes sont terminées,
That my amorous jaunts are over
Que je me retire en coulisse,
That I’m retiring to the wings
Que je n'entrerai plus en lice.
That I’ll enter the lists no more
Mais je reste un sacré gaillard
But I remain a lusty fellow
Toujours actif, toujours paillard,
Still hard at it, still as randy
C'est pas demain la veille, Bon Dieu !
It’s not the time quite yet, Good God !
De mes adieux.
For my farewells

Et si jamais, au cimetière,
And if ever, to the cemetery
Un de ces quatre, on porte en terre,
One of these days, they bring for burial
Me ressemblant à s'y tromper,
So like me to deceive people
Un genre de macchabée,
Something looking like a corpse
N'allez pas noyer le sous fleurs (5)
Don’t go drowning him neath the flowers
En lâchant la bonde à vos pleurs,
By pulling the plug on your tears
Ce sera rien que comédie
It will be merely play acting
Rien que fausse sortie.
Just faking an exit

Et puis, coup de theâtre, quand
And then dramatic climax when
Le temps aura levé le camp,(6)
Time has taken his hook
Estimant que la farce est jouée
Judging that the farce is over
Moi tout heureux, tout enjoué,
I quite happy, game for a laugh
Je m'exhumerai du caveau
I will dig myself from the grave
Pour saluer sous les bravos...
To make my bows to loud applause
C'est pas demain la veille, Bon Dieu !
It’s not the time quite yet, Good God !
De mes adieux.
For my farewells


Translation Notes
1) A trompe-la-mort is a daredevil – someone who cheats death. Trompe la Mort was the nickname given to Vautrin, in Balzac’s “Le Père Goriot”. He was a larger than life character, who was secretly the head of the French criminal fraternity. They called him this name believing that, whatever he did, including murder, he would always escape death on the guillotine. As “tromper” means to deceive and the poem is about deception, perhaps an English translation of the title should include this idea – but it is better and easier to keep the name of Balzac’s famous character!
2) Poudre aux yeux. The image is of a powder cloud as white powder is applied to his wig- as in olden times.

3) “C’est pas demain la veille means “that will not happen just yet”

4) Le jarret means the back of the knee for a man hock for an animal. There is an expression: “Avoir des jarrets d’acier” to have strong legs. Brassens was of athletic build and so I put in the word “sturdy” with this previous phrase in mind.

5) “noyer le souffleur/sous fleurs” “Lâchant la bonde”. Here Brassens is continuing his theatrical images with a contrived idea that I find impossible to translate. The “souffleur” (prompter) is the person who whispers/ breathes the words when the performer forgets his or her lines. The prompter is hidden in a narrow pit at the front of the stage as confined as that in which the corpse in this verse is placed. “La bonde” is bung hole on a barrel. The image is of a flood of tears being released to flood the prompter’s pit. When spoken “souffleur” sounds the same of “sous fleurs”. I have given up on most of the image and stuck to Brassens’ pun with sous fleurs. I feel all the complication is because Brassens is referring to his own internment and eschews sentiment.

6) “Lever le camp” means to strike camp

Return to Index page

Wednesday, 20 January 2010

La legende de la nonne

Brassens put to music nine verses of this famous poem written by Victor Hugo in 1828. As the poem is much admired for its beauty, I have added the verses which Brassens did not include. For some the poem may be read as a salutary warning not to transgress the rules of the church. It would seem however that Hugo’s intent was to protest against education which instilled fabricated terrors in the minds of young children at an age when they had no defence. It is not difficult to guess which of the two was the interpretation of Georges Brassens 127 years later.

I am unable to find a video of Brassens for this song. I think the lyrics are clear on the following video

La légende de la nonne - The legend about the nun

Venez, vous dont l'œil étincelle,( 1)
Come near, you whose eyes sparkle bright
Pour entendre une histoire encor,
To hear me tell another story,
Approchez, je vous dirai celle
Gather round, I will tell the one
De Doña Padilla del Flor.
Of Doña Padilla del Flor
Elle était d'Alanje, où s'entassent
She came from Alanje, where pile high
Les collines et les halliers.
The hillsides and the brushwood
Enfants, voici des bœufs (2) qui passent,
Children here is cattle coming by
Cachez vos rouges tabliers.
Cover up your red overalls (3)

Il est des filles à Grenade,
There are girls in Grenada
Il en est à Séville aussi,
There are some in Seville as well
Qui, pour la moindre sérénade,
Who for the slightest serenade
À l'amour demandent merci;
Cry out to love for mercy
Il en est que parfois embrassent,
Some of them there are boldly kissed
Le soir, de hardis cavaliers.
At even, by those who pay them court
Enfants, voici des bœufs qui passent,
Children here is cattle coming by
Cachez vos rouges tabliers.
Cover up your red overalls

Ce n'est pas sur ce ton frivole
It is not with such frivolity
Qu'il faut parler de Padilla,
That we should speak of Padilla
Car jamais prunelle espagnole
For never a Spanish eye
D'un feu plus chaste ne brilla;
Has shone with a light so chaste
Elle fuyait ceux qui pourchassent
She fled from those men who chase
Les filles sous les peupliers.
The girls beneath the poplars
Enfants, voici des bœufs qui passent,
Children here is cattle coming by
Cachez vos rouges tabliers.
Cover up your red overalls

Elle prit le voile à Tolède,
In Toledo she took the veil
Au grand soupir des gens du lieu,
To deep sighs from the local men
Comme si, quand on n'est pas laide,
As if, when one is not plain,
On n’avait droit d'épouser Dieu.(4)
You had no right to wed the Lord
Peu s'en fallut que ne pleurassent
They were very close to weeping
Les soudards et les écoliers.
Common lads and educated too
Enfants, voici des bœufs qui passent,
Children here is cattle coming by
Cachez vos rouges tabliers.
Cover up your red overalls

Or, la belle à peine cloîtrée,
Now, the fair maid only just cloistered,
Amour en son cœur s'installa.
Love came and settled in her heart
Un fier brigand de la contrée
A proud brigand from the region
Vint alors et dit : "Me voilà !"
Came just then and said: « Here I am ».
Quelquefois les brigands surpassent
Sometimes you find brigands exceed
En audace les chevaliers
Noble knights in daring
Enfants, voici des bœufs qui passent,
Children here is cattle coming by
Cachez vos rouges tabliers.
Cover up your red overalls

Il était laid: les traits austères,
Ill favoured : with his face austere
La main plus rude que le gant ;
His hand rougher than a glove
Mais l'amour a bien des mystères,
But love has mysteries aplenty
Et la nonne aima le brigand.
And the nun fell for the brigand
On voit des biches qui remplacent
You see some does who replace
Leurs beaux cerfs par des sangliers.
Their fine deer for rough wild boar
Enfants, voici des bœufs qui passent,
Children here is cattle coming by
Cachez vos rouges tabliers.
Cover up your red overalls

La nonne osa, dit la chronique,
The nun was bold, the chronicle tells
Au brigand par l'enfer conduit,
To the brigand, by hell led on
Aux pieds de Sainte Véronique
At the feet of Saint Veronica
Donner un rendez-vous la nuit,
To make a rendez-vous at night
À l'heure où les corbeaux croassent,
At the hour when the crows caw loud
Volant dans l'ombre par milliers.
Flying in thousands in the dark
Enfants, voici des bœufs qui passent,
Children here is cattle coming by
Cachez vos rouges tabliers.
Cover up your red overalls

Or quand, dans la nef descendue,
Now when, she came down in the nave
La nonne appela le bandit,
The nun called out the bandit’s name
Au lieu de la voix attendue,
Instead of the voice expected
C'est la foudre qui répondit.
T’was a thunderbolt that replied
Dieu voulut que ses coups frappassent
God wanted that his blows to strike down
Les amants par Satan liés.
The lovers by Satan conjoint
Enfants, voici des bœufs qui passent,
Children here is cattle coming by
Cachez vos rouges tabliers.
Cover up your red overalls

Cette histoire de la novice,
This story of the novice
Saint Ildefonse, abbé, voulut
Saint Ildefonse, the priest, wanted
Qu'afin de préserver du vice
In order to preserve from vice
Les vierges qui font leur salut,
Virgins who seek their salvation
Les prieures la racontassent
Prioresses to tell the tale
Dans tous les couvents réguliers.
In all regular convents
Enfants, voici des bœufs qui passent,
Children here is cattle coming by
Cachez vos rouges tabliers.
Cover up your red overalls
Verses from the poem of Victor Hugo written in 1828
1955 - Chanson pour l'Auvergnat,

This poem is regarded as one of Hugo’s most beautiful poems. Unfortunately the best verses are the later ones that Brassens did not include. It would have been a very long song if he had!

In these verses the poetic imagination of the great man of French literature takes flight as he describes the nightmarish torments undergone by the tragic lovers as they emerge from the jaws of hell each night in a quest to meet together, eternally frustrated. As well as the epic horror there is also the lyrical pathos of two human beings, who represent the oppressed humanity close to Hugo’s heart

COMPLETING VICTOR HUGO’S POEM
(In the following verses I have not repeated the translation of three verses included in Brassens’ song)
In order to read the poem in full we need to go back to the verse where Dona Padilla had planned the meeting with her lover:

Padilla voulait, anathème !
Padilla wanted- anathema !
Oubliant sa vie en un jour,
Forgetting her life in one day
Se livrer, dans l'église même,
To submit in the church itself
Sainte à l'enfer, vierge à l'amour,
Saintly to hell, virginal to love,
Jusqu'à l'heure pâle où s'effacent
Until the pale hour when burn out
Les cierges sur les chandeliers. –
The candles on the candlesticks
Enfants, voici des bœufs qui passent,
Children here is cattle coming by
Cachez vos rouges tabliers !
Cover up your red overalls

Or, quand, dans la nef descendue,
La nonne appela le bandit,
Au lieu de la voix attendue,
C'est la foudre qui répondit.
Dieu voulut que ses coups frappassent
Les amants par Satan liés. –
Enfants, voici des bœufs qui passent,
Children here is cattle coming by
Cachez vos rouges tabliers !
Cover up your red overalls!

Aujourd'hui, des fureurs divines
Nowadays, with furies divine
Le pâtre enflammant ses récits,
The shepherd impassioning his tales
Vous montre au penchant des ravines
Points out on the slope of the ravines
Quelques tronçons de murs noircis,
A few remains of blackened walls
Deux clochers que les ans crevassent,
Two steeples that the years have gnawed
Dont l'abri tuerait ses béliers. –
Whose shelter would kill his rams
Enfants, voici des bœufs qui passent,
Children here is cattle coming by
Cachez vos rouges tabliers !
Cover up your red overalls

Quand la nuit, du cloître gothique
When night, on the gothic cloister
Brunissant les portails béants,
Burnishing the gaping portals
Change à l'horizon fantastique
Changes on the eery horizon
Les deux clochers en deux géants ;
The two steeples to two giants
A l'heure où les corbeaux croassent,
The time of day when the crows caw loud
Volant dans l'ombre par milliers… -
Flying in thousands in the darkness
Enfants, voici des bœufs qui passent,
Children here is cattle coming by
Cachez vos rouges tabliers !
Cover up your red overalls

Une nonne, avec une lampe,
A nun, holding a lamp
Sort d'une cellule à minuit ;
Comes from a cell on midnight
Le long des murs le spectre rampe,
Along the walls the spectre creeps
Un autre fantôme le suit ;
Another phantom follows
Des chaînes sur leurs pieds s'amassent,
Chains upon their feet are stacked
De lourds carcans sont leurs colliers. –
Heavy iron yokes form their collars
Enfants, voici des bœufs qui passent,
Children here is cattle coming by
Cachez vos rouges tabliers !
Cover up your red overalls


La lampe vient, s'éclipse, brille,
The lamp comes, is hid, shines
Sous les arceaux court se cacher,
Neath the arches runs for cover
Puis tremble derrière une grille,
Then dithers behind a grill
Puis scintille au bout d'un clocher ;
Then sparkles at the end of a steeple
Et ses rayons dans l'ombre tracent
And its beams in the darkness trace
Des fantômes multipliés.
Phantoms in countless numbers
Enfants, voici des bœufs qui passent,
Children here is cattle coming by
Cachez vos rouges tabliers !
Cover up your red overalls

Les deux spectres qu'un feu dévore,
The two spectres devoured by fire
Traînant leur suaire en lambeaux,
Trailing their shrouds in tatters
Se cherchent pour s'unir encore,
Seek once more to be together
En trébuchant sur des tombeaux ;
By staggering over tombstones ;
Leurs pas aveugles s'embarrassent
Their blind footsteps lose their way
Dans les marches des escaliers.
On the steps of the stairways
Enfants, voici des bœufs qui passent,
Children here is cattle coming by
Cachez vos rouges tabliers !
Cover up your red overalls

Mais ce sont des escaliers fées,
But these are fairy staircases
Qui sous eux s'embrouillent toujours ;
In confused tangle neath them,
L'un est aux caves étouffées,
One to the suffocating cellars
Quand l'autre marche au front des tours
When the other leads to the front of the towers.
Sous leurs pieds, sans fin se déplacent
Beneath their feet is a constant shift
Les étages et les paliers
Of levels and of landings.
Enfants, voici des bœufs qui passent,
Children here is cattle coming by
Cachez vos rouges tabliers !
Cover up your red overalls

Elevant leurs voix sépulcrales,
Raising their sepulcral voices
Se cherchant les bras étendus,
Seeking each other, arms outstretched,
Ils vont… Les magiques spirales
They go… The magic spirals
Mêlent leur pas toujours perdus ;
Merge their steps forever lost:
Ils s'épuisent et se harassent
Grown weary they exhaust themselves
En détours, sans cesse oubliés. –
In detours, always forgotten
Enfants, voici des bœufs qui passent,
Children here is cattle coming by
Cachez vos rouges tabliers !
Cover up your red overalls

La pluie alors, à larges gouttes,
The rain falls then in big drops
Bat les vitraux frêles et froids ;
Beats the stained panes frail and cold
Le vent siffle aux brèches des voûtes ;
The wind whistles through gaps in vaults
Une plainte sort des beffrois ;
A moan comes from the belfries
On entend des soupirs qui glacent,
One hears sighs which make blood run cold
Des rires d'esprits familiers
Laughter of ghostly spirits. –
Enfants, voici des bœufs qui passent,
Children here is cattle coming by
Cachez vos rouges tabliers !
Cover up your red overalls

Une voix faible, une voix haute,
One voice weak, one voice loud
Disent : "Quand finiront les jours ? »
Say : “When are the days to end?”
Ah ! nous souffrons par notre faute ;
Ah ! We suffer through our own fault
Mais l'éternité, c'est toujours !
But eternity, is always !
Là, les mains des heures se lassent,
There the hands of the hours tire
A retourner les sabliers…" –
Of turning round the sandglasses
Enfants, voici des bœufs qui passent,
Children here is cattle coming by
Cachez vos rouges tabliers !
Cover up your red overalls
!

L'enfer, hélas ! ne peut s'éteindre.
Hell alas can never burn out
Toutes les nuits, dans ce manoir,
All the nights in this old house
Se cherchent sans jamais s'atteindre
They seek each other never to reach
Une ombre blanche, un spectre noir,
A shadow white, a spectre black
Jusqu'à l'heure pâle où s'effacent
Until the pale hour when die out
Les cierges sur les chandeliers. –
The candles upon their candlesticks
Enfants, voici des bœufs qui passent,
Children here is cattle coming by
Cachez vos rouges tabliers !
Cover up your red overalls

Si, tremblant à ces bruits étranges,
If trembling at these strange sounds
Quelque nocturne voyageur
Some nocturnal traveller
En se signant demande aux anges
Crossing himself asks the angels
Sur qui sévit le Dieu vengeur,
On whom the avenging God deals so harsh
Des serpents de feu qui s'enlacent
Serpents of fire which writhe together
Tracent deux noms sur les piliers. –
Trace two names upon the pillars
Enfants, voici des bœufs qui passent,
Children here is cattle coming by
Cachez vos rouges tabliers !
Cover up your red overalls

Cette histoire de la novice,
Saint Ildefonse, abbé, voulut
Qu'afin de préserver du vice
Les vierges qui font leur salut,
Les prieures la racontassent
Dans tous les couvent réguliers. –
Enfants, voici des bœufs qui passent,
Cachez vos rouges tabliers !


Translation Notes La nonne
1) « vous dont l'oeil étincelle » The nun is teaching happy young children

2) « bœufs qui passent » Some critics have expressed amazement that a learned man like Hugo should think that it is cows that are provoked by the colour red, when it is bulls. In English we say “It is like a red rag to a bull”. The critics miss the point of the poem that their teacher is deliberately filling the defenceless minds with irrational fears to exert discipline. These two lines become the refrain at the end of each verse, for the poet to remind the reader, that, however dramatic the words, all that has gone before is all made-up.

3) “vos rouges tabliers” The children would wear smocks in their lessons.

4) « épouser Dieu » When a novice nun made her vows, the ritual was of marriage to Jesus Christ and a ring was put on her finger.

5) Sainte Véronique. They are to meet under the statue of Saint Veronica.

6) « Cette histoire de la novice, Saint Ildefonse, abbé, voulut » This last verse is also the last verse of Hugo’s poem. Here Hugo gives the name of the church dignitary who made up this horror story of the vengeance of Jesus Christ if one of his brides committed adultery. He also states the purpose: to frighten any nuns tempted to break their vows

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Tuesday, 28 April 2009

La mauvaise herbe

In this song, Brassens asks people to allow some space and tolerance to individualists, like him, who cannot accept the conventional values of society. He feels indifferent to patriotism and has a natural affinity with those whose life-style gets them looked down upon as outsiders.


La mauvaise herbe – The worthless weed (1)
Quand l' jour de gloire est arrivé, (2)
When the day of glory came
Comm' tous les autr's étaient crevés,
As all the rest were dead and gone
Moi seul connus le déshonneur
I alone knew the dishonour
De n' pas êtr' mort au champ d'honneur.
To lie not dead on the field of honour

Je suis d'la mauvaise herbe,
I am some worthless weed
Braves gens, braves gens,
Good people, good people,
C'est pas moi qu'on rumine
It’s not I, chewed to cud
Et c'est pas moi qu'on met en gerbe...(3)
And it’s not I they put in sheaves
La mort faucha les autres
Death cut down the others
Braves gens, braves gens,
Good people, good people
Et me fit grâce à moi, (4)
And me it left unharmed,
C'est immoral et c'est comm' ça !
It’s immoral and it’s like that
La la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la
Et je m' demand'
And I wonder
Pourquoi, Bon Dieu,
Why then Good God
Ça vous dérange (5)
It puts you out
Que j' vive un peu...
That I should live a bit
Et je m' demand'
And I wonder
Pourquoi, Bon Dieu,
Why then, Good God
Ça vous dérange
It puts you out
Que j' vive un peu...
That I should live a bit.

La fille à tout l'monde(6) a bon coeur,
The girl for all is good at heart,
Ell' me donne, au petit bonheur
She gives me, when luck will have it
Les p'tits bouts d' sa peau, bien cachés,
The little ends of her skin well hidden
Que les autres n'ont pas touchés.
That the others have not touched

Je suis d'la mauvaise herbe,
I am some worthless weed
Braves gens, braves gens,
Good people, good people,
C'est pas moi qu'on rumine
It’s not I, chewed to cud
Et c'est pas moi qu'on met en gerbe...
And it’s not I they put in sheaves

Elle se vend aux autres,
She charges the others
Braves gens, braves gens,
Good people, good people,
Elle se donne à moi,
She gives free to me.
C'est immoral et c'est comme ça !
It’s immoral and it’s like that !
La la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la
Et je m' demand'
And I wonder
Pourquoi, Bon Dieu,
Why then, Good God
Ça vous dérange
It puts you out
Qu'on m'aime un peu.
That I am loved a bit
Et je m' demand'
And I wonder
Pourquoi, Bon Dieu,
Why then, Good God
Ça vous dérange
It puts you out
Qu'on m'aime un peu..
That I am loved a bit.

Les hommes sont faits, nous dit-on,
All men are made, they tell us,
Pour vivre en band', comm' les moutons.
To live in groups, like flocks of sheep.
Moi, j' vis seul, et c'est pas demain
I live alone, and no time soon
Que je suivrai leur droit chemin.
Shall I follow their right direction..

Je suis d'la mauvaise herbe,
I am some worthless weed
Braves gens, braves gens,
Good people, good people,
C'est pas moi qu'on rumine
It’s not I, chewed to cud
Et c'est pas moi qu'on met en gerbe...
And it’s not I they put in sheaves

Je suis d' la mauvaise herbe,
I am some worthless weed
Braves gens, braves gens,
Good people, good people
Je pousse en liberté
I grow in liberty
Dans les jardins mal fréquentés !
In the gardens where few folk stray
La la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la
Et je m' demand'
And I wonder
Pourquoi, Bon Dieu,
Why then Good God
Ça vous dérange
It puts you out
Que j' vive un peu...
That I should live a bit

Georges Brassens
1954 - Les amoureux des bancs publics

Notes
(1) “La mauvaise herbe” means “the weed”, but I put “worthless” in front because of image conveyed in English when the epithet is applied to a person - we think of some-one weak and ineffectual. This is not appropriate for the powerful physical presence and personality of Brassens. In reality, weeds are often the biggest and sturdiest plants in our gardens and I suppose that some-one described as a weed ought to feel quite flattered.

(2) “Le jour de gloire est arrive” – a well-known line in the French National Anthem- the day of glory has arrived, with the Allied victory of 1945. Brassens had however opted out of the Second World War, hidden by his dear friend, Jeanne, in her slum Paris tenement. I tell the story more fully in my comments on the song: "Chanson pour l’Auvergnat".

(3) The “Good people” are not weeds like the author of the poem. The contrasting image for these worthy folk is the corn of the fields. They have a useful purpose in the world, just as the corn feeds the cattle and yields a fruitful harvest, evidenced by the sheaves in the fields.

(4) « Faire grâce à » means « to spare ». (I make changes occasionally to keep a certain flow to the lines)

(5) “Ça vous derange” – The “you” he is addressing is not primarily God but all the worthy people who might disapprove of him and his conduct- in which case “Good God” would seem to be more of an exclamation.

(6) The girl who sells herself to everyone has put herself outside the bounds of respectable society. She recognises that he is a fellow outsider. In their natural fellowship, the poet and the prostitute enjoy an uninhibited and sincere relationship.


Brassens had depicted himself as an outsider in his song collection of the previous year with his song; "La mauvaise reputation".

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Monday, 16 March 2009

Georges Brassens- Mourir pour des idées- with English translation and commentary

Mourir pour des idées

Brassens tells us that after the hostile response he has had after writing two recent songs (“Les deux oncles” and “La tondue”) he has decided to change his standpoint and accept that it’s a good idea to die for an ideology, his only proviso being that death should be a lifetime in coming. The song goes on to justify this delay.
Mourir pour des idées
Mourir pour des idées, l'idée est excellente.
To die for some ideas. The idea is excellent
Moi j'ai failli mourir de ne l'avoir pas eue,(A)
I came close to dying for not having had it, (i.e. not having had the idea)
Car tous ceux qui l'avaient, multitude accablante,
For all those who had it, a most forceful multitude
En hurlant à la mort me sont tombés dessus.
Howling out for my blood came down most hard on me
Ils ont su me convaincre et ma muse insolente,
They knew how to convince me and my insolent muse
Abjurant ses erreurs, se rallie à leur foi
Recanting her mistakes, adheres to their belief
Avec un soupçon de réserve toutefois :
With a touch of reservation all the same
Mourons pour des idées, d'accord, mais de mort lente,
Let’s die for some ideas, agreed, but dying slow
D'accord, mais de mort lente.
Agreed, but dying slow.

Jugeant qu'il n'y a pas péril en la demeure,
Judging there is no great peril in hanging on
Allons vers l'autre monde en flânant en chemin
Let’s go to the next world while dawdling on the way
Car, à forcer l'allure, il arrive qu'on meure
For, by forcing the pace, chance is you might die
Pour des idées n'ayant plus cours le lendemain.
For some ideas, nobody holds the day after
Or, s'il est une chose amère, désolante,
Now if it’s a bitter thing, and woeful
En rendant l'âme à Dieu c'est bien de constater
Rend’ring one’s soul to God, it’s a good thing to find out
Qu'on a fait fausse route, qu'on s'est trompé d'idée,
That you lost your way, that your idea was wrong.
Mourons pour des idées, d'accord, mais de mort lente,
Let’s die for some ideas, agreed, but dying slow
D'accord, mais de mort lente.
Agreed, but dying slow
.

Les Saint Jean Bouche d'Or qui prêchent le martyre,
The Saint Johns Chrysotom (1) who preach martyr’s deaths
Le plus souvent, d'ailleurs, s'attardent ici-bas.
Most frequently, themselves, stay on here below
Mourir pour des idées, c'est le cas de le dire,
To die for some ideas, we are quite right to say
C'est leur raison de vivre, ils ne s'en privent pas.
Is their reason for living, they won’t give it away.
Dans presque tous les camps on en voit qui supplantent
In almost all the groups, you see some who’ll supplant
Bientôt Mathusalem dans la longévité.
Quite soon Mathusalem as to longevity.
J'en conclus qu'ils doivent se dire, en aparté (2)
I conclude they must say under their breath:
"Mourons pour des idées, d'accord, mais de mort lente,
Let’s die for some ideas, agreed, but dying slow
D'accord, mais de mort lente.
Agreed, but dying slow



Des idées réclamant le fameux sacrifice,
Ideas demanding the supreme sacrifice
Les sectes de tout poil en offrent des séquelles,(3)
Sects of every ilk bring zealots for the act
Et la question se pose aux victimes novices (4)
And the question is asked of the novice victims:
Mourir pour des idées, c'est bien beau mais lesquelles ?
To die for some ideas, is quite fine but which ones?
Et comme toutes sont entre elles ressemblantes,
And as they are all very much alike
Quand il les voit venir, avec leur gros drapeau,
When he sees them coming, their huge flag held aloft
Le sage, en hésitant, tourne autour du tombeau. (5)
The wise man turns from the tomb, takes a bit more time
Mourons pour des idées, d'accord, mais de mort lente,
Let’s die for some ideas, agreed, but dying slow
D'accord, mais de mort lente.
Agreed, but dying slow

Encor s'il suffisait de quelques hécatombes (6)
Also if it took only a few mass slaughters
Pour qu'enfin tout changeât, qu'enfin tout s'arrangeât !
For all at last to change, for all at last go right
Depuis tant de grands soirs que tant de têtes tombent, (7)
Since so many great nights when so many heads fell
Au paradis sur terre on y serait déjà
In our heaven on earth we would be now installed
Mais l'âge d'or sans cesse est remis aux calendes,
But the golden age is postponed constantly
Les dieux ont toujours soif, (8)n'en ont jamais assez,
The gods are still athirst, have never had enough
Et c'est la mort, la mort toujours recommencée...
And it is death, death, over and over again
Mourons pour des idées, d'accord, mais de mort lente,
Let’s die for some ideas, agreed, but dying slow
D'accord, mais de mort lente.
Agreed, but dying slow

Ô vous, les boutefeux, ô vous les bons apôtres,
Oh you firebrands, oh you righteous apostles,
Mourez donc les premiers, nous vous cédons le pas.
Be the first to die then, we stand aside for you.
Mais de grâce, morbleu ! laissez vivre les autres,
But for mercy’s sake, morbleu! let the others live.
La vie est à peu près leur seul luxe ici-bas ;
Life is nearly their sole luxury down here
Car, enfin, la Camarde est assez vigilante,
For in truth, the grim reaper keeps close watch enough
Elle n'a pas besoin qu'on lui tienne la faux.
She does not need people to hold for her the scythe
Plus de danse macabre autour des échafauds !
No more dance macabre around the grim scaffolds
Mourons pour des idées, d'accord, mais de mort lente,
Let’s die for some ideas, agreed, but dying slow
D'accord, mais de mort lente.
Agreed, but dying slow
1972 – Fernande.

Notes
(A) (I missed putting this note in and so I am putting it under"A" until I renumber the whole list). When Brassens says he almost died for not having ideas, he is referring to the violent reception he was given after writing his song "Les Deux Oncles". When he says he had rejected ideas in this song, he means the ideologies that make people kill each other. He asked for equal sympathy for one of his uncles who died fighting for the Allied cause and the second who died fighting for the Fascist cause. We have to remember that France had a complex and conflicting web of political loyalties during the Second World War and that when Brassens wrote this song, the French President De Gaulle, had made Germany his major ally while he pursued anti-British policies. All people are entitled to their own opinions from their own experience. However, most people would admit that Brassens did not express himself very tactfully in "Les Deux Oncles", suggesting that all the suffering of these horrific years rested on a nationalistic fight between the "Teutons" and the "Tommies". I don't remember any reaction in Britain but the anger in some sections of the French public was intense.
(1) Saint John Chrysotom the 14th century bishop was known as the “Golden Mouth” on account of the power of his oratory..
(2) En aparté : When something is said as an aside on the stage, so that, in theory, the audience can hear but the characters in the play cannot.
(3) Les séquelles usually means consequences, things that follow. Brassens is uses its archaic meaning of “followers”
(4) Brassens’ little joke. Martyrdom is something you can’t build up experience in. All martyrs are novices.
(5) tourne autour du tombeau. There are two ideas in this line. Collins Robert tells us that “Un individu tourne autour de la maison depuis une heure” means some-one has been hanging around outside the house for an hour. The phrase could also link with the expression: “tourner autour du pot” = take your time about what you are going to do.
(6) Hécatombes- A hecatomb was originally a sacrifice to the ancient Greek and Roman gods of 100 oxen or cattle. Brassens uses it in its modern meaning of a mass slaughter.
(7) Brassens is talking about the frenzied slaughter of the French Revolution. The alliteration of the “t” in this line is the drumbeat as heads fall.
(8) « Les dieux ont soif » is Anatole France’s brilliant novel about the period of the Terror. I have a summary of the book on my literature website. To read the summary -it's long!- click here

A Footnote
Arthur Koestler made this comment about ideologies:
2)..... the crimes of violence committed for selfish, personal motives are historically insignificant compared to those committed ad majorem gloriam Dei, out of a self-sacrificing devotion to the flag, a leader, a religious faith or political conviction.

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Georges Brassens- La Tondue - with English translation and commentary



In this song Brassens expresses his shock at the cruelty of which groups of people are capable in the grip of a strong idea.
After the liberation of France from the Germans, there was a period when groups of people in France took the law into their own hands and settled scores against those who were accused of collaboration. In some cases people were arbitrarily condemned and then lined up against the wall and shot. Among the victims of these reprisals were women who had fraternised with the Germans. Some of these, we are told, were prostitutes who had worked in military brothels -as if this would excuse this public cruelty!- many were just ordinary girls who had fallen for the charms of young men of another nationality. The punishment for these women is described by Brassens


La tondue -The girl with the shaven head

La belle qui couchait avec le roi de Prusse,(1)
The beauty who slept with the Prussian king
Avec le roi de Prusse,
With the Prussian king
À qui l'on a tondu le crâne rasibus,
Whose scalp they shaved ‘til totally bald
Le crâne rasibus,
‘Til totally bald

Son penchant prononcé pour les "ich liebe dich ", (2)
Her very pronounced taste for the "ich liebe dich ",
Pour les "ich liebe dich ",
For the "ich liebe dich ",
Lui valut de porter quelques cheveux postiches,
Meant her wearing, instead, hair which was false
Quelques cheveux postiches.
Instead, hair which was false.

Les braves sans-culottes, et les bonnets phrygiens, (3)
The brave sans-culottes, and the phrygien bonnets
Et les bonnets phrygiens,
And the phrygien bonnets
Ont livré sa crinière à un tondeur de chiens,
Handed over her hairdo to a shearer of dogs
À un tondeur de chiens.
To a shearer of dogs

J'aurais dû prendre un peu parti pour sa toison,
I ought ‘have stood up a bit for the sake of her mane
Parti pour sa toison,
For the sake of her mane.
J'aurais dû dire un mot pour sauver son chignon,
Ought to have said a word to rescue her chignon
Pour sauver son chignon,
To rescue her chignon

Mais je n'ai pas bougé du fond de ma torpeur,
But I did not budge, fixed in a deep torpor
Du fond de ma torpeur.
Fixed in a deep torpor
Les coupeurs de cheveux en quatre (4) m'ont fait peur,
Cutters of hair right down to the roots made me scared,
En quatre m'ont fait peur.
To the roots, made me scared.

Quand, pire qu'une brosse, elle eut été tondue,
When worse than crew-cut, they had shaved off her hair
Elle eut été tondue,
They had shaved off her hair
J'ai dit : " C'est malheureux, ces accroch'-coeur perdus,
I said “It’s sad indeed, those soft kiss curls (5) all lost
Ces accroch'-coeur perdus. "
Those soft kiss curls all lost
Et, ramassant l'un d'eux qui traînait dans l'ornière,(6)
And picking up one such, which was left in the roadway
Qui traînait dans l'ornière,
Which was left in the roadway
Je l'ai, comme une fleur, mis à ma boutonnière,(6)
I fixed it like a flower, into my coat lapel
Mis à ma boutonnière.
Into my coat lapel

En me voyant partir arborant mon toupet,
On seeing me go off, flaunting my lock of hair
Arborant mon toupet (7)
Flaunting my lock of hair,
Tous ces coupeurs de natt's m'ont pris pour un suspect,
All those cutters of plaits, took me to be a suspect
M'ont pris pour un suspect.
Took me to be a suspect

Comme de la patrie je ne mérite guère,
As of my country my deserts are small
Je ne mérite guère
My deserts are small
J'ai pas la Croix d'Honneur, j'ai pas la Croix de Guerre,
I hold no Cross of Honour, I hold no Cross of War
J'ai pas la Croix de Guerre,
I hold no cross of war
Et je n'en souffre pas avec trop de rigueur,
And this does not pain me to any great degree
Avec trop de rigueur.
To any great degree
J'ai ma rosette (8) à moi : c'est un accroche-coeur,
I do have my rosette: It’s a girl’s kiss curl
C'est un accroche-coeur.
It’s a girl’s kiss curl.
Georges Brassens
1964 - Les copains d'abord.

NOTES
(1) Le roi de Prusse. Brassens just means a German soldier, but feels his first line will be spoiled by saying this bluntly. I can understand this and I have read several explanations for this device. My own idea is that it gives a glimpse of the romantic view of the girl in love.
(2) "ich liebe dich ". (I know I’m saying what we all know already) This phrase means « Je t’aime », the intimate form of I love you.
(3) Les braves sans-culottes, et les bonnets phrygiens. In this line Brassens identifies the mass groups of ordinary people who joined in the violent reprisals against alleged collaborators with the “sans-culottes” of the Revolution of 1789. The common people of France were then given this name because they didn't wear upper class breeches or “culottes”. The Phrygian bonnet was a symbol adopted by the 18th Century Revolution as it was worn under the Roman Empire by former slaves who had been freed. Brassens aroused the anger of left wing activists by making this analogy.
(4) Les coupeurs de cheveux en quatre. « En quatre » is used in a number of expressions to mean to the highest degree (for example “se mettre en quatre pour quelq’un” = to do your utmost for some-one. Brassens was afraid but all the same he would not have been the first choice for bullies to pick on. For a time, Brassens was employed as a bodyguard for Jean-Paul Sartre.
(5) Soft kiss curls. I put in the adjective to give a 3 syllable translation.
(6) L'ornière means « the rut ». It just did not sound right in English. I did not like the sound of the direct translation of boutonnière- buttonhole.
(7) Mon toupet has 2 meanings (a) my tuft of hair (b) my impudence. It was recognised by these administrators of rough justice as an act of defiance.
(8) A Rosette is an insignia of honour in the military and in the Légion d’honneur.

The job completed, the girl is led through the streets with her Franco-German baby.


FOOTNOTE
Arthur Koestler has said:
..... the evils of mankind are caused, not by the primary aggressiveness of individuals, but by their self-transcending identification with groups whose common denominator is low intelligence and high emotionality.

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