French chansons from the 60s, 70s and 80s of the last century were the romantic soundtrack of the entire age group, which was in the period of youth and courtship at that time. The songs were an integral part of the list of songs played on the radio, and thus constituted an important element of musical culture, especially considering the fact that, with one channel on television, listening to the radio was very common.
A wise man said that London was built for the English, and Paris was built for the whole world…
The scent of Paris וFrench culture , is expressed in French chansons. When the singer expresses love, it somehow sounds more believable than any expression in any other language.
And in these Corona days that are upon us, we can imagine the fragrance ofcroissant, the sight of romantic couples on the bridges of the Seine, theGardens The well-groomed and elegant buildings, while listening to the warm and magnetic voices of the chansonniers, both men and women.
Over the years, quite a few songs have been translated from French into Hebrew. For example, songs by Jacques Brel, Georges Bressan, Edith Piaf, and more. These are the songs that tell a story, and oftentimes express social criticism.
I chose a number of well-known songs, by other singers, each of which is a gem in its own right.
I wanted to point out that the song – Comme Toi – was previously translated by Shimrit Or, and was performed by Doron Mazar. Her translation is actually a new song based on the melody. Here is a translation that is faithful to the original, although you can also find the video clip version of the version sung by Doron Mazar.
These songs, although they are older, constitute for me a complement and foundation forContemporary French songs That I translated and that appeared on the site.
Have fun everyone,
Nechama Krems.
French chansons translated into Hebrew
Mother – Luigi
My mother
So soft and loving.
My mother,
What happiness you give.
The most beautiful love,
that exists,
Wonderful happiness,
And the heart is filled.
Little mother,
You are so beautiful,
Little mother,
So delicate.
Loneliness and pain,
Without you,
Turn away because the heart,
Longing for you.
Mom went,
And I lost everything,
Mom went,
So miserable, can't...
Tell me why,
My dear mother,
Tell me why,
Suddenly you disappeared from me.
I think about you a lot,
Everything is so sad,
Crying all the time,
And you're not here anymore.
My mother,
You are a precious one,
My mother,
Love gives me.
Mom, only you,
Love so much,
Please come back,
My little mother.
And now – Gilbert on the line
https://youtu.be/hmSBAJdie7E
And now, what will happen now,
All the time in my life remains,
There is no one, Ali thought,
You left here, I'm left alone.
All nights, why, to whom,
The morning comes, you won't reach me,
And no one calls my name,
The heart is beating too hard.
And now, what will I do,
Where will they fall, will my life be lost,
You left me a whole world here,
Without you, too lonely.
And you, my friends, understand,
What to do, you know,
Even if we die of boredom,
The streets are killing me.
And now, what will happen now,
I won't cry, I'll just laugh about it,
I will burn entire nights in vain,
Waking up in the morning, hating you.
And then suddenly out of nowhere,
I will see the end of my path in the mirror,
This is how we say goodbye, without a bouquet of flowers,
Without tears or crying.
There's really nothing, I have nothing to do,
I really have nothing…
And if you weren't... – Joe Dassan
https://youtu.be/ZOZiR2A21b0
And if you weren't, maybe,
Tell me how I can live,
Without hope, without sadness, it's not worth it,
Only that I can be with you.
And if you weren't, maybe,
I was the inventor of love,
In colors that are spectacular to my eyes,
Another day is born and you are with me,
I would believe…
And if you weren't, maybe,
Tell me how I can live,
Others I hold in my arms,
I only like to be with you.
And if you were no longer there,
I will be just a small dot,
In a world that goes back and forth,
I will feel hopelessly lost,
I need you, I miss you…
And if you were no more,
Tell me how to live, I can,
I will be like me, like another,
That's not true, and that's a shame.
And if you are not here now,
I would try to find,
In life, the what and the how,
Just simply create you,
And with a look to protect..
And if you weren't there maybe,
Tell me how I can live,
Without hope, without sadness, it's not worth it,
Only that I can be with you.
And if you weren't, maybe,
I was the inventor of love,
In colors that are spectacular to my eyes,
Another day is born and you are with me,
I would believe…
Pierrot – Renault
You were not born on the street,
You lack nothing.
Not lost, you are a good boy,
Not a son of a bastard.
I imagined you in my head,
You were in my skin,
I built a world for you,
In my mind, from the bottom of the pit.
Piero, my baby, my chick, my child,
My friend, you warm my heart.
Since I've been dreaming of you,
Since I truly created you,
I feel a beating heart,
That without you I am as good as dead.
The day you come to me,
I promise not to drink anymore,
At least for a week, maybe a month,
It will be difficult but I will not give up.
Piero, my baby, my chick, my child,
My friend, you warm my heart.
If you are a royal
Or nothing out of nowhere,
A son of tenderness and gentleness,
Never an orphan.
I don't know your mother yet,
Can't find it, searching in vain.
Miserable, suffocated, without air,
To be on the road alone now.
Piero, my baby, my chick, my child,
My friend, you warm my heart.
I will prepare everything in your imagination,
I will be very generous,
Motorcycle and blue jeans,
And a cool pair of boots.
You won't go to school,
You will learn rude words,
We will play football,
Let's go to the bar for a drink.
Piero, my baby, my chick, my child,
My friend, you warm my heart.
I won't wash my hands of you,
When I bring you to the table,
Think I'm drunk on wine,
When I hide your schoolbag.
I will teach you the songs,
Mine, you won't notice,
Think they are strange,
I think I'll be offended.
Piero, my baby, my chick, my child,
My friend, you warm my heart.
So come to me now, my child,
You will be my band manager,
I will give you everything I have,
The good and the bad.
Come on, friend, to me,
I will find your mother,
It will be just the three of us and that's enough,
Waiting for us to be a family.
Piero, my baby, my chick, my child,
My friend, you warm my heart.
As You Are – Jean-Jacques Goldman
Her bright eyes and velvet dress,
Between mother and family she stands tall,
Her gaze turns to the side, in the soft sun,
She is so beautiful.
The photo is not clear, but from here you can see,
The happiness and joy on her sweet face,
She loved listening to Mozart and Schumann,
Listen and enjoy..
As you are, as you are, as you are.
As you are, Baruch looks at you tenderly,
Like you, sleeps, dreams like you.
She attended school in the village with the children,
She studied the rules and read the books,
She sings about princesses and frogs,
Who sleep in the forest.
She loved the doll, she loved the friends,
Anna and Ruth, and Jeremy no less,
Maybe they'll get married again.
In Warsaw,
As you are, as you are, as you are…
As you are, Baruch looks at you tenderly,
Like you, sleeping, dreaming like you.
They called her Sarah, sweetness and dream,
Not yet eight years old, surrounded by light and warmth,
Everything was cut off, all the love and innocence.
She had bright eyes, you were the same age,
A smart girl with a very ordinary story,
But she wasn't born like you,
Here and now,
As you are..
As you are, as you are, as you are…
As you are, Baruch looks at you tenderly,
Like you, sleeping, dreaming like you.
As you are, as you are, as you are…
And here is Doron Mazar's version (translated by Shimrit Ben Or) for those who want to compare:
Frans Gal – That's understandable
There is a bitter taste within us,
The taste of dust in everything,
Everywhere –
The anger that is stored.
And the silences say it all.
More than words that speak,
And the questions,
They don't keep anything.
And that's understandable,
So understandable,
Still dancing, to the sounds,
We loved it here.
And that's understandable,
So understandable,
Still laughing at the nonsense,
Like children in kindergarten –
It's over a long time ago.
The wars no longer touch,
They are so disgusting and tedious,
What will it give,
Run through the streets.
The son of the wound and the bereavement,
Like mud stuck in the sand,
No matter,
That changes everything…
And that's understandable,
So understandable,
Still dancing, to the sounds,
We loved it here.
And that's understandable,
So understandable,
Still laughing at the nonsense,
Like children in kindergarten –
It's over a long time ago.
Barbara – Tell me when you will be back.
Here are a few days, here are a few nights,
You've kept me waiting for so long.
You said, this is the last time I'm going on a trip,
But our torn hearts, like a sinking ship.
In the spring, you'll see, I'll be back,
In spring it's nice to talk about love,
We will go see the flowers in the gardens together,
And in Paris we will travel, wander the streets.
Tell me when you'll be back,
Say - will it pass?
All the time that disappeared,
Will never return,
All the time that has passed,
We will be lost and washed away.
For a long time, spring has been forgotten,
Fallen leaves are rustling, a fire is burning in the hearth,
to see the Paris, so beautiful in late autumn,
I'm fighting, I'm dreaming, I'm shaking all over now...
Like a ship capsizing and like a recurring melody,
I go, I come, I move to another side,
My voice is weak, your image haunts me,
I hurt from love, I hurt from you.
Tell me when you'll be back,
Say - will it pass?
All the time that disappeared,
Will never return,
All the time that has passed,
We will be lost and washed away.
I love you always, I love you more,
Love love, love no other,
If you don't understand, you have to go back,
Like a beautiful memory, I will always remember both of us.
I will take the road to a wonderful world again,
I will bask in a different sun from the beginning,
I am not one of those who die of fear and sorrow,
I don't have the advantages of sailors' wives.
Tell me when you'll be back,
Say - will it pass?
All the time that disappeared,
Will never return,
All the time that has passed,
We will be lost and washed away.
A few words about the author
Nechama Krems is an architect and painter. Her paintings can be found atThis site.