Sunday, July 08, 2007

Les Feuilles Mortes...

Was reading Paulo Coelho's "Like the Flowing River" last week, when I read about a song that was briefly mentioned in one of the stories. A song called "Autumn Leaves"; actually a French song called "Les Feuilles Mortes". Being interested, I googled for it, and found its amazing lyrics (along with its English translation)that I am putting below .
Havent had a chance to hear the song, but yes, I am looking for it now. In the meanwhile, I will just enjoy reading the lyrics...

Les Feuilles Mortes
Lyrics by Jacques Prévert, (1945)
Music by Joseph Kosma, (1945)


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...

(Oh! I really hope you remember
Those happy days when we were friends.
In those times life was more beautiful
And the sun brighter than today's.
The dead leaves gather on the rake.
You see, I have not forgotten...
The dead leaves gather on the rake,
As do the memories and the regrets,
And the north wind carries them
Into the oblivion of the cold night.
You see, I have not forgetten
The song that you used to sing to me.)

Refrain
C'est une chanson qui nous ressemble,
Toi qui m'aimais, moi qui t'aimais.
Nous vivions tous les deux ensemble,
Toi qui m'aimais, moi qui t'aimais.
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.

(It's a song that resembles us.
You, you loved me and I loved you
And we lived together,
You who loved me, I who loved you.
But life separates those who love,
Gently, without making a sound,
And the sea erases from the sand-
The footsteps of separated lovers.)

Les feuilles mortes se ramassent à la pelle,
Les souvenirs et les regrets aussi
Mais mon amour silencieux et fidèle
Sourit toujours et remercie la vie.
Je t'aimais tant, tu étais si jolie.
Comment veux-tu que je t'oublie ?
En ce temps-là, la vie était plus belle
Et le soleil plus brûlant qu'aujourd'hui.
Tu étais ma plus douce amie
Mais je n'ai que faire des regrets
Et la chanson que tu chantais,
Toujours, toujours je l'entendrai !

(The dead leaves gather on the rake
As do the memories and the regrets
But my love, quiet and loyal,
Always smiles and is grateful for life.
I loved you so much, you were so beautiful.
How can you expect me to forget you?
In those times, life was more beautiful
And the sun brighter than today's.
You were my kindest friend
But I only created regrets
And the song that you used to sing,
I hear it always, always...)

9 comments:

Saurabh said...

dude.. this is like the french version of devdas :)

Monsieur K said...

you bet dude!
the amazing thing is that the lyrics are so simple, and yet they convey so much. :)

Tulip said...

Beautiful!!

It's so gentle!.. and sad.

roadandsong said...

शब्दांत राहून शब्दांच्या पलिकडची भावना टिपली आहे!


काही मराठी गाण्यांचा असाच अनुवाद करून post करण्याची इच्छा आहे। Most important of them all " सावळाच रंग तुझा " by माणिक वर्मा । Read it if you have not read so far.

~
केदार

Monsieur K said...

Thanks Tulip.
Yeah, it is indeed very gentle... and very sad too...

Kedar,
what a way to put it man!
"using words to express emotions beyond words" :)
will definitely read the poem by Manik Verma - i have so much catching up to do when it comes to reading in Marathi :)
do translate the poem and put it on your blog.

Unknown said...

Maalak!

Translate karun taakata aali asti tar me te kaam dusarya kade dilech nasate.

Maza problem asa aahe, ki tya marathi kavitemadhe me itaka haravun jaato ki tyala english madhe translate karata kadhich yenaar nahi ase vatate.!!

~K

Pooza said...

wow amazing song bhaiya. I didnt know you read paulo coelho. I have read almost every book of his, looking for the latest one...

Pooza

Monsieur K said...

Kedar,
finally you did manage the translation - thts amazing buddy! :)

Pooza bhabhi,
I have read only 'The Alchemist' and then this one - havent finished it yet.
Thanks for your comment.

Anonymous said...

BON DEPART