Thursday, December 31, 2009

Sur un trapèze



Alain's last video, realized by Jean Baptiste Mondino

Words and music: Gaëtan Roussel


On dirait qu'on sait lire sur les lèvres
One might say that we know how to read lips
Et que l'on tient tous les deux sur un trapèze
And that it keeps both of us on a trapeze
On dirait que sans les poings on est toujours aussi balèzes
One might say that without fists we're always tough guys
Et que les fenêtres nous apaisent
And that windows appease us

On dirait que l'on soufflerait sur les braises
One might say that we could blow on the embers
On dirait que les pirates nous assiègent
One might say that we're besieged by pirates
Et que notre amour, c'est le trésor
And that our love is a treasure
On dirait qu'on serait toujours d'accord
One might say that we would always be in agreement

J'ai traqué les toujours, désossé les déesses
I have tracked down the forevers, dissected the goddesses
Goûté aux alentours, souvent changé d'adresse
Tasted the surroundings, often changed address
Ce qui nous entoure, l'extension de nos corps
But what surrounds us, the extention of our bodies
Quand nous sommes à l'écart, mineurs, chercheurs d'or
When we're apart, we're miners, searchers of gold

Quand faut-il être pour ?
When must we be for ?
Que faut-il être encore ?
Must we be again ?
Quand faut-il être pour
When must we be for ?
Que faut-il être encore ?
Must we be again ?

On dirait qu'on sait lire sur les lèvres
One might say that we know how to read lips
Et que l'on tient tous les deux sur un trapèze
And that it keeps both of us on a trapeze
On dirait que, sans les poings, on est toujours aussi balèzes
One might say that without fists we're always tough guys 
Et que les fenêtres nous apaisent 
And that windows appease us

Peut-être que la nuit le monde fait la trêve ! 
Perhaps at night the world makes a truce ! 
Et qu'aujourd'hui ton sourire fait grève ?
And today your smile is on strike ?

On dirait qu'on sait lire sur les lèvres
One might say that we know how to read lips
Et que l'on tient tous les deux sur un trapèze
And that it keeps both of us on a trapeze

Peut-être que la nuit le monde fait la trêve !
Perhaps at night the world makes a truce !
Et qu'aujourd'hui ton sourire fait grève ? 
And today your smile is on strike ?

On dirait qu'on sait lire sur les lèvres
One might say that we know how to read lips
Et que l'on tient tous les deux sur un trapèze
And that it keeps both of us on a trapeze


Photo by Kathy Le Sant for French Playboy, April '08



8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am thoroughly enjoying this ... I can see why you love him. Of course I can see why you love all things French. I always have ... well, except the politics.

My sweet friend this is an exceptional undertaking and magnificent blog. A true work of love and passion.

Audrey Nicholson said...

What an undertaking!!!! And so worth it. Bravo Laura! oxoxoxoxox

Laura Tattoo said...

oh god, thanks, you guys! it's a lonely work but i'm enjoying it. i think over time more people will find this blog. i hope so. i love him so much, it's true. i am having some nice exchanges on the wordreference.com language forum.

i'll begin indexing the songs by album once i have more done. thanks again. you did make my year! :>>)) LOVE. XOXOOXOXOX

Anonymous said...

Greetings from Argentina!! I am glad that people still place importance on doing works like you do!!

Keep the fight!!!

Merci de nous rendre un tel service; Merci d'apprécier, partager et divulger l'oeuvre de ce sacré artist!

Laura Tattoo said...

anonyme, un honneur! un bonheur! ma source de joie, de force, de guérisson! xoxoxoxooxox

Unknown said...

thank you for translating these songs, je l'aime aussi beaucoup

Unknown said...

I discovered the work of Alain Bashung only a couple of years ago! An artist with a capital A....thank you for the translation quite an undertaking in this case. Bravo vraiment!

Unknown said...

Quand faut il etre "pur"? That is what I thought when I first heard it ...I mistook "pour/for" with "pur/pure" but the assonance is there... and knowing Bashung's love to play with words