Sunday, June 19, 2011

Gaby oh Gaby




Words: Boris Bergman
Music: Alain Bashung

Je fais mon footing au milieu des algues et des coraux
I do my jogging in the middle of algae et coral
Et je fais mes pompes sur les restes d'un vieux cargo
I do my push-ups on the wreck of an old bateau
Je dis bonjour, faut bien que je me mouille
I say hello, really have to stick my neck out
C'est ma dernière surprise partie je m'écrase le nez au hublot
It's my last surprise party i smash my nose to the porthole
J'ai mon contrat de confiance l'encéphalo qui faut
I've got my trust bond, necessary encephalo
J'ai du bol, j'en vois qui rigolent
I'm so lucky, hey I see who's laughin'

Oh Gaby, Gaby
Oh Gaby, Gaby
Tu devrais pas me laisser la nuit
You shouldn't leave me alone at night
Je peux pas dormir je fais que des conneries
I can't sleep, I can't do anything right
Oh Gaby, Gaby
Oh Gaby, Gaby
Tu veux que je te chante la mer
You want me to sing the sea
Le long, le long, le long des golfes
Along, along, along the gulf
Pas très clairs
Kinda murky

En regardant les résultats de son check-up
Lookin' over the results of his check-up
Un requin qui fumait plus a rallumé son clop
A shark who had quit smokin' well he lit up a butt
Ça fait frémir, faut savoir dire stop "stop"
It gives ya goosebumps, have to know how to say stop "stop"
Tu sais, tu sais c'est comme ce type qui voudrait que je me soigne
You know, you know it's like this guy who said take care yourself
Et qu'abandonne son cleps au mois d'août en Espagne
Then left his dogs in August on a Spanish shelf
Je sens comme un vide, remets moi Johnny Kidd
I feel like nothin', remake me Johnny Kidd

Oh Gaby, Gaby
Oh Gaby, Gaby
Tu devrais pas me laisser la nuit
You shouldn't leave me alone at night
Je peux pas dormir je fais que des conneries
I can't sleep, I can't do nothin' right
Oh Gaby, Gaby
Oh Gaby, Gaby
Tu veux que je te chante la mer
You want me to sing the sea
Le long, le long, le long des golfes
Along, along, along the gulf
Pas très clairs
Kinda murky

Gaby, je t'ai déjà dit que t'es bien plus belle que Mauricette
Gaby, I told you that you're prettier than Mauricette
Qu'est belle comme un pétard qu'attend plus qu'une allumette
Who's pretty as a rocket no longer needin' a match
Ça fait craquer, au feu les pompiers
It blows your mind, the firemen on fire
Aujourd'hui c'est vendredi et je voudrais bien qu'on m'aime
Today it's Friday and I really want some love and kindness
Je sens que je vais finir chez Wanda et ses sirènes
I know I'm gonna wind up at Wanda's with her sirens
Et ses sirènes, oh oh oh oh oh
With her sirens, oh oh oh oh oh

Oh Gaby, Gaby
Oh Gaby, Gaby
Tu devrais pas me laisser la nuit
You shouldn't leave me alone at night
Je peux pas dormir je fais que des conneries
I can't sleep, I can't do nothin' right
Oh Gaby, Gaby
Oh Gaby, Gaby
Tu veux que je te chante la mer
You want me to sing the sea
Le long, le long, le long des golfes
Along, along, along the gulf
Pas très clairs
Kinda murky

Alors à quoi ça sert la frite si t'as pas les moules
So what good is the fryin' if you don't have the fries
Ça sert à quoi le cochonnet si t'as pas les boules
What good is the ball if there's no pins down the line
Oh oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh oh


*Sorry to the French about the big change here but I'm trying for a singable English version. The actual line reads "What good is the "cochonnet", "jack" or small ball if you don't have the boules or "the big balls", from the French game pétanqe. I took a giant leap and made it the game of bowling. I hope it's an appropriate substitute. For how to play pétanque: http://lemistralclub.home.comcast.net/~lemistralclub/Join.htm




A little demo of how to sing "Gaby Oh Gaby" in English, with my husband Ron on keyboards. And finally from Gaby's own lyricist, Boris Bergman, an English "Gaby" which, as he explains in the prologue, is based on the British "Cabbie": "You pay before you check out..."


5 comments:

moigo said...

"So what good is the fryin' if you don't have the fries?"...LOL. Playful song. I like your cover.

Anonymous said...

First of all, I want to say that your blog is great ;D I just have to point out that "requin" means shark. Rouquin means readhead ;). Your translations look great though.

Laura Tattoo said...

wow, i can't tell you how much i appreciate your comment here, anon. these are the mistakes... i recently came upon this line on a facebook page and read "shark". but i never would have made the connection back here, though. thanks so much!!! ~laura

Unknown said...

Laura! Oh! Laura!

Laura Tattoo said...

:>>)))) lilia... i enjoy your enjoyment so much! ((((lilia)))) xoxoxoxo