Jacques Brel (1929–1978)

In the mid60s, I was having an on-again, off-again thing with a wonderful singer-songwriter who had previously been the girlfriend of Scott Walker. Much to my chagrin, Walker’s music played in her apartment night and day. I sadly lost contact with her, but unexpectedly kept a fond and hugely admiring love for Walker’s work. One of the writers he covered on an early album was Jacques Brel. That was enough to take me to the theater to catch the above-named production when it came to London show more in 1968. By the time the cast, led by the earthy translator and Brooklynite Mort Shuman, had gotten to the song that dealt with guys lining up for their syphilis shots (“Next”), I was completely won over. By way of Brel, I discovered French chanson a revelation. Here was a popular song form wherein poems by the likes of Sartre, Cocteau, Verlaine, and Baudelaire were known and embraced by the general populace. No flinching, please. show less

Beautiful, just beautiful.

The exquisite English version - If You Go Away - is here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kchbloIYLfc


Don't leave me!
I’ll weep no more,
I’ll speak no more,
I’ll hide right here,
to look at you
dance and smile, to
listen to you
sing
and then laugh...
Let me become
the shadow
of your shadow,
the shadow of your hand,
the shadow of your dog, but
don’t leave me!
Don’t leave me!
Don’t leave me!
Don’t leave me!


Ne me quitte pas!
Je ne vais plus pleurer;
je ne vais plus parler,
je me cacherai là
show more à te regarder
danser et sourire et
à t’écouter
chanter
et puis rire.
Laisse-moi devenir
l’ombre
de ton ombre,
l’ombre de ta main,
l’ombre de ton chien, mais
ne me quitte pas!
Ne me quitte pas!
Ne me quitte pas!
Ne me quitte pas!



Thank you, David. show less

All of the words, of all of the songs. A must-have for those fans. I must have bought this in London as the price is in sterling.