That`s a medley of Fйlix Leclerc songs. Fйlix is known in Quebec
as the greatest poet in Quebec`s history. Since his songs are
all poetry, it`s pretty hard to really translate the meaning,
so I don`t claim to be able to give you translations or adaptations
of his work, barely translations of the words he used.
(from Bozo)
Dans un marais
De joncs mauvais
Y`avait
Un vieux chвteau
Aux longs rideaux
Dans l`eau
In a marshland
Of bad bulrushes
There was
An old castle
With long curtains
In the water
Dans le chвteau
Y`avait bozo
Le fils du matelot
Maоtre cйans
De ce palais branlant
In the castle
There was Bozo
The son of the seaman
Master of the house
Of this shaky castle
Vous devinez que cette histoire
Est triste а boire
Puisque Bozo le fou du lieu
Est amoureux
You guess that this story
Is sad to drink
Since Bozo the fool of the place
Is in love
Celle qu`il aime n`est pas venue
C`est tout entendu
Comprenez зa
Elle n`existe pas, , ,
The one he loves haven`t come
That`s all understood
Understand that
She doesn`t exist, , ,
Si vous passez
Par ce pays
La nuit
Y`a un fanal
Comme un signal
De bal
Dansez, chantez
Bras enlacйs
Afin de consoler
Pauvre Bozo
Pleurant sur son radeau
If you pass
By this country
At night
There`s a lantern
Like a signal
For a ball
Dance, sing
Arms interlaced
To comfort
Poor Bozo
Crying on his raft
(from Le p`tit bonheur)
C`est un petit bonheur
Que j`avais ramassй
Il йtait tout en pleurs
Sur le bord d`un fossй
Quand il m`a vu passer
Il s`est mis а crier:
«Monsieur, ramassez-moi,
Chez vous emmenez-moi.
It`s a little happiness
That I`ve gathered
It was all in tears
On the edge of a ditch
When it saw me passing by
It began to shout
Sir, grab me
At your place bring me
Mes frиs m`ont oubliй, je suis tombй, je suis malade
Si vous n`me cueillez point je vais mourrir, quelle ballade!
Je me ferez petit, tendre et soumis, je vous le jure,
Monsieur, je vous en prie, dйlivrez-moi de ma torture
Monsieur, je vous en prie, dйlivrez-moi de ma torture.»
My brothers have forgot me, I fell, I`m sick
Si you don`t grab me I`ll die, what a shame!
I`ll make myself small, tender and obedient, I promise you
Sir, I`m begging you, free me of my torture
Sur, I`m begging you, free me of my torture
(from Moi, mes souliers)
Moi, mes souliers ont beaucoup voyagй,
Ils m`ont portй de l`йcole а la guerre,
J`ai traversй sur mes souliers ferrйs
Le monde et sa misиre
Me, my shoes have travelled a lot,
They carried me from school to war
I`ve crossed on my hob-nailed shoes
The world and its poverty
Moi, mes souliers ont passй dans les prйs
Moi, mes souliers ont piйtinй la lune
Puis mes souliers ont couchй chez les fйes
Et fait dansй plus d`une, , ,
Me, my shoes have passed through the meadows
Me, my shoes have stamped on the moon
Then my shoes have slept with the fairies
And make dance more than one, , ,
(From Attends-moi, «ti-gars»)
Attends-moi, ti-gars,
Tu vas tomber si j`suis pas lа
Le plaisir de l`un
C`est d`voir l`autre se casser l`cou
Wait, little boy,
You`ll fall if I`m not there
The fun of one
Is to see the other breaking his neck (failing)
La voisine a rit d`nous autres parce qu`on avait 12 enfants
Changй son fusil d`йpaule depuis qu`elle en a autant
The neighbor (woman) have laughed at us because we had 12 children
Changed her mind since she has just as much
Attends-moi, ti-gars,
Tu vas tomber si j`suis pas lа
Le plaisir de l`un
C`est d`voir l`autre se casser l`cou
Wait, little boy,
You`ll fall if I`m not there
The fun of one
Is to see the other breaking his neck (failing)
Il est jeune, il est joli
Il est riche, il est poli
Mais une chose l`ennuie
C`est son valet qui a l`gйnie
He`s young, he`s cute
He`s rich, he`s polite
But one thing bothers him
It`s his valet that has the intelligence
Attends-moi, ti-gars,
Tu vas tomber si j`suis pas lа
Le plaisir de l`un
C`est d`voir l`autre se casser l`cou
Wait, little boy,
You`ll fall if I`m not there
The fun of one
Is to see the other breaking his neck (failing)
(from Le train du Nord)
Dans l`train pour Sainte-Adиle
Y`avait un homme qui voulait dйbarquer
Mais allez donc dйbarquer
Quand l`train file cinquante milles а l`heure
Et qu`en plus vous кtes conducteur
In the train for Sainte-Adиle
There was a man wanting to get off
But try to get off
When the train goes at fifty miles per hour
And that you`re the driver
Oh! le train du Nord
Oh! the train from North
Oh! Dans le train pour Sainte-Adиle
Y`avait rien qu`un passager,
C`йtait encore le conducteur,
Imaginez pour voyager
Si c`est pas la vraie p`tite douleur, , ,
Oh! in the train to Sainte-Adиle
There was only one passenger
That was again the driver
Imagine for travelling
If it`s not the real little pain, , ,
Oh! le train du Nord!
Oh! the train from North
Le train du Nord
Le train du Nord
A perdu l`Nord,
Rendu l`aut`bord,
Le train du Nord
A perdu l`Nord
Mais c`est pas moi qui vas l`blвmer
Oh! le train du Nord
The train from North
The train from North
Has lost the North
Arrived on the other side
The train from North
Has lost the North
But I won`t be the one to blame him
Oh! the train from North
(bis)
(bis)
Merci monsieur Leclerc
Thanks, sir Leclerc
