From Chanson: The Space In Between
Barb Jungr's chanson album including five original translations by Des.
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Barb Jungr
voice
Kim Burton
accordion, piano
Kevin Hathway
percussion
Rolf Wilson
violin
Julie Walkington
double bass
When Barb Jungr asked me to get involved in her chanson project, we agreed that we would look for some material which is rarely, if ever, performed in English to include alongside the slightly better known Brel and Piaf repertoire. We settled on two songs from Monaco-born singer-songwriter, poet, eccentric and anarchist Léo Ferré.
This particular piece was a beautiful and very affecting song, but with its dense word-play, rhyme scheme and short lines it was one of the biggest challenges I've yet encountered as a translator.
All these streets
Echo still
In my head
Where the past
Sirens shrill
As I tread
On Boule’-Miche’
Autumn day
Weather fine
Salad rolls
On display
In a line
Quartier Latin
Quartier Latin
Quartier Latin
At Dupont’s
Hours we passed
Sitting here
The day off
That could last
For a year
Finals came
The next morning
To shake
Our sore heads
Without warning
Awake
Quartier Latin
Quartier Latin
Quartier Latin
That old dear
Offered young
Love for sale
For the drunkards
That clung
To her tail
Parting me
From my cash
Where love’s sold
Was no harder
Than catching
A cold
Quartier Latin
Quartier Latin
Quartier Latin
A professor
That shares
His wise words
Shame it’s just
For the chairs
And the birds
When the reason
Today
That you learn
Is the question
Of what
You can earn
Quartier Latin
Quartier Latin
Quartier Latin
The years fade
In a wink
Gone so fast
Then return
And you sink
In the past
Rows of shops
Rue Soufflot
Looks so grey
No more words
Time to go
Nought to say
That’s where it began
Now I’m a different man
Quartier Latin
Translation: Deptford, 6 July 1999
Words |
Translation |
Music |
Arrangement |
© Copyright 1967 The Estate of Léo Ferré. Translated by permission of Marie Christine Ferré
Originally recorded by Léo Ferré 1967, now available on Avec le temps... (Barclay)
This version recorded by Barb Jungr on Chanson: The Space In Between (see opposite).
Buy original version on Léo Ferré: Avec le temps compilation from Amazon
All rights reserved. No material on these pages can be reproduced in whole or in part in any form, except for short passages for the purpose of quotation or review, without prior written permission of the copyright owner.
More lyrics |
Quartier Latin (Léo Ferré)
Marieke (Jacques Brel/Gérard Jouannest)
La chanson des vieux amants (Jacques Brel/Gérard Jouannest)
Les poètes (Léo Ferré)
Lyrics Index