Famous Translated Songs

French version

Quand le soleil était là sur nos vacances
Quand il glissait dans nos cœurs
Tant de chaleur
Tout venait de lui
Nos promesses, nos tendresses
Nos faiblesses, nos caresses, notre amour

Quand le soleil était là sur nos vacances
Quand nous partions pour cueillir
Des souvenirs
Nous ne pensions pas
Que les rires, les sourires
L'insouciance et les danses des beaux jours
Ça ne dure pas toujours

Quand le soleil était là, baignant la plage
Quand la mer venait saler tous nos baisers
Nous étions si bien que ce rêve qui s'achève
Oui j'espère le refaire l'an prochain
Et tout recommencera, ah, ah, ah
Car l'amour ne s'oublie pas, ah, ah, ah
Et le soleil sera là, là, là !

Thank you, Francis! Do you happen to know the title of the song and who sang it? The lyrics are very nice.

Next one is a very touching song. In one of the comments, it is said that Claude Francois composed this song originally in French. Do you know by chance the title of this song also, Francis? Could it be "Le telephone sonne"? I never heard that song but someone told me it is very nice.

Elvis Presley - My Boy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOLH63c7SG0&mode=related&search=

I had the idea to check on YouTube. Claude Francois had a song called "Le telephone pleure" but it is not the same music, so it is another song then.

The title remained unchanged most of the time in French but some singers made it "Quand le soleil chauffe".

Countless singers sung that song in French, from Gloria Lasso to Arielle Dombasle.

The original song Parce que je t'aime mon enfant was adapted to English by Elvis Presley as My boy.

Parce que je t'aime mon enfant

Claude François.


Entre ta mère et moi, ça ne va plus très bien
Et depuis quelques mois, chacun vit dans son coin
Je voudrais m'échapper, j'essaie quelquefois
Mais je reste cloué dès que je pense à toi

Parce que je t'aime mon enfant
Parce que je t'aime mon enfant
Et si j'y pense, c'est que je t'aime mon enfant

Bien sûr il y a les autres femmes avec leurs qualités
Ta mère sous ses défauts cache de bons côtés
C'est difficile un couple pendant toute une vie
Mais je crois malgré tout que ma place est ici

Parce que je t'aime mon enfant
Parce que je t'aime mon enfant
Et si j'hésite, c'est que je t'aime mon enfant

Qui sait, peut-être bien qu'un jour tout ça t'arrivera
Alors tu seras grand, alors tu comprendras
Tu auras toi aussi un gamin comme toi
Et je reste aujourd'hui comme tu resteras

Parce que je t'aime mon enfant
Parce que je t'aime mon enfant
Et si je reste, c'est que je t'aime mon enfant

Re: Famous Translated Songs


The English version is often titled "Love me with all your heart". ...

Thank you very much for all the info and lyrics, Francis. It is funny how I never paid much attention to Clo-Clo when I was younger, although I know he was well liked. I am going to check out that French song you told me. And the other one has been sung by many? That's interesting.

Translated songs
Hi.

In 1965, Manfred Mann had a number 2 hit in the UK singles charts with "If you gotta go, go now", written by Bob Dylan.

The words are:

"Listen to me, baby,
There's something you must see.
I want to be with you, gal,
If you want to be with me.

But if you got to go,
It's all right.
But if you got to go, go now,
Or else you gotta stay all night.

It ain't that I'm questionin' you.
To take part in any quiz.
It's just that I ain't got no watch
An' you keep askin' me what time it is.

But if you got to go,
It's all right.
But if you got to go, go now,
Or else you gotta stay all night.

I am just a poor boy, baby,
Lookin' to connect.
But I certainly don't want you thinkin'
That I ain't got any respect.

But if you got to go,
It's all right.
But if you got to go, go now,
Or else you gotta stay all night.

You know I'd have nightmares
And a guilty conscience, too,
If I kept you from anything
That you really wanted to do.

But if you got to go,
It's all right.
But if you got to go, go now,
Or else you gotta stay all night.

It ain't that I'm wantin'
Anything you never gave before.
It's just that I'll be sleepin' soon,
It'll be too dark for you to find the door.

But if you got to go,
It's all right.
But if you got to go, go now,
Or else you gotta stay all night."

In 1969, Fairport Convention had a minor UK hit with a (loose) French traslation, "Si tu dois partir"

It was a cut-down version of the original with one verse that didn't match any of the original verses (as far as my elementary knowledge of French allows me to see).

The words were:

"C'est pas que je te demande
De faire que tu n'as jamais fait
C'est seulement qui'il fait trop tard
Et il fait trop noir pour trouver la porte

Mais si tu dois partir, va-t'en
Mais si tu dois partir, va-t'en
Si non, tu dois rester la nuit

C'est pas que je te demande
De prendre part dans ce jeu
C'est seulement je n'ai pas de montre
Demande toujours le par contre

Mais si tu dois partir, va-t'en
Mais si tu dois partir, va-t'en
Si non, tu dois rester la nuit

Tu sais j'aurai été put mal
Et aussi mauvaise intentions
Si je t'empêche des le faire
Ce que vraiment tout espèrs

Mais si tu dois partir, va-t'en
Mais si tu dois partir, va-t'en
Si onn, tu dois rester la nuit

La la la ....

Mais si tu dois partir, va-t'en
Mais si tu dois partir, va-t'en
Si non, tu dois rester la nuit "

Don't know how good the French version is. Maybe Francis can let us have an opinion.

Hi Cello,

Going back to your original post, i followed the link to YouTube and the English song you were thinking of, I believe, is "Love me with all of your heart"

The lyrics are:

"Love me with all of your heart
That's all I want, love
Love me with all of your heart
Or not at all
Just promise me this
That all you'll give me
All your kisses
Every winter
Every summer
Every fall

When we are far apart
Or when you're near me
Love me with all of your heart
As I love you
Don't give me your love
For a moment
Or an hour
Love me always
As you loved me
From the start
With every beat of your heart
With every beat of your heart

[Instrumental]

Es tu palpitar
Es tu vara
Es tu pelo
Son tus besos
Me estremezco... a-a-ah

When we are far apart
Or when you're near me
Love me with all of your heart
As I love you
Don't give me your love
For a moment
Or an hour
Love me always
As you loved me
From the start
When we are far apart
Or when you're near me
Love me with all of your heart
As I love you
Don't give me your love
For a moment
Or an hour
Love me always
As you loved me
From the start
With every beat of your heart
With every beat of your heart
With every beat of your heart
With every beatof your heart"

The song was written by Carlos and Mario Rigual and I believe that the original started with the Spanish verse "Cuando caliente el sol" etc.

It was recorded by the Ray Charle Singers many years ago.

Re: Translated songs


Sorry but Fairport Convention doesn't talk to me.

However, the French lyrics stay pretty close to the English version.

Cheers for that Francis. I know what you mean. Bob Dylan/Fairport Convention ... no contest. I was really asking about the quality of the translation rather than the performance. Thanks for answering that.

That's great, thanks, Tuf. I just can't believe how many new things I have learned already since the topic was opened.

As another member said in another topic about Frank Sinatra, the cooperation between French, English and American music has been very beneficial in producing great songs, and I agree totally with that.

One of those songs is of course "My Way". I post here the original French song and the lyrics in different languages as well as some info from the composer of the French song. I find the lyrics of the French version are much more poignant than the English version, and this is a very nice performance also.

Claude Francois - Comme d'habitude

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmHntiV2Ebs

http://www.lexilogos.com/claude_francois_my_way.htm

Well, I posted this a long time ago:

My way

Nice link, Francis, thank you!

Although this thread is about translated songs, there are songs from a particular singer that I think should be heard in their original versions. This singer has sung songs that he composed in different languages himself, but in my opinion, nothing can be compared to when he sings them in French.

Charles Aznavour - La boheme

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1nuvMm3pPo

Btw, does anyone know whether there is an English version?

My word, cello. Francis' link was from the radio thread of 2005.

I found this, but I'm not certain if it's what you are looking for.


I speak to you about a time
That less than twenty years
Cannot know
Montmartre in this time
Its lilacs hung
Until under our windows
And if the humble one furnished
Who was used to us as nest
Did not pay mine
It is there that one knew oneself
Me which shouted famine
And you who posed naked

The Bohemian one, the Bohemian one
That wanted to say one is happy
The Bohemian one, the Bohemian one
We ate only one day out of two

In the close coffees
We were some
Who awaited glory
And although pauper
With the hollow belly
We did not cease believing in it
And when some bar
Against a good hot meal
Us took a fabric
We recited worms
Grouped around the stove
By forgetting the winter

The Bohemian one, the Bohemian one
That wanted to say you are pretty
The Bohemian one, the Bohemian one
And we had all of the genius

Often it arrived to me
In front of my rest
To spend the sleepless nights
Improving the drawing
Line of a centre
Contour of a hip
And it is only in the morning
That one sat down finally
In front of a white coffee
Exhausted but charmed
It was necessary that one likes
And that the life is liked

The Bohemian one, the Bohemian one
That wanted to say one is twenty years old
The Bohemian one, the Bohemian one
And we lived air of time

When randomly days
I from there will be made a turn
At my old address
I do not recognize any more
Neither walls, nor streets
Who saw my youth
In top of a staircase
I seek the workshop
Nothing any more remains
In its new decoration
Montmartre seems sad
And the lilacs died

The Bohemian one, the Bohemian one
One was young, one was insane
The Bohemian one, the Bohemian one
That wants nothing any more to say whole

Rather poor translation, I'm afraid.

That is nice of you to post the English translation, Letty, thank you.

The video actually has English subtitles already. I should have been clearer. I meant if it had been sung in English, and if yes, also if Aznavour sang it in English or someone else.

With dial up, I can't do youtube, cello. You must join us on the radio thread. Lots of canucks there.

Just getting ready to respond to some guy in Texas about a car.

That's a pity, Letty, not to be able to see YouTube. I will surely check out the radio thread one day when I will be less busy, thanks for telling me.

This is a very nice song. I read on the cover of a DVD (the concert in Israel) that Julio Iglesias has sold more than 300 million records. He really has a great voice.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GquTOv-Dr08&mode=related&search=

This is the original French song. I just discovered this singer. He has a great voice too, almost tenor (this will be more obvious if you listen to his song "Mon vieux"). The French lyrics, as always, are very beautiful.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1tflDrGDys

Does anyone know both Spanish and French? Would the lyrics in Spanish have the same meaning as in French?