Babylon Circus – J’aurais bien voulu
| March 28, 2009 at 4:33 pm | Print This Post
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This is the first French song for which I learned the lyrics by heart – J’aurais bien voulu – “I would have really liked”, from the album Dances of Resistance. There are a lot of English language songs on that album but two of the best are in French – this one, and De la Musique et de la Bruit. I can’t find this album on iTunes, unfortunately.
| Serrer | To squeeze |
J’aurais bien voulu pour passer le temps, te serrer dans mes bras amicalement | |
I would have really liked, to pass the time, to squeeze you warmly in my arms | |
| Enlever | To remove, take away |
J’aurais bien voulu t’enlever en voyage, une croisière de rêve au pays des mirages | |
I would have really liked to take you away on a trip, a dream cruise to the land of mirages | |
| Réagir | To react, respond |
J’aurais bien voulu réagir virilement, me jeter sur toi, t’arracher tout tes vêtements | |
I would have really liked to react like a man, to throw myself at you and tear off all your clothes | |
| Arracher | To rip out, tear off, uproot |
J’aurais bien voulu réagir virilement, me jeter sur toi, t’arracher tout tes vêtements | |
I would have really liked to react like a man, to throw myself at you and tear off all your clothes | |
| Digérer | To digest |
J’en bouffe encore ma casquette, et j’ai du mal à digérer que je suis assis en face, et pas à tes côtés | |
I'm still eating my hat and I'm struggling to digest the fact that I am sitting opposite and not next to you | |
| Les godasses | Shoes |
J’ai les gonds dans les chaussettes et les godasses sur le point de craquer | |
My ego’s in my socks and my shoes are about to split | |
| Galère | Galley, slave ship, nightmare |
J’ai cherché un paquebot et c’était la galère | |
I looked for a ship and it was a nightmare | |
| Avoir l'air suffisant | To look smug |
Alors je reste à ma place et tu restes à ta place,
Mais quittes-moi cet air suffisant | |
So I stay at my place and you stay at your place
But stop looking at me with that smug grin | |
| Suppliant | Pleading, imploring, begging |
Alors je reste à ma place et tu restes à ta place,
Je ne voudrais pas avoir l’air suppliant | |
So I stay at my place and you stay at your place, I wouldn’t like to appear to be begging | |
| Je ne voudrais pas avoir l’air... | I wouldn't like to appear... |
Alors je reste à ma place et tu restes à ta place,
Je ne voudrais pas avoir l’air suppliant | |
So I stay at my place and you stay at your place, I wouldn’t like to appear to be begging | |
| Tout court | Full stop, period, that’s it, that’s all |
C’est pas juste tout court et j’me sens comme condamné | |
It’s not fair, full stop, and I feel as if I’m condemned | |
| Avoir du mal | To find it hard, to struggle |
J’en bouffe encore ma casquette, et j’ai du mal à digérer, que je suis assis en face, et pas à tes côtés | |
I’m still eating my hat and am struggling to digest the fact that I’m sitting opposite you and not next to you | |
| La mort aux trousses | Death on one’s heels, close by |
Même la mort aux trousses, ca m’arrêtera pas | |
Even death on my heels won’t stop me | |
| S’en va | To take off, to leave |
J’aurais bien voulu être un de ces gars...qui s’en va qui s’en va sans regrets | |
I would have really like to have been one of those guys who takes off, takes off with no regrets | |
| Avoir une pêche d’enfer | To feel great, to feel like a million bucks |
J’aurais bien voulu avoir une peche d’enfer, te sourire sincèrement, te dire : « Ouais ca va super » | |
I would have really liked to have felt like a million dollars, to smile sincerely, to tell you, “yep, everything’s great” | |
| Tourner les talons | To turn on one's heels, make a u-turn |
J’aurais tant voulu qu’on en reste la, tourner les talons , merci, ciao, basta. | |
I so would have liked us to leave it there, turn on my heels, thanks, ciao, enough | |
| Avoir la frousse | To be scared |
Même si j’ai la frousse ca n’empêchera pas, de traverser la brousse de braver les froids | |
Even if I’m scared witless, it won’t stop me from crossing the bush, from braving terror | |
| Tendre le pouce | Hitchhike, stick out the thumb |
Même si j’ai la frousse ca n’empêchera pas, de traverser la brousse de braver les froids de tendre le pouce pour partir avec toi | |
Even if I’m scared witless, it won’t stop me from crossing the bush, from braving terror, from thumbing a lift to leave with you | |
Notes
- Basta – Spanish – “that’s enough”
J'aurais bien voulu - Babylon Circus |   | I would've really liked (translation of J'aurais bien voulu by Babylon Circus) |
J’aurais bien voulu pour passer le temps,
Te serrer dans mes bras amicalement. Mais le temps qui passe n’est pas à tes yeux Un argument apparemment suffisant. Alors je reste à ma place et tu restes à ta place, Mais quittes-moi cet air suffisant. Alors tu restes à ta place et je reste à ma place, En attendant vivement le printemps. J’aurais bien voulu t’enlever en voyage, Une croisière de rêve au pays des mirages. J’ai cherché un paquebot et c’était la galère, Les rames étaient trop courte, Pour atteindre le niveau d’la mer ! Alors je reste à ma place et tu restes à ta place, Je ne voudrais pas avoir l’air suppliant. Mais si je reste à ma place quand tu restes à ta place, A l’automne on attendra le printemps. Allez, hé ! J’aurais bien voulu réagir virilement, Me jeter sur toi, t’arracher tout tes vêtements. J’ai su rester digne, ou alors un peu niait. J’en bouffe encore ma casquette, et j’ai du mal à digérer Que je suis assis en face, et pas à tes côtés. Ya tes coudes et ya plus d’place et je n’peux pas rester Meme si c’est juste en face , c’est juste pas assez, C’est pas juste tout court et j’me sens comme condamné J’aurais bien voulu avoir une peche d’enfer, Te sourire sincèrement, te dire : « Ouais ca va super » J’ai du mal à mentir surtout quand c’est pas vrai. J’ai les gonds dans les chaussettes et les godasses sur le point de craquer J’aurais bien voulu être un de ces gars Qui ne craint ni la pluie ni la nuit ne le froid. Au menton carré, qui ne pleure jamais et Qui s’en va qui s’en va sans regrets, Qui s’en va qui s’en va sans regrets. J’aurais tant voulu qu’on en reste la, Tourner les talons , merci, ciao, basta. Mais j’ai le cœur en mousse et la tête en bois. Même si j’ai la frousse ca n’empêchera pas, De traverser la brousse de braver les froids, De tendre le pouce pour partir avec toi. Même la mort aux trousses, ca m’arrêtera pas Jusqu'à ce que tu m’ ouvre la porte de tes bras. J’aurais bien voulu être un de ces gars Qui ne craint ni la pluie ni la nuit ne le froid. Au menton carré, qui ne pleure jamais et Qui s’en va qui s’en va sans regrets. |   | I would have really liked, to pass the time
To squeeze you warmly in my arms But the passing time, in your eyes, was Not apparently a good enough reason So I stay at my place and you stay at your place But stop looking at me with that smug grin So you stay at your place and I stay at my place Waiting eagerly for springtime I would have really liked to take you away A dream cruise to the land of mirages I looked for a ship and it was a nightmare The oars were too short to reach sea level So I stay at my place and you stay at your place I wouldn't like to appear to be begging But if I stay at my place while you stay at your place In autumn we'll be waiting for springtime Let's go, hey! I would have really liked to react like a man Throw myself at you and rip off all your clothes I knew to stay dignified or perhaps a bit stupid I'm still eating my hat and am struggling to digest The fact that I'm sitting opposite you and not next to you That there is no longer a place at your side and that I can't stay Even though it's just across from you, it's just not enough It's not fair, full stop, and I feel as if I'm condemned I would have really liked to have felt like a million dollars To smile sincerely, to tell you, "Yep, everything's great" I find it hard to lie, particularly when it's not true My ego's in my socks and my shoes are about to split I would have really like to have been one of those guys Who has no fear of the rain or the night or the cold With a square jaw, who never cries Who takes off, takes off with no regrets Who takes off, takes off with no regrets I so would have liked us to leave it there Turn on my heels, thanks, ciao, enough But I've got a heart of foam and a head of wood But even if I'm scared witless, it won't stop me From crossing the bush, from braving terror, From thumbing a lift to leave with you Even death on my heels won't stop me Until you open the door of your arms for me I would have really like to have been one of those guys Who has no fear of the rain or the night or the cold With a square jaw, who never cries Who takes off, takes off with no regrets Who takes off, takes off with no regrets |
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Category: Translation Tags: Male Vocal, Ska
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