Translation of Déjà Loin from Version 3.0 by Marie-Mai

November 8, 2009 at 10:27 pm

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I can’t tell you how much this guy reminds me of myself about twenty years ago. He’s even using the same Gibson guitar I was grinding at the time and would’ve used to record almost exactly that video had YouTube been around in 1989. Thankfully it was not.

The song he is attacking is the song I’m going to translate today.

Marie Mai first gained fame as one of the finalists of Star Académie, a Québécois version of those shows such as X-Factor, Pop Idol, etc… that we have all come to know and [hate/love/ignore]. A talented singer who would be unlikely to make the cut on an English version as we seem to prefer to pick people that we can use for headline-fodder rather than finding real singers.

Marie-Mai’s latest album, Version 3.0 (a gag first pulled by Garbage in 1998 with their second album Version 2.0) was released at the end of September. I downloaded it from Amazon today and listened to it for the first time.

Her style is very much in the same arena as that of Avril Lavigne and although I’m not sure if I should admit it, I have to say that I do kind of enjoy this sort of rocky pop when it’s done well. Albeit in small doses.

The 2007 album Dangereuse Attraction opened with a very strong track called Mentir. As you may already know I keep a play list of songs to help me make it through my gym sessions and Mentir is a song that has been in that list for a while.

Version 3.0 does not start as well as Dangereuse Attraction, although the first two tracks are still pretty good. However track three C’est Moi descends into a realm of pop music with which I’m not really very comfortable – Cher-style voice screwery and other electro-effects – nothing horrific but enough to turn me off. Track four Garde Tes Larmes “Keep your tears” starts off in much the same vein although quickly improves with a chorus that is amongst the best on the album.

Next up is what I consider to be the strongest song on the album Secrets. It then all cruises along until Plaisirs Amers where we once again have to listen to voice-fiddling but this is balanced out with hints of some heavier guitar riffs which come excitingly close to leaning towards the metal that I often go into dark corners to listen to.

Rebâtir Notre Histoire is probably the weakest song. It starts pretty badly then tries to improve but then gives up.

The album finishes with the English language song Do You – half rock, half dance – decent enough but essentially just more of the same. This is, for me, the biggest problem with the album. Although perfectly solid with a very fine singer and some decent tracks, everything’s a little samey whereas I felt that Dangereuse Attraction had far more variety and interest.

Verbs

• Briser - To break

Mon coeur est déja loin, rien ne le retient, le dernier de nos liens s'est brisé entre tes mains

My heart is already far away, nothing's holding it back, the last of our relationship broke in your hands

• Retenir - To keep, retain, hold back

Mon coeur est déja loin, rien ne le retient, le dernier de nos liens s'est brisé entre tes mains

My heart is already far away, nothing's holding it back, the last of our relationship broke in your hands

• Envahir - To invade

Elle a saisi ton regard, tu as touché ses lèvres, envahi d'une fievre, il est trop tard

She caught your eye, you touched her lips, invaded by a fever, it's too late

Vocabulary

• Les liens - Connections, relations

Le dernier de nos liens s'est brisé entre tes mains, tu as mis feu à notre histoire

The last of our relationship broke in your hands, you set our past on fire

• Un serment - An oath

Tu comptes les jours et les heures et tu n'iras plus voir ailleurs, tu en fais serment

You count the days and hours and you'll no longer look elsewhere, you swear it

Phrases / Idioms

• Remonter le temps - Turn back time

Remonter le temps, revenir en arriere, il est trop tard

Turn back time, go back, it's too late

• Mettre le feu à - Set fire to

Le dernier de nos liens s'est brisé entre tes mains, tu as mis feu à notre histoire

The last of our relationship broke in your hands, you set our past on fire

Déjà Loin - Marie-Mai

Elle a saisi ton regard
Tu as touché ses lèvres
Envahi d'une fievre
Il est trop tard

Tu t'est retrouvé trop loin
Loin de nous loins de toi
Tu veut rebrousser chemin
Il est trop tard

Mon coeur est déja loin
Rien ne le retient
Le dernier de nos liens s'est brisé entre tes mains
Tu as mis feu à notre histoire
Il est trop tard
Mon coeur est déja loin
Rien ne le retient
Le dernier de nos liens s'est brisé entre tes mains
Tu voudrais un nouveau départ
Mais il est trop tard

Juste un écart de conscience
Juste un geste de trop
Une flamme sur ma conscience
Une lame dans le dos

Regarder devant
Regarder derriere
Il est trop tard
Remonter le temps
Revenir en arriere
il est trop tard

[refrain]

Tu comptes les jours et les heures
Et tu n'iras plus voir ailleurs
Tu en fais serment
La prochaine à qui tu diras
Qu'il n'y en a qu'une dans tes bras
Ce ne sera pas moi

[refrain]

Already Far Away (translation of Déjà Loin by Marie-Mai)

She caught your eye
You touched her lips
Invaded by a fever
It's too late

You found yourself too far
Far from us far from you
You want to turn back
It's too late

My heart is already far away
Nothing's holding it back
The last of our relationship broke in your hands
You set our past on fire
It's too late
My heart is already far away
Nothing's holding it back
The last of our relationship broke in your hands
You want a fresh start
But it's too late

Just a difference of conscience
Just a gesture too far
A flame on my conscience
A blade in my back

Look ahead
Look behind
It's too late
Turn back time
Go back
It's too late

[chorus]

You count the days and hours
And you'll no longer look elsewhere
You swear it
The next to whom you'll say
That there is only one in your arms
It won't be me

[chorus]

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