Alternate translations: JEAM, ACC, and JPVA

[Cooney]

In going through all the translations I've run across of various songs, I've discovered that I have various disagreements with many of them. They'll prove useful on one front, but seem completely wrong on another. It may be pretentious of me to think I can correct translations that have been accepted for years, especially given my own partial knowledge of the language, but I know at least a couple of my changes are accurate. As for the rest... well... if I turn out to be wrong, I'm sure someone will let me know, and I'll learn some new lessons that will help with translating our lovely lady's third album whenever we do see it.

I have three translations I'm posting at the moment, each in its own post below. I've tried to keep the meanings as close as possible to the original, while taking the necessary minor steps to make the words flow in English. This means I may have dropped or added articles, reversed the order of nouns and their adjectives, or occasionally switched in a word that I believe captures the meaning of an idiomatic expression or phrase for which there is no possible translation that reads well.

For each song I've put in a few line notes at the end of the translation, explaining my change to what is traditionally used, or else commenting on a problem I ran in to. Hopefully they're useful in understanding my process, and even more hopefully, these translations will prove useful to my fellow Alizée fans in appreciating the music we love so well!

Regards,
Cooney

PS (I welcome feedback with open arms. If you disagree, have a question about a line, or know better than I do... by all means say something! It's how I learn, and will help us all).

[Cooney]

J'en ai marre!

I have soft skin
In my bubble bath
I splash myself
And I laugh
My fish moves around (1)
In my bubble bath
I wrap it up, I
Say to him

I have no problems, I lay about...
No discontent, I lay about
In water I bathe, it's important
I'm well at ease, in these times

I have soft skin
In my bubble bath
I laze in the shadow (2)
Of bombs.
Everything is delightful
Manageable problems:
I make a list
Of things... which
bother me

I'm fed up with those who cry,
Who only go 2km per hour, (3)
Who lament and who fixate
On the subject of an obsession (4)
I'm fed up with those who gripe,
Those two-bit extremists, (5)
Who always see life as black
Who I send away feeling low (6)
I'm fed up with my big sister,
Who always whines and who cries,
Fed up with rain, and the zucchinis
That make me vomit under the covers
I'm fed up with those cynics,
And in the meadows, those autumn crocuses,
I'm fed with with being fed up! Also

I have soft skin
In my bubble bath
No seismic
Shocks... (7)
I stretch out
And relax myself,
It's my aquatic state,
There's just one little problem

I'm fed up with those who cry,
Who only go 2km per hour,
Who lament and who fixate
On the subject of an obsession
I'm fed up with those who gripe,
Those two-bit extremists,
Who always see life as black
Who I send away feeling low
I'm fed up with my big sister,
Who always whines and who cries,
Fed up with rain, and the zucchinis
That make me vomit under the covers
I'm fed up with those cynics,
And in the meadows, those autumn crocuses,
I'm fed with with being fed up! Also

I'm fed up with those who cry,
Who only go 2km per hour,
Who lament and who fixate
On the subject of an obsession
I'm fed up with those who gripe,
Those two-bit extremists,
Who always see life as black
Who I send away feeling low
I'm fed up with my big sister,
Who always whines and who cries,
Fed up with rain, and the zucchinis
That make me vomit under the covers
I'm fed up with those cynics,
And in the meadows, those autumn crocuses,
I'm fed with with being fed up!


1: Usually translated as "My Goldfish" ("Mon poisson rouge"), the line as printed in the album cover, and what she's saying if you watch her lips in the music video, is "Mon poisson bouge," which means "My fish moves around." With all the Poisson-Rouge imagery she uses, I think this line simply got misheard and accepted as something different.

2: The other word that gets mixed up in this song is the verb of this line. Usually translated as if it were "Brule," meaning "burn," the word is actually "bulle," meaning to hang out (or as my dictionary puts it, "bum around"). This is significant in particular because bulle as a noun is the word for "bubble," and we all know she has a history with those :-)

3: This line gave me fits, in chief because I'm still not used to hearing "only" as a negative ("ne... que"). Strictly speaking, I believe this line could come out as "Who only go out on time as a couple," but obviously the alternative, referring to people who always move slowly, is far superior.

4: "Idée Fixe" means obsession - that seems to get missed a lot. I believe that "L'idée d'une idée fixe" would then come out as "the subject of an obsession." It certainly works with the rest of the line.

5: While "a deux balles" may literally mean "has two bullets," it means "worthless" in conversation. "Two-bit" seems to be a good American fit for that, maintaining the idiomatic usage, and even the quantity, while giving an accurate meaning.

6: There's at least one translation that has this line as "that drive themselves to depression." That may be accurate, and I think sums up the the meaning well, but the reflexive in the sentence is "me," referring to the singer, rather than "se," referring to the extremists. My French isn't good enough to know if "drive themselves" is a proper non-standard usage.

7: Yeah, yeah, the line is properly organized as "no shocks / seismic" rather than "no seismic / shocks," but hopefully you'll forgive me that one in exchange for greater understandability.

[Cooney]

A contre-courant

Our universe
In counter-current.
Everything inverted,
But not for long.
When you are grounded
You bring me current (1)
So I can imagine
Our fusion.
We desire each other
Under high tension,
But without plugs (2)
For my nerves, I re-
concile your laughs,
And my electrons
Are a dance of life,
A dance of spheres. (3)

Nothing ordinary,
Nothing but good times,
Everything upside-down
But not for too long.
When you are grounded
Bring me current
So I can divine
Your intentions.
It electrifies us:
Maximum tension
In the body circuits
Of two lovers.
It illuminates
The instinctual light
Of the school of e-
lectromagnetic love (4)

Rediscover the meaning
Of the life, which I think
Goes by in boredom
When you, you are gone.
Rediscover meaning
In insolent moments,
From the lines of little things
In my desire for you.
When the current passes, along with the threat
Of times that split us up, times that seperate us,
And the current passes, I have in me the strength
Of a magnetic field, and it is wonderful!

Our universe
In counter-current.
Return to ground
And for all time,
When you hope for me,
Bring me current.
So I can consider
A rebellion,
We are static
When I tell him 'no'
But no more the six
times, (5)
It makes me afraid
Of electrocution.
My isulation
Is passion.

Rediscover the meaning
Of the life, which I think
Goes by in boredom
When you, you are gone.
Rediscover meaning
In insolent moments,
From the lines of little things
In my desire for you.
When the current passes, along with the threat
Of times that split us up, times that seperate us,
And the current passes, I have in me the strength
Of a magnetic field, and it is wonderful!


Rediscover the meaning
Of the life, which I think
Goes by in boredom
When you, you are gone.
Rediscover meaning
In insolent moments,
From the lines of little things
In my desire for you.
When the current passes, along with the threat
Of times that split us up, times that seperate us,
And the current passes, I have in me the strength
Of a magnetic field, and it is wonderful!


1: Some have translated this as "Keep me informed," and indeed it has that meaning. However, in order to maintain the double entendre of the song, I feel it is necessary to use the phrase "bring me current," which has not only the informational meaning, but also the electrical metaphor.

2: Another issue with the electrical metaphor. This line could be translated "But without a grip on my nerves, I reconcile your laughs..." Prises means both "grips" and various words such as "plugs," "sockets," and "adaptors." I like the sound of "Grips" more, but then we lose the meaning, as above.

3: "Ballon" means a lot more than balloon. It also means ball, and is the word for some kinds of drink glasses. It references many things with a spherical shape, and is here, I believe, a reference to the spherical shape traditionally assigned to sub-atomic particles such as electrons, which would be dancing mightily when charged up as she is in this song.

4: "Electroaimant" means Electromagnet. The lyrics are written "Electro-aimant" however, with a hyphen seperating the word "aimant" from the rest. Aimant by itself can mean magnet, or it can also mean loving. I choose to read the double meaning of electromagnetic love.

5: This one gave me problems. "Allocutions" literally means speeches (or allocutions - it's a word in English as well). Without an electrical metaphor here, I substituted "times" to try and capture what I think she is saying, ie, she won't tell him no more than six times.

[Cooney]

J'ai pas vingt ans!

It's not the story of a day
That goes hand in hand with love,
Rather a long stay,
But not: a "for always"
I don't want a "for life" that leads to paradise,
Me, I have time!
It's just a compromise, a bit like raindrops
That hold off the ocean. (1)
It's not hell either
It's question of habit...
If it's not for life, too bad, (2)
So say yes...

I don't like habits!
I don't like it when it lasts!
I'm not twenty...
I don't cop attitude...(3)
Even if I have style!
I'm not twenty...
And stiletto heels, a talent of girls
Melody of the wind...
I change like I rhyme, tablet of Aspirin, (4)
You are old at twenty...
Me, I have time!

It's not the story of love
The flows like the Adour (5)
Rather a draught
That blows upon your ground
I want more than an "I'm attached," which bores me and angers me
Me, I have time!
Rather a daring move, to love me as I am
And to have it in for me (6)

I don't like habits!
I don't like it when it lasts!
I'm not twenty...
I don't cop attitude...
Even if I have style!
I'm not twenty...
And stiletto heels, a talent of girls
Melody of the wind...
I change like I rhyme, tablet of Aspirin,
You are old at twenty...
Me, I have time!

La la la la la, melody of the wind
....

I don't like habits!
I don't like it when it lasts!
I'm not twenty...
I don't cop attitude...
Even though I have style!
I'm not twenty...
And stiletto heels, a talent of girls
Melody of the wind...
I change like I rhyme, tablet of Aspirin,
You are old at twenty...
Me, I have time!

I don't like habits!
I don't like it when it lasts!
I'm not twenty...
I don't cop attitude...
Even though I have style!
I'm not twenty...
And stiletto heels, a talent of girls
Melody of the wind...
I change like I rhyme, tablet of Aspirin,
You are old at twenty...
Me, I have time!


1: She is referring to these short relationships and flings as the small rain drops that are diverting ("devient") a serious relationship, the ocean. She doesn't actually say rain-drops ("gouttes de pluie"), she says rain-water ("l'eau de pluie"), but its the right meaning.

2: "Tant-pis" comes out as "too bad," or "tough luck," generally speaking. It's not being used dismissively here though, it's meaning is essentially "so be it." Too bad can have that meaning in English too, depending on the inflection in the voice.

3: I don't think the lyric is actually as casual as the American usage of "cop" in this fashion, but it was closest I could come to what I think it means. Some folks would use "give" in place of "cop," but I don't like that usage myself.

4: The word "rime" does mean rhyme as a noun, but as a verb it is a bit more complex. It can be used for the English verb "Rhyme" as in to speak in rhyme, but it also refers to the process of putting something in to verse. "Change" could also be "Transform," but I think "I transform like I versify" would be way to clunky for our purposes.

5: The Adour is a river.

6: This is an idiomatic expression. The translations I've seen usually put it as either "wait for my return" or "await me at the turn." It does literally translate as "and waits for me at the turn," but the actual meaning of "Attendre [qqn] au tournant" is to "have it in for" somebody, or to be waiting to get them back for something.

[garçoncanadien]

I wanted to give Cooney an electronic high five for posting these translations! Keep up the good work :D As of yet I haven't read it deeply enough to see if anything needs changing, but I might do that in the future.

[Amelie]

yes, these translations are very good and full of information about correct words, really, very good job, the "J'en ai marre" translation was very necessary to me, thanks Cooney!

[Luc]

Thanks a lot Cooney, what a great job you did ! Your translations will be very useful for many fans :)
I think I can't improve your translations because I don't speak French good enough myself.

[aFrenchie]

Good stuff there Cooney! I've not read everything though but will do later (no time right now). In the meantime, you can read that thread in which I gave clues about some of those songs (JEAM and ACC at least):
http://moi-alizee.us/forums/showthread.php?t=179
Quickly: "2 balles" has nothing to do with bullets, but your "worthless" idea is good though (see in the link above about this expression)

[brad]

good stuff cooney!! .. it is fun to argue over these lyrics! lol :D

[Moe]

nice...

and thanks afrenchie too :D


now..Luc are you stalking Amelie or something ^^

Amelie hug? lol

[aFrenchie]

I don't really like to try to translate Mylène Farmer's lyrics since she uses lots of wordplays and puns that are obviously impossible in English or other languages. Not only that, lots of her original lyrics are vague even for French people. As a result, it often just means nothing and you can wonder if she wouldn't be writing whatever passes in her head sometimes, leaving just nonsense stuff. Second result, lots of French will tell you that they are just stupid and dumb... I for one am still hesitating since I know very little of her lyrics but I would tend to wonder too :).

Anyway, I just took a look at your translations and here are some tips:

J'en ai marre:
- "And soon, the crocuses": see my explanations for this line in the link in my previous post.

A Contre Courant:
- "Everything upside-down": I think the lyrics are "Tête à l'envers", not "Tout à l'envers"
- "From the lines of little things": original lyrics literally means: "Processions of fingers". Did you drop this for another metaphor in English?
- "Of times that bar us, times the seperate us,": isn't it that separate us?
- "Return to Earth": original lyrics is "Reviens sur terre". The "s" indicates it's imperative mode -> literally: "Come back on earth"
- After each "Mets-moi au courant" line, the next line starts with "Que je....": "que" leads to subjonctive. It means "Keep me informed so I imagine" (or "so I divine" or "so I consider", etc...). Maybe it's best in English with "can", like: "so I can imagine"? Don't know...
- "Rediscover meaning In the life" sounds weird. the original literally means: "Rediscovering the meaning of life"
- Some lines later, "Retrouver les sens" could either mean "Rediscover the meaning" or "the senses" or "directions"
- "And for the best": "pour de bon" means "for good"

J'ai pas vingt ans:
- "Rather a current of air": "Courant d'air" means "draught"
- I want more than an: "I attach,"....: "S'attacher (à quelqu'un)" means to become or grow fond of or attached to someone.
- your (6) point: I don't know the expression "have it in for" and it's probably the right translation. If it can help, my dictionary gives me this: "je l'attends au tournant [familier] (sens figuré), I'll get even with him/her"

[Azereus]

In J'en ai marre, why is the first line sometimes translated in "I have soft skin" but other times that line isn't even mentioned such as in the video where Alizee sings J'en ai marre in english.

[Cooney]

I don't really like to try to translate Mylène Farmer's lyrics since she uses lots of wordplays and puns that are obviously impossible in English or other languages. Not only that, lots of her original lyrics are vague even for French people. As a result, it often just means nothing and you can wonder if she wouldn't be writing whatever passes in her head sometimes, leaving just nonsense stuff. Second result, lots of French will tell you that they are just stupid and dumb... I for one am still hesitating since I know very little of her lyrics but I would tend to wonder too :).

Anyway, I just took a look at your translations and here are some tips:

Thanks for the awesome suggestions and remarks aFrenchie! Some of these are really very helpful. Mylene is from Quebec, Canada, rather than France itself, isn't she? That could be one of the issues with the lyrics. I'll go through and respond to each one as best I can -


J'en ai marre:
- "And soon, the crocuses": see my explanations for this line in the link in my previous post.

Ah ha! Yeah, those cultural references are easy to miss for us :-) Going by the description in that other thread, it sounds to me like the line would probably come out "And in the meadows, those autumn crocuses." I use "those" instead of "the," because it hints towards the specific reference of the children's song. They aren't just any crocuses, they're the crocuses of the song.

A Contre Courant:
- "Everything upside-down": I think the lyrics are "Tête à l'envers", not "Tout à l'envers"

Indeed, the second time she uses the "upside down" line, it is "Tête à l'envers," or literally, "Head in inverse." The only expression we have for being upside down that involves the head, is "head over heels," but that has a very specific connotation (it indicates somebody is so in love, that they've lost their ability to reason). The closest I could come was "Everything upside-down," or possibly "I'm upside-down." Am I right in thinking that "Tête à l'envers" refers to the situation between the lovers, rather than one of the lovers themself?

- "From the lines of little things": original lyrics literally means: "Processions of fingers". Did you drop this for another metaphor in English?

I tried to insert another metaphor, yes. It was a bit of a challenge, as I wasn't 100% sure that "processions of fingers" was actually a metaphor in French, as opposed to literally meaning she was walking her fingers along his body or something, but I took a chance with it. In English, "the little things" is frequently used to refer to parts of love that are hard to describe - all the various things about a person that make you love them - as well as referring to small actions that you do for a person because you love them.

- "Of times that bar us, times the seperate us,": isn't it that separate us?

Yes it is, I typed it wrong! I was moving too fast... d'oh!

- "Return to Earth": original lyrics is "Reviens sur terre". The "s" indicates it's imperative mode -> literally: "Come back on earth"

"Return" and "Come Back" both mean the same thing, actually, when used in this fashion - both are imperative. "Return" implies the pronoun "you," and is a bit softer, a little more suitable for love. "Come back!" is the sort of phrase one might use for a child that has run off, or in desperation, but "return to me" is much softer, and suggests a relationship.

- After each "Mets-moi au courant" line, the next line starts with "Que je....": "que" leads to subjonctive. It means "Keep me informed so I imagine" (or "so I divine" or "so I consider", etc...). Maybe it's best in English with "can", like: "so I can imagine"? Don't know...

Excellent, I need some help with my usages of "que." It seems to have an awful lot of meanings in French! "So i can..." is an good fit for all of them. I'll substitute it in.

- "Rediscover meaning In the life" sounds weird. the original literally means: "Rediscovering the meaning of life"

One could use "Rediscover the meaning of life" here, and it would work alright; especially if it was the end of the sentence. With the continuation of the sentence, however, describing the life she is talking about ("which I think passed by in boredom..."), it becomes possible, and even preferable, to use "the life." One could say "Rediscover the meaning of the life," which might be better.

Using "Rediscover the meaning" implies that there is a very specific meaning that must be found. Using "Rediscover meaning" implies that life currently has no meaning, and a meaning must be found. I'm not sure which one the original uses...

Which leads me to my final point here. In English (and possibly in French, I'm not sure), the phrase "The Meaning of Life" will immediately make people think of the question of "What is the meaning of life?" It is considered the ultimate question, for which there is no answer. I don't think that's what the song was trying to suggest, so I modified it in English to avoid the confusion with philosophical thought, and keep it about the lives of the lovers.

- Some lines later, "Retrouver les sens" could either mean "Rediscover the meaning" or "the senses" or "directions"

I had actually originally written it as "the sense," but I altered it to "the meaning" for greater clarity. A "sense of life" in somebody is probably the closest we have to the phrase "joie de vivre" without using the French phrase ourselves (which we do).

- "And for the best": "pour de bon" means "for good"

In English, the stand-alone phrase "for good" is the same as "forever." Is that what what the song means? I used "for the best" which implies that the results of an action are the best that can be hoped for. It's not perfect, but hopefully it fits.


J'ai pas vingt ans:
- "Rather a current of air": "Courant d'air" means "draught"

Ok, very good. "Draught" is actually a very unusual word in English - at least written. Most people would recognize it spoken, but can not pronounce it from the page (pronounced "Draft"). Its most common usage is to suggest a leak in a house that allows the wind in. For ease of comprehension, I'm guessing perhaps "breeze" is the usage desired.

- I want more than an: "I attach,"....: "S'attacher (à quelqu'un)" means to become or grow fond of or attached to someone.

I recognized the meaning, but was trying to maintain the wording (perhaps a bit too much). It might make it easier to understand if I turned it in to "I want more than an "I'm attached." To say one is "attached" implies the "to someone" in English. If you mean anything else, it needs to be specified at the time (I'm attached to the rope | I'm attached to the wall | Are you attached to the hook? - Yes, I'm attached.)

- your (6) point: I don't know the expression "have it in for" and it's probably the right translation. If it can help, my dictionary gives me this: "je l'attends au tournant [familier] (sens figuré), I'll get even with him/her"

"Have it in for" somebody does mean the same as "To want to get even with" somebody. It basically means that person has done something to you, and now you want to do something to them in return.

Thanks again for all the great help, it really clarified a bunch of things! I'm going to edit the original posts to insert some of your suggestions. I do have one question for you -

In J'en ai marre, does "bombes" reference anything specific in French? Is it slang for something, or literally just "bombs" as in explosives?

[Cooney]

My thanks for the kind words from all :-) I'm updating the original posts to include the valuable information aFrenchie is providing. I fully intend to continue doing these translations, and posting them each time I get a few done. Hope they turn out useful as well!

[aFrenchie]

Mylene is from Quebec, Canada, rather than France itself, isn't she? That could be one of the issues with the lyrics.
Yes she's born there, but her parents were French anyway (see in "Biography" here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myl%C3%A8ne_Farmer)) so I think that her French kept good roots of French from France as well. Although, she was already 8 when they were back to France, but you adapt quickly at that age...

(crocuses)
I use "those" instead of "the," because it hints towards the specific reference of the children's song.
Better indeed.

Indeed, the second time she uses the "upside down" line, it is "Tête à l'envers,"
Oops you're right, she says both actually.

Am I right in thinking that "Tête à l'envers" refers to the situation between the lovers, rather than one of the lovers themself?
My guess is that I don't know :)

"Return" and "Come Back" both mean the same thing, actually
Oops 2, I don't know why I first read "return" as a noun. They're both the same indeed.

In English, the stand-alone phrase "for good" is the same as "forever." Is that what what the song means?
Yes. I know some people may use "pour de bon" as "for real" as well but the real meaning is "for good".

Its most common usage is to suggest a leak in a house that allows the wind in. For ease of comprehension, I'm guessing perhaps "breeze" is the usage desired.
That's exactly the meaning of "courant d'air", but you'll have no possibility for a pun with "current" if you use draught or breeze ;)

It might make it easier to understand if I turned it in to "I want more than an "I'm attached." To say one is "attached" implies the "to someone" in English. If you mean anything else, it needs to be specified at the time
In French too, so "Je m'attache" alone sounds weird in the original as well...

"Have it in for" somebody does mean the same as "To want to get even with" somebody. It basically means that person has done something to you, and now you want to do something to them in return.
That's it, exactly.


I forgot that line in ACC yesterday btw:
- "Of times that bar us,": "se barrer" means "partir" in slang. My dictionary says "to clear off"

Also, I just retrieved that page:
http://www.alizee-fanpage.com/page.php?language=en&content=lyrics
Maybe you could have a look at those other attempts ;)

[garçoncanadien]

and you know Cooney, Mylène herself said that she derives great entertainment out of being vague. She enjoys being mysterious - that's why she writes vague French as well :)

[Cooney]

and you know Cooney, Mylène herself said that she derives great entertainment out of being vague. She enjoys being mysterious - that's why she writes vague French as well :)

Haha, it shows! It doesn't help us poor saps trying to understand it across languages, but it's cool, so I forgive her :p



Yes. I know some people may use "pour de bon" as "for real" as well but the real meaning is "for good".

Ok, so it DOES mean a sort of "forever" (éternellement)? Didn't see that one coming. If that's the meaning, I'll look in to a good translation.


That's exactly the meaning of "courant d'air", but you'll have no possibility for a pun with "current" if you use draught or breeze ;)

Ooh, interesting - very subtle. It kind of suggests that she sneaks in unexpected with her love, I like it. I'll change it to draught. If this were "A Contre Courant" I'd keep "current of air" to maintain the electrical reference, but as it is J'Ai Pas Vingt Ans, I'll make the switch.


I forgot that line in ACC yesterday btw:
- "Of times that bar us,": "se barrer" means "partir" in slang. My dictionary says "to clear off"

Actually, looking more closely, my dictionary has that as well. The meaning of "times that bar us" would be times that keep the two people apart from each other, but that lacks some of the force of that slang usage. How about "times that split us apart?" My dictionary provided "to split" as a part of the same slang usage as "to clear off."

I'm guessing this is the same usage of "barre" that we find in C'Est Trop Tard, where she she says "Je me barre!" It basically means she's leaving him, and ending their relationship? That would make more sense than what I had tenatively had there.

[aFrenchie]

Ok, so it DOES mean a sort of "forever" (éternellement)?
Yes.

If this were "A Contre Courant" I'd keep "current of air" to maintain the electrical reference, but as it is J'Ai Pas Vingt Ans, I'll make the switch.
Oops you're right. I thought it was ACC...

How about "times that split us apart?" My dictionary provided "to split" as a part of the same slang usage as "to clear off."
In the lyrics link in my previous post, they use "Of the time that flies". I think it's good too.

I'm guessing this is the same usage of "barre" that we find in C'Est Trop Tard, where she she says "Je me barre!" It basically means she's leaving him
Yes it's the same. But it doesn't necessarily imply that you're leaving someone. Basically, it just means that you're going away.

[Cooney]

In J'en ai marre, why is the first line sometimes translated in "I have soft skin" but other times that line isn't even mentioned such as in the video where Alizee sings J'en ai marre in english.

Anything purporting to be an actual translation, from French to English, should include that line. "J'ai la peau douce" is a very straight-forward line, and even comes out, word by word, to "I have the skin soft."

The English version of the song, I'm Fed Up, is not a translation. Rather, it is a re-write with different words, put to the same music. It maintains some of the same ideas at times, but is completely different at others. Almost none of the first verse matches...

ENGLISH
Bubbles and water
Legs up for hours
My goldfish is un-
der me
To bathe for hours
Makes my mouth water
I'm foamelly ec-
static

The only things that carry over are that she's bathing, there's a fish involved, and it's got bubbles. This actually is a closer match than some other songs, where the lyrics are totally unrelated between the languages, or at times, even completely opposite in meaning.

[Cooney]

Yes.

Ok, change made!

In the lyrics link in my previous post, they use "Of the time that flies". I think it's good too.

Hmmm. That feels to me like it loses a little bit of the threat (la menace) she sings about. It seems like she would feel more threatened by times that force them apart, than she would by time that goes quickly.


Yes it's the same. But it doesn't necessarily imply that you're leaving someone. Basically, it just means that you're going away.

Thanks, good to know!

[mbehna]

By the way I also noticed that some translations were not as "correct" as the original.

For example in the song "Toc de mac" ... in the last section :

Les fleurs du mal "aimé"
C'est le livre le mieux pour l'été!

has been translated as
The "beloved" flowers of evil
It's the best book for the summer!

While technically correct, I believe the words
Les fleurs du mal "aimé"
refer to Baudelaire's Les_Fleurs_du_mal (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_Fleurs_du_mal) collection of poems... Just a small clarification that there is no reference to evil or such.

Anyways, the whole song is kind of about the infatuation/admiration for an "intellectual"!

[mbehna]

In Cooney's post, he says:

4: "Electroaimant" means Electromagnet. The lyrics are written "Electro-aimant" however, with a hyphen seperating the word "aimant" from the rest. Aimant by itself can mean magnet, or it can also mean loving. I choose to read the double meaning of electromagnetic love.

5: This one gave me problems. "Allocutions" literally means speeches (or allocutions - it's a word in English as well). Without an electrical metaphor here, I substituted "times" to try and capture what I think she is saying, ie, she won't tell him no more than six times.

I would like to say that regarding #5 speeches is more accurate than times. As for #4 electromagnet is technically correct but can also be "read" as electric-loving - "electromagnetic love" is pushing a little.


Also in the original french
On se statique
Quand je lui dis non,

Which Cooney translates to

We are static
When I tell him 'no'

But I would say a more meaningful translation is
We don't hear each other
When I tell him 'no'

where 'statique' is a verb form of 'making static noise'.

Anyways, I just wanted to clarify a few items and hopefully add to a better understanding of the lyrics.

[Cooney]

I would like to say that regarding #5 speeches is more accurate than times. As for #4 electromagnet is technically correct but can also be "read" as electric-loving - "electromagnetic love" is pushing a little.

Aye, both of those are bows to American comprehension, at the expense of literal accuracy. The use of "times" instead of "speeches" is totally inaccurate as far as the word itself goes. "Not more than six speeches" however makes no sense whatsoever in English, and isn't even a grammatically correct sentence. For that reason, I tried to change it to something that would capture the same idea, rather than the precise word.

I'll plead guilty as charged on the electromagnetic love bit. That is one of the lines in the song that defies translation for both its possible meaning. Because the French word can mean both things without change, it gets a double entendre we lose in English. If I made it just "electro-love" we love the magnet reference (important, because of the champs-magnetique lines later), and if I made it just "electromagnet" we lose the play that allows it to be people in love. I ended up just writing out both meanings, and sticking them together. Though it still loses the specific "magnet" reference, I think the closest I could get in English would be to call it the school of "electro-attraction," which seemed kind of clunky.


Also in the original french
On se statique
Quand je lui dis non,

But I would say a more meaningful translation is
We don't hear each other
When I tell him 'no'

where 'statique' is a verb form of 'making static noise'.


Ah, very good! I wasn't familiar with the verb form of statique (Statiquer?), and was a bit curious about the reflexive on it. I'd ended up with "we turn ourselves to static" rather than "we make static (noise) between eachother." That definitely adds something to the understanding there, and shifts the meaning of what I'd put afterwords. The challenge now is for me to figure out how to imply the inability to hear, without losing the "static" reference that is important to the song's electrical metaphor.


Anyways, I just wanted to clarify a few items and hopefully add to a better understanding of the lyrics.

Very much obliged! I hope to have another set of three songs done soon, ready for comment by anybody who's so inclined.

Oh, and welcome to the boards!

[RMJ]

As for #4 electromagnet is technically correct but can also be "read" as electric-loving - "electromagnetic love" is pushing a little.
Yes, it's electric-loving, electro-loving or something like that. The "magnetic" isn't supposed to be part of it. It's a word play, double meaning.



And as a side note...

Since someone mentioned "Allocution"... It actually has "electric metaphor" (term used used by that someone). It is again word play I believe: "Allocution" / "Allocation". "Allocution" doesn't exactly have the relation to electricity, but "allocation" does have. The latter means about same as "addressing". Which is term used when talking about microprosessor's (CPUs) way to handle data. To address something.



I'll read through the full translation someday and all comments... Since I might have something to comment about. ;)

[mbehna]

Just as a side note about ACC ... I may be reading way toooooooooooooooooooo much into the undertones of this song... but I wonder if the writer of the song (a female) was not writing about her electric lover ( wink wink ).

As for the verb statiquer - it really does not exist per se... but as words make it into daily usage, it is not uncommon to take a noun and make a verb of it. All cultures do it... e.g. incentivize in the USA.

PS. to RMJ

Regarding 'allucation' -> allocation... yeah I understand the possiblilities but the 'extension' is purely imaginary and subjective. To think that the writer was familiar with terms for addressing schemes in CPUs and so on... is a 'stretch' and hence unlikely in the context.

[RMJ]

Like I said, it's my opinion. But I really believe it relates to that. Not exactly to CPUs, that was just one simple example.

But what comes to ACC itself, yes, it's story of two lovers. And you don't even need to dig deep into it to realize it. But no, it's not about "electric lover" ( something that you might have over internet forexample ).

It tells about love of two real person who has been couple.

The electricity is just a cover up for all that. The electricity does not relate to the love story any way. The real story is just written with alternative words. With words of electricity. And in that sence, it's masterpiece. It's amazing how Mylène was able to build this song. I really love it.

[mal]

Jeam

I like this translation re couples better than slow cars. Its deeper and less petty.

"3: This line gave me fits, in chief because I'm still not used to hearing "only" as a negative ("ne... que"). Strictly speaking, I believe this line could come out as "Who only go out on time as a couple,"

[mal]

Allegedly they tried to town down the English version:
"Bubbles and water
Legs up for hours
My goldfish is under me"

Oops I mean "my goldfish is under me" and "legs up for hours" is pretty provactive stuff. I ve seen the fish in the French translated as the "red" fish. Im sitting on my red fish legs up for hours....um yea pretty graphic.

My skin is soft is so much more poetic and in rhtyhm with her taking a bath. Still has undertones but ... Idk thats all.

[Deepwaters]

Good job, Cooney. I do want to suggest something about the passage in J'en Ai Marre where she sings:

Tout est délice
Délit docile

which you rendered as:

Everything is delightful
Manageable problems

The first line is a reasonable translation, although délice is a noun not an adjective and so a more literal meaning would be "delight" or perhaps "pleasure" -- so "everything is pleasure," which I think is in better keeping with the feel of the song, although that's a quibble.

On the second line, though, "délit" doesn't quite mean "problem." It means a minor crime, an offense. So "délit docile" is, literally, "manageable little crime(s)." Who's committing the offense(s) isn't stated, so it's occurred to me it might be the singer: "Everything is pleasure [because of my] manageable little offense."

Really good catch about the fish! Can anyone else see that? I'm not sure I can.

Edit: OK, I just watched several JEAM performances full-screen from the vids on this site (that's what you call highly enjoyable research) and I don't think I agree with you that she's singing "bouge" instead of "rouge." It's a little tricky to hear the difference between those two consonants, but if you watch her mouth, it's clearly slightly opened at the start of the word, not closed the way it would be to say "b." Granted, she's lip-synching not actually singing, but I'm assuming she's synching correctly.

[mal]

Its probably meant as a duble entendre. Most songs do the play on words so both of the interpretations are possible and tongue in cheek. I dont know french but from what you write I think manageble problems goes with the song as well as managable crimes. Adds to it actually. same with delight/pleasure. delightful is what the innocent girl would say, pleasure is what the naughty Alizee would say. So they both work and are consistent with the song. Im glad you pointed out the alternate meanings makes the song a wee bit cooler.

[garçoncanadien]

Edit: OK, I just watched several JEAM performances full-screen from the vids on this site (that's what you call highly enjoyable research) and I don't think I agree with you that she's singing "bouge" instead of "rouge." It's a little tricky to hear the difference between those two consonants, but if you watch her mouth, it's clearly slightly opened at the start of the word, not closed the way it would be to say "b." Granted, she's lip-synching not actually singing, but I'm assuming she's synching correctly.

Mylene actually does this kind of thing very very frequently. she means to blur the lines so we hear both i think. when i hear it she doesn't say a real b, and doesn't say a real r either, its a kind of mixture of both.

[Deepwaters]

Yes, I can see that. All I'm saying is that Alizée was pretty clearly singing "rouge," whether or not Mylene intended the double-entendre, and yes, I can believe she would. I think, if she did, the similarity of the "b" and "r" sounds was enough to convey the meaning.

When she sings (unlike when she speaks), Alizée enunciates very clearly. Her mouth opens really wide and she articulates everything very sharply. (There's an ACC video where at one point you can actually see her tonsils!) So it's visually obvious whether she has her mouth closed (for "b") or slightly opened (for "r") and the latter is the case.

[Deepwaters]

It tells about love of two real person who has been couple.

The electricity is just a cover up for all that. The electricity does not relate to the love story any way. The real story is just written with alternative words. With words of electricity.

I disagree. It is a song about two lovers (whether they're real people or not I don't know), but the electricity theme isn't just alternate words. It's a reference to something impacting on love: invisible currents of energy, connecting two people who are separated in space and time (note the recurrent mention of both of those, space and time), overcoming that separation, joining like an electromagnet, which pulls even at what it isn't touching. Also the danger of personal erasement in such a powerful love (electrocution), with passion being the only protection.

It's a powerful theme. Although I could be mistaken, I would expect that it was Alizée herself who most likely proposed the theme, although it was of course Mylene who wrote the actual lyrics. I understand that the two of them worked together like that.

[Cooney]

Yes, I can see that. All I'm saying is that Alizée was pretty clearly singing "rouge," whether or not Mylene intended the double-entendre, and yes, I can believe she would. I think, if she did, the similarity of the "b" and "r" sounds was enough to convey the meaning.

When she sings (unlike when she speaks), Alizée enunciates very clearly. Her mouth opens really wide and she articulates everything very sharply. (There's an ACC video where at one point you can actually see her tonsils!) So it's visually obvious whether she has her mouth closed (for "b") or slightly opened (for "r") and the latter is the case.

Hey there. Glad to see the translations still getting read and thought about :-)

I agree that Alizée clearly says "rouge" on multiple occasions, and that the switching back and forth, as well as easy confusion between the two, is entirely intentional. My use of "bouge" however is due to the fact that that's what the "official" lyrics are, as written in the accompanying libretti. Most translations I've seen of the song treat "rouge" as if it were the official phrase, so I felt the need to emphasize the alternative.

At least, I think that's what I was thinking :-) It's been a while since I did these :-P

[Killian]

I have no idea if this is a stupid request or not. But does any have a phonetic transcription of the chorus of J'en Ai Marre? I wrote a cover to it, but I can't get the pronunciation of the chorus correctly. If any has, could they please post it here or pm me.

[Simon A]

Very nice!!

[Cooney]

I have no idea if this is a stupid request or not. But does any have a phonetic transcription of the chorus of J'en Ai Marre? I wrote a cover to it, but I can't get the pronunciation of the chorus correctly. If any has, could they please post it here or pm me.

It's hard to do phonetics without using the IPA, as our pronunciations differ between countries, and regions within countries. Also, certain sounds are entirely contextual (such as the soft J in French, written in phonetics as a combination of D and Z). Let me know if you read and understand IPA, as I'll be happy to do one in that, otherwise, here's an attempt at how I'd write it in American:

Jean A mar de se key plur
Key ne rule ka de a lure
Key se la mont A keys feex
Sewr lee day dune E day feex
Jean A mar de se key ral
Days X treem eest ah de ball
Key vwa la vee toot en nwar
Key mex pe dee dan kaf ar
Jean A mar de la grand sir
Key Jay mee too A key plur
Mar de la plui day cor jet
Keem fon vo meer sue la kwet
Jean A mar de se sin eek
A dan lay pray lay coal chic
Jean A mar dawn av whar mar. O see.

-Capital letters are pronounced as the name of the letter (A, O, X, etc)

-Every occurence of the letter J is soft, like in the French name "Jean." There is no American English combo to use for it, so I just kept the J.

-I tried to use real words when I could, but obviously that won't apply to most things.

[heyamigo]

wow that's pretty good cooney!

[Simon A]

Nice ;D that helped my studies alot with pronouncement

[Killian]

It's hard to do phonetics without using the IPA, as our pronunciations differ between countries, and regions within countries. Also, certain sounds are entirely contextual (such as the soft J in French, written in phonetics as a combination of D and Z). Let me know if you read and understand IPA, as I'll be happy to do one in that, otherwise, here's an attempt at how I'd write it in American:

Jean A mar de se key plur
Key ne rule ka de a lure
Key se la mont A keys feex
Sewr lee day dune E day feex
Jean A mar de se key ral
Days X treem eest ah de ball
Key vwa la vee toot en nwar
Key mex pe dee dan kaf ar
Jean A mar de la grand sir
Key Jay mee too A key plur
Mar de la plui day cor jet
Keem fon vo meer sue la kwet
Jean A mar de se sin eek
A dan lay pray lay coal chic
Jean A mar dawn av whar mar. O see.

-Capital letters are pronounced as the name of the letter (A, O, X, etc)

-Every occurence of the letter J is soft, like in the French name "Jean." There is no American English combo to use for it, so I just kept the J.

-I tried to use real words when I could, but obviously that won't apply to most things.

No, no that's perfect Cooney. I just needed it so that I could see what it was meant to sound like and then listen to the song, to hear it like that, rather then understanding sentences here and there and hearing the rest as unrecognisable mumblings. Thanks for taking the time to do it.

[INDUSTRIAL]

Is it true that JEAM is actually talking about feminine masturbation? Someone told me.

[fsquared]

Is it true that JEAM is actually talking about feminine masturbation? Someone told me.

I suggest you read the relevant threads and decide for yourself.
For instance, here:

http://moi-alizee.us/forums/showthread.php?t=1677

[espire]

It's all part of the genius that is Mylène's writing. Did she write the song to look like that from the start? No. Did she have this in mind while writing? Yes. Did she forcefully insert this meaning into the song? Maybe ;)

[Melle Katherine]

J'ai pas vingt ans!

It's not the story of a day
That goes hand in hand with love,
Rather a long stay,
But not: a "for always"
I don't want a "for life" that leads to paradise,
Me, I have time!
It's just a compromise, a bit like raindrops
That hold off the ocean. (1)
It's not hell either
It's question of habit...
If it's not for life, too bad, (2)
So say yes...

I don't like habits!
I don't like it when it lasts!
I'm not twenty...
I don't cop attitude...(3)
Even if I have style!
I'm not twenty...
And stiletto heels, a talent of girls
Melody of the wind...
I change like I rhyme, tablet of Aspirin, (4)
You are old at twenty...
Me, I have time!

It's not the story of love
The flows like the Adour (5)
Rather a draught
That blows upon your ground
I want more than an "I'm attached," which bores me and angers me
Me, I have time!
Rather a daring move, to love me as I am
And to have it in for me (6)

I don't like habits!
I don't like it when it lasts!
I'm not twenty...
I don't cop attitude...
Even if I have style!
I'm not twenty...
And stiletto heels, a talent of girls
Melody of the wind...
I change like I rhyme, tablet of Aspirin,
You are old at twenty...
Me, I have time!

La la la la la, melody of the wind
....

I don't like habits!
I don't like it when it lasts!
I'm not twenty...
I don't cop attitude...
Even though I have style!
I'm not twenty...
And stiletto heels, a talent of girls
Melody of the wind...
I change like I rhyme, tablet of Aspirin,
You are old at twenty...
Me, I have time!

I don't like habits!
I don't like it when it lasts!
I'm not twenty...
I don't cop attitude...
Even though I have style!
I'm not twenty...
And stiletto heels, a talent of girls
Melody of the wind...
I change like I rhyme, tablet of Aspirin,
You are old at twenty...
Me, I have time!


1: She is referring to these short relationships and flings as the small rain drops that are diverting ("devient") a serious relationship, the ocean. She doesn't actually say rain-drops ("gouttes de pluie"), she says rain-water ("l'eau de pluie"), but its the right meaning.

2: "Tant-pis" comes out as "too bad," or "tough luck," generally speaking. It's not being used dismissively here though, it's meaning is essentially "so be it." Too bad can have that meaning in English too, depending on the inflection in the voice.

3: I don't think the lyric is actually as casual as the American usage of "cop" in this fashion, but it was closest I could come to what I think it means. Some folks would use "give" in place of "cop," but I don't like that usage myself.

4: The word "rime" does mean rhyme as a noun, but as a verb it is a bit more complex. It can be used for the English verb "Rhyme" as in to speak in rhyme, but it also refers to the process of putting something in to verse. "Change" could also be "Transform," but I think "I transform like I versify" would be way to clunky for our purposes.

5: The Adour is a river.

6: This is an idiomatic expression. The translations I've seen usually put it as either "wait for my return" or "await me at the turn." It does literally translate as "and waits for me at the turn," but the actual meaning of "Attendre [qqn] au tournant" is to "have it in for" somebody, or to be waiting to get them back for something.

I love very much this song. The clip too of course. I adore her pink Courréges dress.. About the lyric, it's like me. Like the full song would be about me :D