Mademoiselle Juliette - Transcription and Translation

[garçoncanadien]

Originally Posted by Roman

10: I adopted this from the RMJ's English translation, keeping the "plus" negative just as the "pas" that had been in this place throughout the rest of the song was.
This I have always found strange. Is it because in casual spoken French they are dropping the 'ne' negative marker; so, instead of 'n'a plus' it is 'a plus' and you just have to know that?

context helps you distinguish you don't just know that, or else nobody would learn our beautiful language

[Deepwaters]

Originally Posted by garçoncanadien

context helps you distinguish you don't just know that, or else nobody would learn our beautiful language

Actually, fewer confusing things like that might make it easier for us to learn your beautiful language.

Then again, I'm a native speaker of probably the most confusing and rule-averse language in the world, so I guess I can't complain.

[Roman]

Originally Posted by Deepwaters

Actually, fewer confusing things like that might make it easier for us to learn your beautiful language.

Then again, I'm a native speaker of probably the most confusing and rule-averse language in the world, so I guess I can't complain.

Yes, that's largely what has made me generally interested in language is that English is such a pain in the ass, though, I understand that language in general is like that.
Yes, the whole understanding by context thing makes any language a lot more difficult, at least until you get the hang of it. It does seem to be a natural thing that humans are good at. It's part of what makes it so difficult to program computers to understand human language. Everything sort of has a meaning, but it's often not entirely clear what that meaning is. It's like we're all playing instruments and just trying to fit our sound into the mix and make it sound good.

[RMJ]

In it's final form


translation by RMJ (with help of Petsku1 & sb483)

Miss Juliette
Has her Roméo in the Alfa
From Verona to Rome she runs
Pretty syndrome of the love

Shakespeare plays with his muse
The heroine thinks he abuses
She quickly climbs in the towers
The great writer likes to play tricks on her

Miss Juliette
Has really not the head
To choose between Montaigu and Capulet

Miss Juliette
Would like to celebrate
Champagne to sabre, coke to uncap

Miss takes the wings
Not to happen (but) put in to play
In her role she doesn't want
Lines in the whole play

This commedia dell’arte
Isn't crazy enough
When finally William gives his heart
There's no way to avoid the drama

Miss Juliette
Has really not the head
To choose between Montaigu and Capulet

Miss Juliette
Would like to celebrate
Champagne to sabre, coke to uncap

Miss Juliette
Has really not the head
To cry over Montaigu and Capulet

Miss Juliette
Would like to celebrate
Champagne to sabre, coke to uncap

Ahhhhhhhhhhh...
Ahhhhhhhhhhh...
Ahhhhhhhhhhh...
Ahhhhhhhhhhh...

Miss Juliette
Has really not the head
To choose between Montaigu and Capulet

Miss Juliette
Would like to celebrate
Champagne to sabre, coke to uncap

Miss Juliette
Has really no longer the head
To cry over Montaigu and Capulet

Miss Juliette
Would like to celebrate
Champagne to sabre, coke to uncap

Miss





Transcript by Needles (with help of RMJ & Shakespeare)

Mademoiselle Juliette a
Son Roméo dans l’Alfa
De Vérone à Rome elle court
Jolie syndrome de l’amour

Shakespeare s’amuse de sa muse
L’héroïne trouve qu'il abuse
Elle monte vite dans les tours
Le grand écrivain aime lui jouer des tours

Mademoiselle Juliette
A pas vraiment la tête
À choisir entre Montaigu Capulet

Mademoiselle Juliette
Aimerait faire la fête
Champagne à sabrer coke à décapsuler

Mademoiselle prends des ailes
Ne pas se faire mettre en pièce
Dans son rôle elle ne veut qu'elle
Pas de réplique de toute pièces

Cette commedia dell’arte
N’est pas assez déjantée
Qu'enfin William rende l'âme
Il n’y a plus que ça pour éviter le drame

Mademoiselle Juliette
A pas vraiment la tête
À choisir entre Montaigu Capulet

Mademoiselle Juliette
Aimerai faire la fête
Champagne à sabrer coke à décapsuler

Mademoiselle Juliette a
Pas vraiment la tête à
Pleurer sur Montaigu Capulet

Mademoiselle Juliette
Aimerai faire la fête
Champagne à sabrer coke à décapsuler

Ahhhhhhhhhhh...
Ahhhhhhhhhhh...
Ahhhhhhhhhhh...
Ahhhhhhhhhhh...

Mademoiselle Juliette
A pas vraiment la tête à
Choisir entre Montaigu Capulet

Mademoiselle Juliette
Aimerai faire la fête
Champagne à sabrer coke à décapsuler

Mademoiselle Juliette
A plus vraiment la tête
À pleurer sur Montaigu Capulet

Mademoiselle Juliette
Aimerai faire la fête
Champagne à sabrer coke à décapsuler

Mademoiselle

[ajaccio corsica]

hi
She climbs quickly to the towers

it's not exactly this, actually it's linked to the "romeo dans l'alpha" stuff, it's a technical term for cars
it's more "she get hi revs" meaning she get angry or nervous very fast
cheers

[Roman]

Originally Posted by ajaccio corsica

hi
She climbs quickly to the towers

it's not exactly this, actually it's linked to the "romeo dans l'alpha" stuff, it's a technical term for cars
it's more "she get hi revs" meaning she get angry or nervous very fast
cheers

Merci beaucoup! It really sucks not understanding French. We miss so much of the point of the song. There's lots of this stuff going back to the first songs of Alizée where the translation either sounds wrong or just needs explanation. Any help like this is appreciated.
Here's an example of that phrase: http://172.hautetfort.com/sessions_stages/

How about: Mademoiselle prends des ailes
Ne pas se faire mettre en pièces

I still don't understand the translation of this at all.

[Cooney]

Originally Posted by Roman

How about: Mademoiselle prends des ailes
Ne pas se faire mettre en pièces

I still don't understand the translation of this at all.

Actually, that's a slightly innaccurate set of lyrics. Officially, it's:

Mademoiselle prend des ailes
Ne pas se faire mettre en pièce

Note the lack of the letter S on prend and pièce. They make big differences.


"Mademoiselle prend des ailes" means "Mademoiselle takes wing," as in she is fleeing from something. It is tempting to make it "Mademoiselle takes to the wings" in a theatrical sense, but the French don't use "wings" (ailes) to refer to the sides of a stage like we do. Architecturally speaking, it could be a wing of a building, but it doesn't mean backstage. If "prend" were "prends" on this line, it would change it in to a command, "Mademoiselle, take wing!" which it isn't.

"Ne pas se faire mettre en pièce" is a no-doubt intentional play on a phrase that sounds the same, but means something different. As written officially, it comes out as essentially "Don't make him put it in to the play." If you add the s on the end of pièce, which will still sound the same, it becomes "don't make her smash to pieces."

For those who thought she had given up on double meanings, think again! Every song I've taken the time to really look at or listen to so far has had at least a couple.

[ajaccio corsica]

hi
Mademoiselle prend des ailes
mademoiselle get wings but it's linked to "mademoiselle prend ses aises" french familiar for a person who acts as he/she was at her/his home everywhere, or meaning she feels more comfortable, or she just escapes from a situation she doesn't want
Ne pas se faire mettre en pièce
not being broken in parts, pièce isn't used as "part" but as "play"
so it's something like doesn't want herself to be used as a character in a shakespeare's play
cheers

[Cooney]

Originally Posted by ajaccio corsica

hi
Mademoiselle prend des ailes
mademoiselle get wings but it's linked to "mademoiselle prend ses aises" french familiar for a person who acts as he/she was at her/his home everywhere, or meaning she feels more comfortable, or she just escapes from a situation she doesn't want
Ne pas se faire mettre en pièce
not being broken in parts, pièce isn't used as "part" but as "play"
so it's something like doesn't want herself to be used as a character in a shakespeare's play
cheers

Awesome, thanks for the info! The meaning behind idiomatic phrases like that first one are the sorts of things we anglophones will miss every time. On the second, very good, I understand now. I was misdirecting the "se" and having trouble figuring out the meaning. Now it makes sense.

[wildfire]

hey gang...

I found this really succinct definition of MJ that I think wraps it up pretty well...

From a comment on youtube video


mikkim11 (9 months ago) +3
I'll try to explain and tranlate the song..I jope it helps:

Miss juliete is in love with romeo. She goes from veron to rome looking for romeo. Shakepeare is not fair and play's with juliete's destiny and she goes mad.

Chorus: Miss juliete doesn't want to waste her time thinking about choosing the family montagu or capulete (romeo and juliete's families)She prefers to party all night with champagne and coke (coca cola) with all her girl friends.