The Second Life of Songs
Language workers conventionally distinguish translation, interpretation and adaptation. These activities are differentially appropriate for certain types of content and purpose. Translation deals with rendering written words and can range across a spectrum of approaches from literal translation to the broader capture of meaning. Interpretation (consecutive or simultaneous) is a term generally applied to rendering spoken words “on the fly” in another language to transmit meaning. Adaptation is a more encompassing term that allows even the re-creation of meaning within the framework of varied constraints like culture, technology, music, or rhyme.
All of the songs on this website include the original French language and an English translation. The translations are mine and their purpose is to assist in understanding the original French lyrics but not to be sung by themselves. Therefore, when possible, I use English words that resemble French words. English-language “adaptations,” on the other hand, are intended to fit with music as songs on their own and to appeal to new audiences. This sometimes entails the creation of new meaning.
All of the songs on this website include the original French language and an English translation. The translations are mine and their purpose is to assist in understanding the original French lyrics but not to be sung by themselves. Therefore, when possible, I use English words that resemble French words. English-language “adaptations,” on the other hand, are intended to fit with music as songs on their own and to appeal to new audiences. This sometimes entails the creation of new meaning.
Music may be global, but language and culture are local. Songs consist of both music and lyrics, the words of a song or poem. The road to wider accessibility for songs with alluring melodies is “adaptation,” or the fabrication of new lyrics in other languages. Many French “chansons” have “adapted” successfully and found a “second life” by wearing English clothes.
Adaptation is not merely a literal or even creative “translation” of words. It requires a greater plunge into the culture of the target language and its speakers. In business, the “localization” of a product (e.g. McDonalds) for foreign markets is a type of adaptation that requires insight into the practices and mores of culturally specific local markets. With French “chansons,” on the other hand, the goal of “adaptation” is normally to access “global” markets that have greater diversity and less cultural specificity. At the same time, successful adaptation of French “chanson” requires awareness of specific French cultural and language characteristics that may impede access to foreign or global markets. Quintessentially French artists like Georges Brassens remain blissfully resident in France, bless their souls.
Like all languages, French has idiosyncratic expressions, cadences and grammatical structures. When music is formulated to accommodate such formal characteristics, it is not a simple matter to take another language and just drape it over. Herbert Kretzmer, the famed adapter for Les Misérables, noted the:
“challenge of matching singable English phrases to a decidedly Gallic score…the French
language being so full of emphatic consonants, staccato tricks of rhythm and fading syllables at
the end of sentences which have no ready equivalent in English.”
Consequently, Kretzmer re-invented the French lyrics for “Les Mis” in his own English words, not like a translator but a co-writer…an “equal among equals.” In doing so, some of his songs for "Les Mis" acquired new meaning. In fact, the entire production acquired new meaning in its move from Paris in 1980 to London in 1985.
“challenge of matching singable English phrases to a decidedly Gallic score…the French
language being so full of emphatic consonants, staccato tricks of rhythm and fading syllables at
the end of sentences which have no ready equivalent in English.”
Consequently, Kretzmer re-invented the French lyrics for “Les Mis” in his own English words, not like a translator but a co-writer…an “equal among equals.” In doing so, some of his songs for "Les Mis" acquired new meaning. In fact, the entire production acquired new meaning in its move from Paris in 1980 to London in 1985.
This post features prominent examples of successful English language adaptations of French songs during the past 75 years. Each song title below has a link to the original French “chanson,” a bit of story about its adaptation, and a selected version of its several English interpretations by different performers. It is a particular pleasure to highlight lesser-known names like Eva Cassidy, Patti Dahlstrom, Charles Dumont and Herbert Kretzmer as players in the story.
This timeless classic originated with the 1940s French song “Les feuilles mortes.” Its original lyrics were written by poet Jacques Prévert with music by Hungarian musician Joseph Kosma reaching back to Tchaikovsky. Johnny Mercer did the English adaptation, with interpretations by Nat King Cole, Louis Armstrong and countless other performers. Eva Cassidy’s striking 1996 rendition is a favorite.
Bobby Darin popularized this song in 1959, drawing on Jack Lawrence’s English adaptation of Charles Trenet’s 1946 classic French song “La Mer.” Lawrence had the dexterity to transform an ode of admiration for the sea into a love song for another person.
Claude François’ 1967 account of a dull day in the life of a couple with a failing relationship (“Comme d’habitude”) became a career-rejuvenating anthem of individualism for Frank Sinatra when Canadian Paul Anka did it “his way” in 1969 with an English adaptation. It not only boosted the song, but Sinatra stayed in the saddle for another 30 years and David Bowie jumped on the wagon with his own 1971 song "Life on Mars."
In 1969 and afterward, Roy Clark, Glen Campbell, Bing Crosby, Willie Nelson and many others adopted Charles Aznavour’s lament to lost youth (“Hier encore”) in the English adaptation by Herbert Kretzmer of “Les Misérables” fame.
When Jacques Brel released “Ne me quitte pas” in 1959, he surely didn’t expect Joaquin Phoenix to be singing Rod McKuen’s 1966 English version named “If You Go Away” nearly 60 years later with Lady Gaga in the 2024 movie “Joker: Folie à Deux.”
In the English adaptation by Albert Beach, singers Sam Cooke, Keely Smith, Frank Sinatra, Gloria Lynne, Natalie Cole and a host of other performers give a different spin to the end of a relationship than Charles Trenet’s original 1942 song “Que reste t’il de nos amours.”
She
In the 1999 film “Notting Hill” starring Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts, Elvis Costello infuses new life and a new title ("She") to a song that Charles Aznavour and Herbert Kretzmer wrote and performed in 1974 for a BBC television show called “The Many Faces of Women.” Aznavour released it in France as “Tous les visages de l’amour.”
Edith Piaf celebrated love in 1947 as the key to unlock the door to a “rose-colored” life. American songwriter Mack David was convinced and wrote an English language adaptation in 1950 that opened the door for countless new interpretations using the same French title.
Little did Véronique Sanson know when she released her breakout song “Amoureuse” in 1972 that her song would foster not one but two different English-language adaptations. Gary Osborne made this one using the same French title in 1973 that was sung by Kiki Dee.
Texas-born Patti Dahlstrom didn’t know any French in 1973, so when she heard Véronique Sanson’s melody from “Amoureuse” she wrote an English adaptation with an entirely different title and meaning that she called “Emotion.” Patti released her own version in 1973, followed by Helen Reddy’s take in 1975.
Gilbert Bécaud had a #1 hit in 1961 on French charts with his song “Et maintenant” but he needed Elvis Presley’s vocal pipes in the 1973 “Aloha from Hawaii” concert to beam Carl Sigman’s English version “What Now My Love” to a global audience of 1+ billion people.
Céline Dion and French songwriter Jean-Jacques Goldman had a close professional relationship after he wrote lyrics for her entire 1994 album called “D’eux” that became the best-selling French album of all time. Three years later, Céline borrowed the melody from Goldman’s 1987 hit “Puisque tu pars” for her song “Let’s Talk About Love” and named her 1997 blockbuster album after it as well.
Painting by Douglas Davis
The song “Je ne regrette rien” in 1960 may have saved Edith Piaf’s life. It certainly saved her career while also launching that of composer Charles Dumont and rescuing the Paris Olympia music hall from financial challenges. It sat at #1 on French charts for 7 weeks and became a French Foreign Legion favorite. Not bad for a day’s work. It became known in English as "No Regrets."
Port of Amsterdam
Jacques Brel’s song "Amsterdam” had at least two English language adaptations during the 1960s, by Mort Shuman and Rod McKuen, that introduced Brel’s music to the English-speaking world. The name of the song didn’t change in its handoff from French to English, however, perhaps because no other port met Brel’s description sketched in the song. But also because the musical sonority of the word itself met Brel's design from his perch in Provence overlooking the "Côte d'Azur."
“Les Misérables” resembles a 40-50 course “prix fixe” menu at a 3-star Michelin restaurant. It is a “sung-through” musical and too grand in scope to consider each piece in detail. We explore the overall production and several iconic songs from the French-language 1980 Paris premiere and the English-language adaptation for its move in 1985 to the London theater.