Je t’aimais, je t’aime, je t’aimerai (“I Loved You, I Love You, I Will Love You”), 1994
Only Francis Cabrel could turn a verb conjugation into the title of a song and then also use the structure of that conjugation (past, present, future) as the narrative timeline of the song itself. Ostensibly, this 1994 song is addressed to a female child (“mon enfant, nue sur les galets”), presumably his daughter Aurélie (b. 1986).
This song is one of Cabrel’s most challenging to translate. It is swathed in ambiguity, esoteric references and unfinished thoughts. As in all poems with rhymes, the author’s choice of specific words is often driven by their sound whereas a rhyme-free translation knows no such constraints but must still strive to convey meaning. The song consists of 9 stanzas of which 3 and 6 are the chorus that begins “Quoi que tu fasses…” (“Whatever you do…”). All lines in each stanza, except in the twice-repeated chorus, end with the same “ay” sound (e.g. “ets,” “ai,” “ais,” “ait”). The last stanza is almost identical to the second stanza except that after the first line (“Que seule la lumière pourrait…”) a pregnant pause occurs in lieu of the missing second line. The omission is clearly intentional and leaves much to the imagination.
The video by Maxime Ruiz and Chandelle Productions, frequent collaborators with Cabrel (e.g. Presque rien), contributes additional ambiguities. Cabrel’s daughter, to whom the song seems addressed, is nowhere in sight. The video transpires in a clearly mountainous, rural environment, not a seashore as one might expect from the song’s image of “galets.” It begins on a foggy early morning with the chirping of birds. Midway through the video, a 3-vehicle motor caravan approaches on a winding road but is revealed only in closing as a circus troupe. A pensive but unidentified male personage appears towards the end in 3 separate guises and peruses a folded notepaper. He ostensibly waits in broad daylight for a bus at 1 pm but leaves town later in the evening on foot until 2 of the original 3 circus vans momentarily stop and pick him up. A mysterious low-toned, brooding voice coincides with the appearance of the male figure and joins Cabrel for the song’s final 3 stanzas beginning “On s'envolera du même quai...” (“We'll take flight from the same dock…”). Notably, this is also where the lyrics’ verb tenses shift from the present to the future.
The lyrics and melody make this one of Cabrel's finest songs.
This song is one of Cabrel’s most challenging to translate. It is swathed in ambiguity, esoteric references and unfinished thoughts. As in all poems with rhymes, the author’s choice of specific words is often driven by their sound whereas a rhyme-free translation knows no such constraints but must still strive to convey meaning. The song consists of 9 stanzas of which 3 and 6 are the chorus that begins “Quoi que tu fasses…” (“Whatever you do…”). All lines in each stanza, except in the twice-repeated chorus, end with the same “ay” sound (e.g. “ets,” “ai,” “ais,” “ait”). The last stanza is almost identical to the second stanza except that after the first line (“Que seule la lumière pourrait…”) a pregnant pause occurs in lieu of the missing second line. The omission is clearly intentional and leaves much to the imagination.
The video by Maxime Ruiz and Chandelle Productions, frequent collaborators with Cabrel (e.g. Presque rien), contributes additional ambiguities. Cabrel’s daughter, to whom the song seems addressed, is nowhere in sight. The video transpires in a clearly mountainous, rural environment, not a seashore as one might expect from the song’s image of “galets.” It begins on a foggy early morning with the chirping of birds. Midway through the video, a 3-vehicle motor caravan approaches on a winding road but is revealed only in closing as a circus troupe. A pensive but unidentified male personage appears towards the end in 3 separate guises and peruses a folded notepaper. He ostensibly waits in broad daylight for a bus at 1 pm but leaves town later in the evening on foot until 2 of the original 3 circus vans momentarily stop and pick him up. A mysterious low-toned, brooding voice coincides with the appearance of the male figure and joins Cabrel for the song’s final 3 stanzas beginning “On s'envolera du même quai...” (“We'll take flight from the same dock…”). Notably, this is also where the lyrics’ verb tenses shift from the present to the future.
The lyrics and melody make this one of Cabrel's finest songs.
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Mon enfant, nue sur les galets,
Le vent dans tes cheveux défaits, Comme un printemps sur mon trajet, Un diamant tombé d'un coffret. Seule la lumière pourrait Défaire nos repères secrets Où mes doigts pris sur tes poignets, Je t'aimais, je t'aime et je t'aimerai… Quoi que tu fasses, l'amour est partout ou tu regardes Dans les moindres recoins de l'espace, Dans le moindre rêve ou tu t'attardes L'amour, comme s'il en pleuvait, Nu sur les galets… Le ciel prétend qu'il te connait Il est si beau c'est sûrement vrai. Lui qui s'approche jamais Je l'ai vu pris dans tes filets. Le monde a tellement de regrets Tellement de choses qu'on promet. Une seule pour laquelle je suis fait Je t'aimais, je t'aime et je t'aimerai… Quoi que tu fasses, l'amour est partout ou tu regardes, Dans les moindres recoins de l'espace, Dans le moindre rêve ou tu t'attardes. L'amour, comme s'il en pleuvait, Nu sur les galets… On s'envolera du même quai Les yeux dans les mêmes reflets, Pour cette vie et celle d'après Tu seras mon unique projet. Je m'en irai poser tes portraits A tous les plafonds de tous les palais, Sur tous les murs que je trouverai Et juste en-dessous j'écrirai Que seule la lumière pourrait… Et mes doigts pris sur tes poignets, Je t'aimais, je t'aime et je t'aimerai |
My child, naked on the stones,
The wind in your ruffled hair Like a springtime on my journey, A diamond fallen from a chest. Only light was able To discover our secret places Where my fingers clasped on your wrists I loved you, I love you, and I will love you… Whatever you do, love is everywhere you look In the smallest corners of space In the smallest dream where you linger Love, as if it were falling like rain Naked on the stones… The sky claims to know you It is so beautiful, it’s surely true He who never draws near I saw him trapped in your nets. The world has so many regrets So many things promised. Only one for which I am made I loved you, I love you, and I will love you Whatever you do, love is everywhere you look In the smallest corners of space In the smallest dream where you linger Love, as though falling like rain Naked on the stones… We'll take flight from the same dock The eyes with the same reflections, For this life and that after You will be my sole purpose. I will go to place your portraits On all the ceilings of all the palaces, On all the walls I will find And just below them, I will write That only light could…. And my fingers clasped on your wrists, I loved you, I love you, and I will love you |
NB:
- En: Cabrel is fond of using the pronoun “en,” a convenient linguistic device which means “some of” or “any” of a mentioned noun. In this sentence “en” refers to “l’amour” falling like rain on the “galets.”
- coffret: is specifically a small case or box, as for jewelry. The word “chest” does not do justice.
- Prendre sur: translates as “take on, take over” and here as “clasped.”
- Quoi que tu fasses: “whatever you do.” It is worth pausing to savor this expression. “Quoi que” means “whatever,” whereas “quoique” (one word) means “although.” A verb immediately following either word requires the subjunctive, “fasses” being the subjunctive of “faire.”
- les galets: “galets” is often translated as “pebbles,” or “stones” as it is here. More specifically, however, it commonly refers to what are known as “river rocks,” which are largish, smooth and rounded stones. Galets are often referenced in the context of riverside, stony “terroir” in wine regions like Sancerre or Bordeaux as well as some seaside beaches.
- repères secrets: can mean secret “places” or “landmarks.” Either one works.
- tes filets: it is unclear what “nets” mean here. It could be a reference to hair, but surely not to fishing nets. More likely, it refers generally to womens’ attractions.
- les yeux dans les mêmes reflets: this unusual expression appears to suggest alignment of purpose.
- Que seule la lumière pourrait…: This line beginning the last stanza looks to repeat stanza 2, but it omits the second line of that stanza, which is: “Défaire nos repères secrets.” The song makes a pregnant pause as if in recognition of the missing second line.
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