Tarek Ben Yakhlev, 2021
Serge Gainsbourg wrote both music and lyrics for “La Chanson de Prévert” in 1961 as a tribute to Jacque Prévert’s famous poem (“Les Feuilles Mortes”) that became a global song sensation performed by many artists like Yves Montand (covered here on this site).
It is worth comparing the two songs. Both songs reference a shared song about leaves that cemented the relationship of the protagonists and both songs have one refrain that repeats twice. The first line in both songs is exactly the same: “je voudrais tant que tu te souviennes” ("I wish so much that you remember") but the content in the songs is quite different. “Les Feuilles Mortes” by Prévert recalls a specific happy relationship and a song about dead leaves gathered in a shovel that are scattered by the north wind, just as life separates those who love each other.
Gainsbourg’s song is more about himself and is carried by a pleasing melody and his soulfull voice. He addresses a former lover whose favorite song was “Les Feuilles Mortes” by Prévert and Kosma. Hearing the song brings her to mind each time while his other loves continue to fade from monotony and indifference. Just as seasons pass, however, Prévert’s song passes as well. When memory of the song finally goes, his fading loves will have finished dying, including his memory of her.
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Oh, je voudrais tant que tu te souviennes, Cette chanson était la tienne, C'était ta préférée, je crois Qu'elle est de Prévert et Kosma. Et chaque fois Les Feuilles Mortes Te rappellent à mon souvenir, Jour après jour Les amours mortes N'en finissent pas de mourir. Avec d'autres bien sûr je m'abandonne, Mais leur chanson est monotone Et peu à peu je m'indiffère, A cela il n'est rien à faire. Car chaque fois Les Feuilles Mortes Te rappellent à mon souvenir, Jour après jour Les amours mortes N'en finissent pas de mourir. Peut-on jamais savoir par où commence Et quand finit l'indifférence? Passe l'automne, vienne l'hiver Et que la chanson de Prévert. Cette chanson, Les Feuilles Mortes, S'efface de mon souvenir Et ce jour là Mes amours mortes En auront fini de mourir. Et ce jour là Mes amours mortes En auront fini de mourir. |
Oh, I wish so much that you remember, This song was yours, It was your favorite, I think, It is by Prevert and Kosma. And each time the Dead Leaves Retrieve you to my memory, Day after day the dead loves never finish dying. With others, surely, I surrender but their song is monotone And bit by bit my indifference grows, About that, nothing can be done. For, every time, the Dead Leaves Retrieve you to my memory Day after day the dead loves never finish dying. Can one ever know where indifference begins And when it ends? Autumn passes, winter comes, Like the song by Prévert. This song, The Dead Leaves, Fades from my memory. And, on that day, My dead loves Will have finished dying. And, on that day, My dead loves Will have finished dying. |
NB:
- "Oh je voudrais tant que tu te souviennes: ” This famous line from Prévert’s “Les feuilles mortes” is a great way to remember that the verb “vouloir” in a main phrase requires the subjunctive mood in the following phrase.
- Qu'elle est de: the literal translation of this phrase is “what is she from” but in this sentence the “que” at the beginning is simply a way emphasize what follows. Here, it really means “since” or “because,” explaining that “C'était ta préférée je crois” since it was by Prévert and Kosma.
- N'en finissent pas de: this phrase means “never stop” or “keep on” or “continue to.”
- par où: this can mean “when” or “where,” depending on context. Here, “when” makes sense because it refers to an aspect of a relationship (indifference).
- Et que la chanson: "et que" at the beginning of a sentence is often used to emphasize a continuation. Here, it seems to mean “like” or "moreover," referring back to the previous line “passe l'automne vienne l'hiver” (“autumn goes winter comes”) thereby implying that Prévert’s song is caught in a similar cyclical instability and will fade.
- "En auront fini" in English means "they will have finished with it" meaning that when "The Dead Leaves" song fades, then “mes amours mortes” will be finished dying. “En finir de” is used before an infinitive.
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