The lyrics for the 1950 song “Barbara” are from a poem by Jacques Prévert with music composed by Joseph Kosma. It deals with love, loss and memory in the destroyed city of Brest in Brittany during WWII. German forces became entrenched in the city and when the allies attacked in the summer of 1944 the old city was razed to the ground. In the poem and song, a man speaks rhetorically to a woman he encountered by chance on the streets of Brest in Brittany--a women he knows only by the name, Barbara, that her lover called out as they hurried to meet in the rain. The rhythm of the words is particularly important to this very lyrical poem and song that builds upon repetition of words, symbols and themes of love, memory and loss.
Joseph Kosma
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Jacques Prévert
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Brest, September 1944
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Rappelle-toi Barbara Il pleuvait sans cesse sur Brest ce jour-là Et tu marchais souriante, épanouie, ravie, ruisselante sous la pluie. Rappelle-toi Barbara Il pleuvait sans cesse sur Brest Et je t'ai croisée rue d'Siam Tu souriais Et moi je souriais d'même Rappelle-toi Barbara Toi que je n'connaissais pas Toi qui n'me connaissais pas, Rappelle-toi, Rappelle-toi quand même ce jour-là, n'oublie pas Un homme sous un porche s'abritait Et il a crié ton nom Barbara Et tu as couru vers lui sous la pluie, Ruisselante, ravie, épanouie Et tu t'es jetée dans ses bras Rappelle-toi cela Barbara Et ne m'en veux pas si je te tutoie Je dis "Tu" à tous ceux que j'aime Même si je n'les ai vus qu'une seule fois Je dis "Tu" à tous ceux qui s'aiment Même si je ne les connais pas Rappelle-toi Barbara, N'oublie pas Cette pluie sur la mer, Sur ton visage heureux Sur cette ville heureuse Cette pluie sur la mer sur l'arsenal, Sur le bateau d'Ouessant Oh Barbara Quelle connerie la guerre Qu'es-tu devenue maintenant, Sous cette pluie de fer, De feu, d'acier, de sang Et celui qui te serrait dans ses bras, Amoureusement Est-il mort disparu ou bien encore vivant? Oh Barbara Il pleut sans cesse sur Brest Mais ce n'est plus pareil et tout est abîmé C’est une pluie de deuil Terrible et désolée Ce n'est même plus l'orage De fer, d'acier de sang Tout simplement des nuages Qui crèvent comme des chiens Des chiens qui disparaissent Au fil de l'eau sur Brest Et vont pourrir au loin Au loin très loin de Brest Dont il ne reste rien. |
Remember, Barbara, It rained relentlessly on Brest that day And you walked, smiling, Beaming ravishing, drenched In the rain. Remember, Barbara, It was raining relentlessly on Brest. Our paths crossed in Siam Street, You were smiling And I smiled too Remember, Barbara You whom I didn't know, You who didn't know me, Remember, Remember anyway that day still, Don't forget. A man was sheltering on a porch And he called your name Barbara, You ran towards him, in the rain, Dripping, delighted, blooming And threw yourself into his arms Remember that, Barbara, And don't resent me calling you "tu" I say "tu" to everyone I like Even if I've only seen them once I say "tu" to eveyone who is in love, Even if I'don't know them Remember, Barbara, Don't forget That rain on the sea, On your happy face On that happy town, That rain on the rain on the dockyard, On the Ushant boat. Oh Barbara, What idiocy is war What have you become now, Under this rain of iron, Of fire, of steel, of blood And he who held you in his arms, Lovingly Is he dead, missing, or still alive? Oh Barbara It rains incessantly on Brest But it's not the same and all is ruined, It is a rain of grief Terrible and desolate It is not even the storm Of iron, of steel, of blood But simply clouds That die like dogs, Dogs that disappear In the downpour over Brest And float off to rot far away, Away far away from Brest Of which nothing remains |
NB:
“Ouessant:” (Ushant) is a small island of the Brittany coast with the symbolic value of a sentinel that marks the westernmost point of France.
“Ouessant:” (Ushant) is a small island of the Brittany coast with the symbolic value of a sentinel that marks the westernmost point of France.
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