Hi fellow forum members,

This time something completely different: a french chanson...

Rue du Nord

I was experimenting with the BIAB horn section RT's and came up with the idea of creating a French song.
It's loosely inspired by Serge Gainsbourg's very distinct 'pop chanson style' back in the 70/80s. I watched a documentary/film about him a couple of years ago which was very interesting (here in Europe the song: 'Je t'aime, moi non plus' was a big hit).
Anyway, it was a real challenge for Anne-Marie and myself to sing in French and make it really sound like... French.
Although we are European, our (Dutch) language is completely different from French. Writing lyrics in that language also took quite an effort.. where would we be without Google translate. But that didn't completely cut it, the lyrics were also revised by forum members Cavalier Blanc and FredM, thanks guys! (Check out the English translation below every French line in the lyrics).

Hope you like it, as always comments are welcome!

Rob


Song specifics:

Style is _SPOPTTS.STY (SlowPop16 w. Trumpet & Sax[65RS])

908:Bass, Electric, SmoothBallad Ev16 065
1762:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm Pop16thsArp Ev16 085
2297:Trumpet, Rhythm SlowPop Ev16 065 (1TrackHornSection)
2296:Sax, Tenor, Rhythm SlowPop Ev16 065 (1TrackHornSection)
542:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm Dreamy Ev 085
508:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm Dire Ev 085
1256:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm
2334:String Quartet, Rhythm PopChamber Ev 085
RealDrums PraiseWorshipSlow16ths^5-a:HS4, b:H24


Lyrics:

Rue du Nord
(Northstreet)

Je pense à la jeune fille, qui se promenait ici ce jour-là
(I'm thinking of the young girl who walked here that day)
Ses longs cheveux bruns tombaient sur les épaules
(Her long brown hair falling over her shoulders)
Elle vient d'avoir 17 ans et vient d'arriver dans la grande ville
(She just turned 17 and it's her first day in the big city)
Dans la rue les hommes, qui la croisent, la devisagent
(In the street men passing by, stare at her)
Mais elle pense encore à lui, elle lui parlait cet après-midi,
(But she's thinking of him again, he spoke to her this afternoon)
Il demandais "Vous n'êtes pas d' ici?"
(He asked: "you're not from around?")
Puis il parlais d'un cafe, où il vient souvent,
(Then he talked about a café he often visits)
Peut-être ce soir .... dans la rue du Nord
(Maybe she'll meet him tonight.... in North Street)

Le vieil homme s' arrête pour acheter des fleurs pour sa femme
(The old man stops at the store to buy his wife some flowers)
Aujourd'hui, c'est le jour de leur mariage, il ne l'a pas oublié
(Today is their wedding day, he didn't forget)
Quand il arrive, elle va à sa rencontre, mais elle a l'air coupable
(When he arrives home his wife walks up to him, but she has a guilty look)
Il y a des larmes sur les fleurs et elle avoue qu'il ne est plus le seul
(Tears fall on the flowers as she admits that he hasn't been her only lover)

Dans la panique il marche vers sa voiture,
(In panic he runs to his car)
Il ne voulait pas savoir, le téléphone, des voix étouffées
(He didn't want to know, the secret phone calls, the whispering voices)
la vitesse de sa voiture, une ombre , un cri, la voiture freine
(The speed of his car, a shadow, a cry, the car stops)
il est arrive a la rue du Nord
(He has arrived on Northstreet)

Les longs cheveux bruns, dans un flaque,
(her long brown hair in a puddle of rain)
son visage blanc, ses yeux ne regardent rien
(Her pale face, her blank stare)
Il ne poura pas la voir ce soir, Il attendra en vain ......
(He won't be seeing her tonight, he will wait for her in vain)
la jeune fille, dans ce petit café... de la rue du Nord
(for the young girl, in that small café.. on Northstreet)

We are Rob Meulman and Anne-Marie Bovenkamp from The Netherlands.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1gsdNLE7_Gy8qavoOplQow/videos
http://rnam.net/