Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Ne Me Quitte Pas


Too bad for the non French speaking world that Jacques Brel is inaccessible because of the artistry of his language. He was an iconic, unique, passionate artist. He wrote songs that swept in a tsunami of emotion. Words flowed like an unstoppable inevitable volcanic eruption. This piece, Ne Me Quitte Pas, which translates to, Don't Leave Me
was recorded in 1959. It is significant that his arranger, the pianist on this piece is now working as the arranger for one of France's premier rap/poets, Abd Al-Malik who produces cross over jazz classical hip hop verbal socialogical avalanches of his own....
Brel was a star that that burned too briefly. He wrote many songs and recorded many records. He wrote the musical, The Man of LaMancha and had embarked on a film acting carreer when he died of lung cancer in 1976.
His film, L'emmerdeur with Lino Ventura is proof of his ability....

Do not leave me now We must just forget
Yes, we can forget All that’s flown beyond
Let’s forget the time The misunderstands
And the wasted time To find out how To forget these hours
Which sometimes kill The blows of why, A heart full of joy.
Do not leave me now Do not leave me now Do not leave me now Do not leave me now
I offer you Pearls of rain Coming from the lands Where it never rains
I will cross the world Till after my death To cover your bosom With gold and light
I will make a kingdom where love will be king W here love will be the law
Where you will be queen
Do not leave me now Do not leave me now Do not leave me now Do not leave me now
I Will invent for you The insane words That you’ll understand And I will tell you
Of these lovers who Were seen twice With their hearts in blaze
I will say in detail The story of this king Dead, from having not Encountered you.
Do not leave me now Do not leave me now Do not leave me now Do not leave me now
One often recalls Flames light anew From an old volcano Thought to be too old.
It appears that The scorched fields Can give more corn Than the best of springs.
And when evening comes In this blazing sky The red and the night Marry nevermore.
Do not leave me now Do not leave me now Do not leave me now Do not leave me now Do not leave me now
I will cry no more I will talk no more Will hide somehow
Just to look at youDance and smile
And to hear you Sing and then laugh
Do not leave me now

Do not leave me now

4 comments:

Unknown said...

I've never heard of him, but I'm certainly no francophile.

I can see what you mean about his artistry.

Anonymous said...

Good heavens you must be old. The only association that most Anglos have with Brel now is that dreadful
high school play, Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris. Part of the problem is that translations of his works have been so lacking in his emotional content that they have never attracted much attention ("Ne Me Quitte Pas" is a case in point.)

Perhaps when those of us still part of the Anglo-American world begin to learn, understand, and use a few other languages we will be able to appreciate artists like Brel.

In passing, I do wonder why Brel was buried in the Marquesas (not far from Gauguin).

microdot said...

Old? I guess in chronological yers, perhaps depending on your perspective, yes, I will be 59 this year.
But, my excitement about music is timeless, if you check out the back pages here, there is rap, there is rock and blues and jazz and classical.
I like Brel more and more because I am becoming more and more able to understand French and I see him as a stylistic originator of much of what has happened in French pop over the last 40 years.
You have to be able to dust off the the mold and look at the past with fresh eyes to really innovate, anticipate and appreciate the future.

M said...

I love that song and the presentation is spine tingling. I've only heard it before.

I never thought to check youtube for some of the 'not as contemporary' music I've been listening to.