French Language Blog
Menu
Search

Closing the Semaine: Jacques Brel with Zangra Posted by on Apr 4, 2011 in Music, Vocabulary

Jacques Brel’s “Zangra” (compared in detail in a previous post with Gaddafi‘s “Zenga Zenga) brings “la semaine Brel” to an official close!

* * *

JACQUES BREL — “ZANGRA”

Je m’appelle Zangra et je suis lieutenant

My name is Zangra and I am a lieutenant

Au fort de Belonzio qui domine la plaine

At the Belonzio Fort that dominates the plain

D’où l’ennemi viendra qui me fera héros

From where the enemy shall come and make me a hero

En attendant ce jour, je m’ennuie quelquefois

Until that day, I am sometimes bored

Alors, je vais au bourg voir les filles en troupeaux

So, I go to the market town to see girls in herds

Mais elles rêvent d’amour et moi de mes chevaux

But they dream of love, and me of my horses

Je m’appelle Zangra et déjà capitaine

My name is Zangra and already Captain

Au fort de Belonzio qui domine la plaine

At the Belonzio Fort that dominates the plain

D’où l’ennemi viendra qui me fera héros

From where the enemy shall come and make me a hero

En attendant ce jour, je m’ennuie quelquefois

Until that day, I am sometimes bored

Alors, je vais au bourg voir la jeune Consuelo

So, I go to the market town to see the young Consuelo*

[* Possibly a reference to George Sand‘s novel, “Consuelo, which was based on the life of Pauline Viardot, the French mezzo-soprano to whom the “Samson and Delilah“opera was dedicated]

Mais elle parle d’amour et moi de mes chevaux

But she speaks about love and I speak about my horses

Je m’appelle Zangra, maintenant commandant

My name is Zangra, now a major

Au fort de Belonzio qui domine la plaine

At the Belonzio fort that dominates the plain

D’où l’ennemi viendra qui me fera héros

From where the enemy shall come and make me a hero

En attendant ce jour, je m’ennuie quelquefois

Until that day, I am sometimes bored

Alors, je vais au bourg, boire avec Don Pedro

So, I go to the market town, to drink with Don Pedro

Il boit à mes amours et moi à ses chevaux

He drinks to my loves and I, to his horses

Je m’appelle Zangra, je suis vieux colonel

My name is Zangra, I am old colonel

Au fort de Belonzio qui domine la plaine

At the Belonzio Fort that dominates the plain

D’où l’ennemi viendra qui me fera héros

From where the enemy shall come and make me a hero

En attendant ce jour, je m’ennuie quelquefois

Until that day, I am sometimes bored

Alors, je vais au bourg, voir la veuve de Pedro

So, I go to the market town, to see Pedro’s widow

Je parle enfin d’amour mais elle de mes chevaux

I finally talk about love but she talks about my horses

Je m’appelle Zangra, hier trop vieux général

My name is Zangra, yesterday too old of a general

J’ai quitté Belonzio qui domine la plaine

I left Belonzio that dominates the plain

Et l’ennemi est là, je ne serai pas héros

And the enemy is here; I shall not be a hero

Tags: , , , ,
Keep learning French with us!

Build vocabulary, practice pronunciation, and more with Transparent Language Online. Available anytime, anywhere, on any device.

Try it Free Find it at your Library
Share this:
Pin it