French Culture – Summer Music Posted by Tim Hildreth on Aug 11, 2020 in Culture, Language, Music
August is traditionally vacation time in France et qui dit vacances d’été dit chanson d’été (and summer vacation means summer songs) ! This retro hit from the French group Niagara is the perfect way to embrace your beach love if you can’t get there in person.
L’amour à la plage
Niagara was part of the soundtrack of my first summer in France. Their song Tchiki Boum was popular when I spent my first summer in France. Qu’est-ce que j’ai pu danser sur cette chanson en 1985 (Oh how I danced to this song in 1985) !
This clip features a “live”1“Is it live or is it Memorex?” 🙂 performance from a popular evening comedy sketch show that aired on French TV every night after the evening news back in the day.
| Patron : Mais ça va pas ça les artistes. Ça va pas non. | Owner : Hey now, none of that you artists. That’s not right. |
| Patron : Vous venez pour manger tranquillement et au dessert vous me dites ‘eh on n’a pas d’argent’ … | Owner : You come for a nice meal and then at dessert you tell me “sorry, we have no money” |
| Homme : Bas je ne sais pas on a qu’à faire la vaisselle … | Man : Well I don’t know, we could do the dishes … |
| Patron : Nah, la vaisselle ici c’est le chien et le chat qui le font … Alors … | Owner : Nah, the dishes here are done by the dog and the cat … So … |
| Dame : On pourrait vous faire une chanson si vous voulez. | Lady : We could make a song if you want. |
| Parton : Eh une chanson, une chanson, ça, vous voulez une chanson ? | Owner : Oh a song, a song … Do you want a song? |
| La foule : Une chanson ! Une chanson ! | The crowd : A song ! A song! |
| Ce soir | Tonight |
| j’irai danser le mambo | I’ll go danse a mambo |
| Au Royal Casino sous les lambris rococo | At the Casion Royal beneath the rococo ceiling tiles |
| La pluie viendra me faire oublier | The rain will come and make me forget |
| Tu me feras rêver | You will make me dream |
| Comme dans les chansons d’été | Like in those songs of summer |
| C’est l’amour à la plage (ah-ouh, cha cha cha) | It’s love at the beach (ah-ouh, cha cha cha) |
| Et mes yeux dans tes yeux (ah-ouh, ah-ouh) | And my eyes in your eyes (ah-ouh, ah-ouh) |
| Baisers et coquillages (ah-ouh, cha cha cha) | Kisses and seashells (ah-ouh, cha cha cha) |
| Entre toi et l’eau bleue (ah-ouh, ah-ouh) | Between you and the blue water (ah-ouh, ah-ouh) |
| La mer quand vient le temps des vacances | The sea during vacation |
| C’est le temps de la danse entre tes bras toutes les nuits | Is like time spent dancing in your arms each night |
| Et si j’ai le cœur tout retourné | And if my heart is all turned upside down |
| Là je t’embrasserai jusqu’à la fin de l’été | I’ll kiss you there until the end of the summer |
| C’est l’amour à la plage (ah-ouh, cha cha cha) | It’s love at the beach (ah-ouh, cha cha cha) |
| Et mes yeux dans tes yeux (ah-ouh, ah-ouh) | And my eyes in your eyes (ah-ouh, ah-ouh) |
| Baisers et coquillages (ah-ouh, cha cha cha) | Kisses and seashells (ah-ouh, cha cha cha) |
| Entre toi et l’eau bleue (ah-ouh, ah-ouh) | Between you and the blue water (ah-ouh, ah-ouh) |
| Refrain jusqu’à la fin … | Chorus to the end … |
Covid-19 Update
Depuis hier (since yesterday), in response to an uptick in Covid in the region, la ville de Paris (the city of Paris) is requiring le port du masque (the wearing of masks) in specific areas of the city. As of 8 a.m. Monday, masks must be worn in many parts of the city including “des zones touristiques, marchés découverts où rues très commerçantes” including “les quais de Seine, le Canal Saint-Martin, et la Butte Montmartre“ (tourist areas, open markets or commercial streets including the banks of the Seine, the Saint Martin canal, and the hill around Montmartre).
Photo by Sebastian Voortman from Pexels
- 1“Is it live or is it Memorex?” 🙂
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About the Author: Tim Hildreth
Since my first trip to France at 16, I have been a passionate francophile. I love the language, food, music, art, people, and more that make France and la Francophonie in general such an amazing part of our global community. Having lived in France and studied the language and culture for over 35 years, it is my great pleasure to be able to share a little bit of my deep love with you through this blog.