French Language Blog
Menu
Search

Who Is Up for Some French Tango? Posted by on Nov 25, 2012 in Music, Vocabulary

Did you know that although Tango is originally Argentinian, the first Tango song ever to be recorded was performed by the French Garde nationale in Paris, supposedly because there was no recording studio available in Argentina at that time?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3bfsFgH6uc

Zofka – “I’ve Seen That Face Before”

Strange, I’ve seen that face before, 

Étrange, j’ai vu ce visage auparavant, 

Seen him hanging ’round my door,

Je l’ai vu traîner près de ma porte,

Like a hawk stealing for the prey, 

Tel un faucon prêt à dérober sa proie,

Like the night waiting for the day, 

Telle la nuit attendant le jour,

Strange, he shadows me back home, 

Étrange, il me file jusqu’à chez moi,

Footsteps echo on the stones, 

Des échos de pas résonnent sur les pierres, 

Rainy nights, on Hausmann Boulevard, 

Nuits pluvieuses, sur le boulevard Haussmann,

Parisian music, drifting from the bars, 

Musique parisienne, émanant des bars,

Tu cherches quoi, rencontrer la mort?

What are you looking for, meeting death?

Tu te prends pour qui, toi aussi tu detestes la vie?

Who do you think you are, you too hate life?

Dance in bars and restaurants

Danse dans des bars et des restaurants

Home with anyone who wants, 

Rentre avec quiconque le veut,

Strange he’s standing there alone,

Étrange, il est debout là-bas tout seul, 

Staring eyes chill me to the bone 

Un regard qui me pétrifie jusqu’à la moelle 

Dans sa chambre, Joel et sa valise, 

In his room, Joel and his suitcase

Un regard sur ses fringues, 

A glance over his clothes

Sur les murs, des photos,

On the walls, pictures,

Sans regret, sans mélo, 

No regrets, no soppy

La porte est claquée, Joel est barré.

The door is slammed, Joel’s gone.

Strange… I’ve heard this song before:

Astor Piazzolla – Libertango 

 

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