la mer

Song of the Day: la mer, 1945, Charles Trenet  #203 

I was not going to record this song. It is a travelogue, a paean to the sea. The English version "beyond the sea" by Bobby Darin is a love song, I recorded it. But I got so many compliments on my French in France last year, I decided to do more French songs. 

Here's a translation of the lyrics: 

The sea that we see dancing 
Along the clear gulfs 
Has silver reflections, the sea 
Changing reflections in the rain 

The sea in the summer sky 
Confuses his white sheep 
With the clouds so pure, the sea 
Shepherdess of infinite azure 

See, near the ponds, 
These big wet reeds 

See those white birds 
And these rusty houses 

The sea rocked them 
Along the clear gulfs 
And of a love song the sea 
Rocked my heart for life for life for life

 

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