Mon Enfance Lyrics in English Jacques Brel
Below, I translated the lyrics of the song Mon Enfance by Jacques Brel from French to English.
Mon enfance passa de grisailles, en silences
My childhood passed from greyness, in silences
De fausses révérences, en manque de batailles
From false reverences, in lack of battles
L'hiver j'étais au ventre de la grande maison
In winter I was in the belly of the big house
Qui avait jeté l'ancre au nord, parmi les joncs
Which had anchored in the north, among the reeds
L'été à moitié nu, mais tout à fait modeste
In summer half-naked, but quite modest
Je devenais indien, pourtant déjà certain
I became an Indian, yet already certain
Qu'mes oncles repus m'avaient volé le far west
That my well-fed uncles had stolen the Wild West from me
Mon enfance passa les femmes aux cuisines
My childhood passed the women in the kitchens
Où je rêvais de Chine? vieillissaient en repas
Where I dreamed of China? aged in meals
Les hommes au fromage s'enveloppaient de tabac
The men with cheese wrapped themselves in tobacco
Flamands taiseux et sages, et ne me savaient pas
Silent and wise Flemish, and did not know me
Moi qui toutes les nuits, agenouillé pour rien
I who every night, knelt for nothing
Arpégeais mon chagrin au pied du trop grand lit
Played my sorrow at the foot of the too big bed
Je voulais prendre un train que je n'ai jamais pris
I wanted to take a train that I never took
Mon enfance passa de servante en servante
My childhood passed from servant to servant
Je m'étonnais déjà qu'elles ne fussent point plantes
I was already surprised that they were not plants
Je m'étonnais encore de ces ronds de famille
I was still surprised by these family circles
Flânant de mort en mort, et que le deuil habille
Strolling from death to death, and dressed in mourning
Je m'étonnais surtout d'être de ce troupeau
I was especially surprised to be of this herd
Qui m'apprenait à pleurer que je connaissais trop
Who taught me to cry that I knew too well
J'avais l'œil du berger, mais le cœur de l'agneau
I had the eye of the shepherd, but the heart of the lamb
Mon enfance éclata, ce fut l'adolescence
My childhood exploded, it was adolescence
Et le mur du silence un matin se brisa
And the wall of silence one morning broke
Ce fut la première fleur et la première fille
It was the first flower and the first girl
La première gentille et la première peur
The first kind one and the first fear
Je volais, je le jure, je jure que je volais
I flew, I swear, I swear that I flew
Mon cœur ouvrait les bras, je n'étais plus barbare
My heart opened its arms, I was no longer a barbarian
Et la guerre arriva, et nous voilà ce soir
And the war came, and here we are tonight
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Lyrics © WARNER CHAPPELL MUSIC FRANCE, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
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