I have always liked this song; it's just so fun and dirty. It was always my sister's favorite song, too. When we were little and my mom first discovered Les Mis by way of PBS telethons, she had taped the 10th Anniversary Concert of the show. According to mom, my sister use to go upstairs, still Mom's slips and lingerie, put them on, and then sit and watch the song over and over. That was, what, 1996? Not much has changed, honestly...
 |
| "Lovely ladies!" Recent London Cast |
The writers of the show, the great Boublil, Schonberg, and Jean-Marc Natel wrote this song so that they could have a lighter number after the big heaping pile of depression that was "L'air de la misère" (see Intro to "J'avais rêvé" vs "I Dreamed a Dream" for more info on that). They didn't want a comic song, persay, but they did want something a little more bouncy to lift the audience's spirits. So they composed "La nuit" and placed it right after "L'air de la misère" and right before "J'avais rêvé." (For those keeping track, the 1980s version would have run "La journée est finie"-->"L'air de la misère"-->"La nuit"-->"J'avais rêvé.")
As far as I know, this song has not been translated anywhere else on the internet. I am working off a very rare audio of the original 1980 cast. I cannot share the entire thing with you all (as much as I'd like to), but I will soon uploadfor you the audio track of "La nuit," so you can follow along and hear how similar yet different the song was in its first incarnation.
Link to song: http://youtu.be/01ui7Cmb-dI
"La nuit":
LES CLIENTS:
La nuit, la nuit on est maitres à bord Nighttime, nightime, we're masters in command
Maitres de la ville pendant que le bourgeois s'endors Master of the town while the bourgeois sleep
La nuit, la nuit, on navigue encore Nighttime, nighttime, we're still sailing
Porté par la houle d'une boussole qui perd le nord Carried by the swell of a compass that's going crazy [lit. "lost the north"]
Où nous déferlons jusqu'à l'aurore Where we unfurl our sails until dawn
*They're labeled "The Clients," but I've 100% convinced these people were meant to be seamen and sailors. I mean, just look at all the nautical references and wordplay.*
LES PUTAINS (The Whores):
La nuit, la nuit, on dérive au port Nighttime, nighttime, we drift to the port
Prêtes à jeter l'ancre pour qulques rares pièces d'or Ready to throw down our anchors for a few rare pieces of gold
La nuit, la nuit, on vend nos trésors Nighttime, nighttime, we sell our treasures
Quelquefois pour rien pour voir si l'coeur bat encore Sometimes for nothing just to see if our hearts still beat
Pour adoucir un peu notre sort ! To soften a bit our lot in life!
L’ACHETEUSE DE CHEVEUX (The Hair-Buying Woman):
Les beaux cheveux, les longs cheveux que voilà Your lovely hair, your lovely hair right there
Les beaux cheveux, les beaux cheveux que tu as Your lovely hair, your lovely hair that you've got
Tu me les vends ? Sell it to me?
Les beaux cheveux, les beaux cheveux que tu as Your lovely hair, your lovely hair that you've got
Tu me les vends ? Sell it to me?
FANTINE:
Laissez-moi, allez-vous en Leave me alone, go away!
Laissez-moi, allez-vous en Leave me alone, go away!
L’ACHETEUSE DE CHEVEUX:
Réfléchis bien Think about it
Je peux t’en donner dix francs I can give you 10 Francs for it
Réfléchis bien ! Think about it!
Réfléchis bien Think about it
Je peux t’en donner dix francs I can give you 10 Francs for it
Réfléchis bien ! Think about it!
FANTINE:
Ma pauvre tête ! My poor head!
L’ACHETEUSE DE CHEVEUX:
Réfléchis bien ! Think about it!
Réfléchis bien ! Think about it!
FANTINE:
C’est pour Cosette It's for Cosette
dix francs déjà que j’enverrai pour la soigner Ten francs is what I'll send to take care of her!
*Listening to that section, you can hear how some things hardly change at all. Now, over 30 years after the show hit the stage at the Palais des Sports in Paris, the modern "Les Mis" contains this exact same section, with almost no changes (she sells her necklace, too, in the modern version, but not here).*
C’est pour Cosette It's for Cosette
dix francs déjà que j’enverrai pour la soigner Ten francs is what I'll send to take care of her!
*Listening to that section, you can hear how some things hardly change at all. Now, over 30 years after the show hit the stage at the Palais des Sports in Paris, the modern "Les Mis" contains this exact same section, with almost no changes (she sells her necklace, too, in the modern version, but not here).*
LES CLIENTS:
La nuit, la nuit on est maitres à bord Nighttime, nighttime, we're masters in command
LES PUTAINS:
La nuit, la nuit, on dérive au port Nighttime, nighttime, we drift to the port
LES CLIENTS:
Maitres de la ville pendant que le bourgeois s'endors Masters of the town while the bourgeois sleep
Maitres de la ville pendant que le bourgeois s'endors Masters of the town while the bourgeois sleep
La nuit, la nuit, on navigue encore Nighttime, nighttie, we're still sailing
LES PUTAINS:
La nuit, la nuit, on vend nos trésors Nighttime, nighttime, we sell our treasure
La nuit, la nuit, on vend nos trésors Nighttime, nighttime, we sell our treasure
LES CLIENTS:
Porté par la houle d'une boussole qui perd le nord Carried by the swell of a compass that's going crazy
TOUS:
Pour adoucir un peu notre sort ! To soften a bit our lot in life!
LES PUTAINS:
Ah ça mon Dieu, si c'est pas malhereux Oh, there, my God, if that isn't so unfortunate
D'avoir gâché d'aussi jolis cheveux Having runied such pretty hair
Qui garniront l'crâne d'une noble rombiere Which will decorate the head of some crazy old noblewoman
Avide encore de plaire avant l'cimetiere Who really wants to please before heading to the cemetery
10 franc, 10 franc, c'est bien moins qu'un client Ten francs, ten francs, that's much less than a client
Viens avec nous Come with us!
*I have to interrupt here and explain. This bit was weird to translate, but I am pretty sure she's talking about the fact that the Hair Buying Woman was gonna make Fantine's hair into a wig and sell it to old middle-class ladies who wanted to look fancy before they die. If anyone else reads something different, please let me know!*
LES PUTAINS:
La vie t'as laisée en rade Life left you out in the cold
T'es pas née du bon coté d'la barricade You weren't born on the right side of the barricade
Viens avec nous, joue ta mauvais chance Come with us, try your bad luck
La vie n'est pas un gala de bienfaisance Life isn't a gala of good-doing
Et si l'homme est parfois trop laid entre tes cuisses Et if the man is sometimes too ugly between your thighs
Ferme les yeux, pense à ton amoureux... Close your eyes, think about your true love...
______
TOUS:
Pour adoucir un peu notre sort ! To soften a bit our lot in life!
LES PUTAINS:
Ah ça mon Dieu, si c'est pas malhereux Oh, there, my God, if that isn't so unfortunate
D'avoir gâché d'aussi jolis cheveux Having runied such pretty hair
Qui garniront l'crâne d'une noble rombiere Which will decorate the head of some crazy old noblewoman
Avide encore de plaire avant l'cimetiere Who really wants to please before heading to the cemetery
10 franc, 10 franc, c'est bien moins qu'un client Ten francs, ten francs, that's much less than a client
Viens avec nous Come with us!
*I have to interrupt here and explain. This bit was weird to translate, but I am pretty sure she's talking about the fact that the Hair Buying Woman was gonna make Fantine's hair into a wig and sell it to old middle-class ladies who wanted to look fancy before they die. If anyone else reads something different, please let me know!*
LES PUTAINS:
La vie t'as laisée en rade Life left you out in the cold
T'es pas née du bon coté d'la barricade You weren't born on the right side of the barricade
Viens avec nous, joue ta mauvais chance Come with us, try your bad luck
La vie n'est pas un gala de bienfaisance Life isn't a gala of good-doing
Et si l'homme est parfois trop laid entre tes cuisses Et if the man is sometimes too ugly between your thighs
Ferme les yeux, pense à ton amoureux... Close your eyes, think about your true love...
______
I can't wait to post the audio for you guys so you can hear this intriguing early version of "Lovely Ladies." Next, I'll return to the current version of the show and we'll talk about "Bamatabois/Fantine's Arrest," which has been slightly different in every French incarnation of the show I've heard. I'll compare the English version to three different French versions--the 1991 Paris cast, the 1999 Antwerp cast, and the most recent French version, the 2008 Quebec cast. I might throw in the 1980 version for good measure. Let me know what you want to read!
Thank you! This is very helpful. I have heard this recording but my French really isn't very good yet (my German is better). It's helpful to read the lyrics and see how much I understood correctly just listening.
ReplyDeleteI have a question. I notice that in several French musicals (and songs) the lyrics aren't always grammatically correct. Do any of the French versions of "Les Mis" have this random use of grammar?
And just for interest, he's my LJ ("Les Mis" tag)
http://digne.livejournal.com/tag/les%20mis
(A) Thanks for the link to your blog! I'll be sure to look through it!
Delete(B) You're welcome for this! I love doing it, and I'm glad you enjoy. Now, I'd like some clarification on your question...what exactly are you referring to? I know a lot of times they sing more informally or colloquially, so things may not seem "correct" but are, in fact, completely acceptable.
(C) Once again, thanks! If you like, shareeeee!!!
A.) You're welcome!
DeleteB.) The musical "Le Roi Soleil" is full of bad French grammer. I don't know how colloquial it is but it isn't "correct" as you say.
C.) I did =)
Oh, gosh "Le Roi Soleil." That's a very modern musical. But, as per the grammar thing, it's just a matter of some shows are composed so they sound like the language as it's spoken, and some are composed to sound more lyrical. The 1991 version of "Les Mis" is a good example of this: the Thénardiers speak very colloquially, and so does Eponine, when she's interacting with them. Take, for example, Eponine's bit during the Attack on Rue Plumet. In English, it's the bit that begins with, "I know this house, I tell you." The Paris version has:
DeleteJ'connais cette taule. Ici,
Y'a pas d'affure pour vous,
Juste le vieux schmock et la môme,
Pas d'oseille et pas d'cailloux.
In more proper French, it would be:
Je connais cet endroit. Ici,
il n'y a pas d'affaire pour vous
Juste le vieil homme et la fille,
Pas d'argent et pas de bijoux.
Into a slang English, we can render that verse as:
I know this joint
There ain't anything here for ya
Just the old geezer and the brat,
No cash, no jewels!
But just think how silly it would sound if the English version were:
I know this area
There isn't anything here for you
Just the old man and the girl
There isn't any money, or any jewels.
So sometimes, when you see "bad grammar," it's just a writer writing like speech is spoken. Yes.
*super late reply is late