Le Parapluie: Another Brassens Translation

by Jack Foley

The translations of Georges Brassens’ songs which appeared originally in The Alsop Review were collected into a little chapbook: Some Songs By Georges Brassens (Goldfish Press, 2001). About that chapbook Adrienne Rich wrote, “Your translations are terrific. I’m grateful for all you do, but especially your introducing Georges Brassens to new listeners.” And Lawrence Ferlinghetti wrote, “You have made a great fusion of Parigot lingo and Amurrican idiom. Bravo!”

This is still another translation of a Brassens song. “Le Parapluie” (“The Umbrella”) is an early (1952) piece which suggests Brassens’ ability to take a simple incident and make it into a memorable song—one which suggests the haunting erotic quality of the stranger, the lover we didn’t have. In French, the words for “umbrella” (“parapluie”) and “paradise” (“paradis”) sound very similar. Unfortunately, in English, “umbrella” and “paradise” are worlds apart.

Le Parapluie

Il pleuvait fort sur la grand-route,
Ell’cheminait sans parapluie,
J’en avais un, volé sans doute
Le matin même à un ami.
Courant alors à sa rescousse,
Je lui propose un peu d’abri
En séchant l’eau de sa frimousse,
D’un air très doux ell’ m’a dit oui.

Refrain

Un p’tit coin d’ parapluie,
Contre un coin d’ Paradis.
Elle avait quelque chos’ d’un ange,
Un p’tit coin d’ Paradis,
Contre un coin d’ parapluie,
Je n’ perdais pas au change,
Pardi!

Chemin faisant que ce fut tendre
D’ouïr à deux le chant joli
Que l’eau du ciel faisait entendre
Sur le toit de mon parapluie.
J’aurais voulu comme au déluge,
Voir sans arrêt tomber la pluie,
Pour la garder sous mon refuge,
Quarante Jours, quarante nuits.

Un p’tit coin d’ parapluie,
Contre un coin d’ Paradis.
Elle avait quelque chos’ d’un ange,
Un p’tit coin d’ Paradis,
Contre un coin d’ parapluie,
Je n’ perdais pas au change,
Pardi!

Mais bêtement, même en orage,
Les routes vont vers des pays.
Bientôt le sien fit un barrage
A l’horizon de ma folie.
Il a fallu qu’elle me quitte,
Après m’avoir dit grand merci.
Et je l’ai vue toute petite
Partir gaiement vers mon oubli.

Un p’tit coin d’ parapluie,
Contre un coin d’ Paradis.
Elle avait quelque chos’ d’un ange,
Un p’tit coin d’ Paradis,
Contre un coin d’ parapluie,
Je n’ perdais pas au change,
Pardi!

The Umbrella

It’s raining hard, she’s on the roadway
But no umbrella protects this gal
I’m holding one, you know I stole it
That very morning from a pal
Gallant I run to make a rescue
I say, “My dear, this rain’s a mess.
Would you slip under my new umbrella?”
With a sweet smile she answered “Yes.”

This umbrella it buys
Such a sweet paradise
She’s an angel, her wings are haunting
Such a sweet paradise
My umbrella it buys
The exchange didn’t leave me wanting

Ah,lovely road, how tender was it
The rain played songs I’m dreaming of
It played upon my new umbrella
It rained a melody of love
I could have wished that I were Noah
Back when the rain reached record heights
I’d keep her safe beneath my shelter
For forty days and forty nights

This umbrella it buys
Such a sweet paradise
She’s an angel, her wings are haunting
Such a sweet paradise
My umbrella it buys
The exchange didn’t leave me wanting

But damn it all, in storm or sunshine,
These roads all lead to--where they go
She said, “Right here is where I’m going,”
While I thought to myself, “Ah, no!”
She had to leave and thanked me sweetly
I said, “I’m glad to help you, dear.”
She went inside and left me standing
And quite forgot that I was here

This umbrella it buys
Such a sweet paradise
She’s an angel, her wings are haunting
Such a sweet paradise
My umbrella it buys
The exchange didn’t leave me wanting