Aug 4, 2010

Jacques Brel, "Ne Me Quitte Pas"

I offer this as follow-up to the discussion on yesterday's post. It doesn't help with the question of translation, but here are four versions of the song--which, by the way, I'm starting to like more, including Brel's own performance.

If I hear those first five notes in my sleep, there's gonna be trouble.


YouTube - Jacques Brel - Ne Me Quitte Pas

YouTube - If you go away - Scott W

YouTube - TERRY JACKS - IF YOU GO AWAY

YouTube - Ne Me Quitte Pas: If You Go Away (by Patricia Kaas)












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6 comments:

  1. AnonymousAugust 5, 2010 at 11:28 AM

    Those are some charming photos.

    I'll listen to all of them later, because I'm curious. But you know the sentiment and literal translation of Ne Me Quitte Pas is not the passive "If you go away." It's the much more passionate "Don't leave me."

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  2. Pasadena AdjacentAugust 5, 2010 at 2:24 PM

    like Brel's version best but after that I go off track and switch over to Dusty Springfield. A voice like honey

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  3. Banjo52August 5, 2010 at 4:13 PM

    AH, I did recently read that change in translation somewhere, and yes, it's very different. I feel as if I've started a Ph.D. in Jacques Brel. Knowing about 5 words of French is a handicap.

    Thanks about the photos. How dumb is this: it never occurred to me to look for hummingbirds in the wild. They were that associated with feeders in my mind. But this guy kind of jumped out at me.

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  4. Banjo52August 5, 2010 at 4:18 PM

    PA, I probably agree, but what really struck me on YouTube was the variety and abundance of good versions.

    By the way, a confession: I'd never heard of Tommy Jacks, and I didn't connect the English and French versions till somebody spelled it out for me.

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  5. -K-August 6, 2010 at 4:22 PM

    There's a "What might have been" story to that middle photo.

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  6. Banjo52August 6, 2010 at 5:04 PM

    K, I agree. And/or some ghost speaker on a rickety podium, to an overgrown (yet pretty) field. Is that too literary? Over-much?

    I can't figure out what it once was. Thanks for noticing--the notion of it as a mystery means more coming from an expert like you.

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