"The Lion Sleeps Tonight" alternative French translation

"The Lion Sleeps Tonight" dates back 1939 with a recording from Zulu singing group Solomon Kalinda and the Evening Birds. The song's original lyrics, if translated, were very sparse. "Big lion, you bring us luck, big lion, big lion, big lion" - so Pete Seeger, who popularized the song in English, wrote the lyrics we are familiar with. Henri Salvador sung a version of it in French telling a story of village celebration because a lion was killed. Instead of "the lion sleeps tonight" the French sing "the lion was killed tonight." I never liked the French lyrics - hated them, in fact. The song is rhythmical and highlighted by soulful wailing and minor chords, so the celebrating village story didn't match the mood of the music.

I made some changes. I refer to the savanna (savane) rather than the jungle, for two reasons. One, Seeger didn't realize that lions don't live in the jungle. Two, the word "savane" is more "singable" than "jungle" - especially in French.

I also emphasized the love story in the night aspect. The savanna is scary, the village is gossipy, but fear not, my love, you will find safety from angry roaring lions in my sweet savanna and my sweet village where lions sleep all night, if you hold my hand.

Dans la savane, terrifiante savane, le lion fâché rugit
Dans ma savane, ma douce savane, le lion dort toute la nuit

Près du village, l'indiscret village, le lion fâché rugit
Près du village, mon galant village, le lion dort toute la nuit

Viens mon ami(e), ne crains pas chéri(e), le lion dort cette nuit
Viens mon ami(e), prend ma douce main, le lion dort cette nuit

Charles Aznavour's "La Bohème" English translation

Let me speak of a time
That all youth in their prime
May think of as a dream
Montmar-tre, as it was
Lilacs bowing for us
So fragrant in the nights.

Though the flat that we shared
And the home where we loved
Was often lamented
It remains where we met
When I was penniless,
You modeled in the raw

La bohème, la bohème
To us it meant
Felicity
La bohème, la bohème
Often the larder was bare

In the nearby cafés
Lingered a few of us
Wh'were destined for repute
And while so destitute,
Ever lean and famished,
In fame we all believed.

And on days when an inn
Would serve us a good meal
For the price of a sketch
We'd sing our poetry
Embers glowing gently
Winter, a memory

A dire par la bouche

Sous une bûche de pruche
Une fourche cache une ruche
Sur une souche louche
Les mouches à miel
Se réchauffent.

Risettes à lunettes

Des filettes entêtées
Mettent la cueuillette en brouette
Courgettes, betteraves et pommettes.

Dans leurs pochettes, des rainettes
Comme des sonnettes, des clochettes, même
Emettent des chansonnettes.

Au haut d'un faîte, en cachette
Une poulette muette guette
Toutes ces tristounettes saynettes.

Ce qui luit

Puisqu'une nuit de suie, luit,
Sous une pluie sans bruit, qui détruit
L'ennui ruisselle, fluide, et s'enfuit.

Depuis minuit, épuisée, je m'essuie
J'ai ouï le fond du puit et songé à lui,
Me voici éblouie par la bruine.

Ouille!

Une grenouille sur une quenouille
Pique une fouille
S'embrouille et se mouille

Une grenouille sur du fenouil
Pique une fouille
S'embrouille et se souille

Quelle magouille!

Glou glou

Dîne, dindon dodu, dîne
Dors, dindon dodo, dors
Danse, dindon dada, danse!