A blast from the distant past...
I normally post a few lyrics from our soundtracks but there's no need tonight, coz the lyrics are in the vid. This tune reminds me of my childhood and my Mom, who would take me in her arms and waltz me around the room to this tune all those many years ago. I loved those times but I'd have been loath to admit it to anyone, had they known. It's just one of those thangs, yanno?
So. We're in for our first refill, after having taken dinner at one of our favorite watering holes this evening. I'd have lingered in the bar after dinner, had not the air conditioning been set at a frosty 68 degrees (my best guess). It was freakin' COLD in there, Gentle Reader, and I felt relieved when I emerged into the 90 degree temps after that chilling experience. Our temps have moderated to a comfortable 86 degrees as we speak, which feels wonderful. It's a balmy night and we shall make the most of it.
Unless you've had French in school, which is almost a dead language in the USA, living way below Spanish now, you wouldn't realize how the language comes alive in lyric and poetry.
ReplyDeleteHard enough to learn the regular pronunciations, but in lyrics the artist can make the mutes come alive, such as "ewnuh" for feminine 'une', rather than the plain old "ewn".
Ah well, I do go on...
Well, DO go on. I love the rhythms and the lilting quality of the French language, especially in song, and especially when sung by Piaf. I took seven years of French, btw... three years in grade school (DoD Schools policy was yer host country's language was a REQUIRED subject; that was in the '50s) and four years in high school for the easy "A" that was innit.
DeleteMy French teacher in my senior year of HS was THE most insufferable bitch who ever walked. She found a way to work into any and nearly every conversation the fact she'd studied at the Sorbonne, yet her pronunciation simply sucked. Can you imagine French spoken with a midwest twang? That was she. We hated each other and I took GREAT pleasure in correcting that windbag's dismal attempts at speaking the language. I was kinda insufferable myself, at age 17... imagine that.
Like you, my American French teacher was a [expletives deleted] and I learned more on my own, then those stupid records she played in class. It didn't dawn on me until later, that she hardly ever spoke French. I took the D and was able to graduate without summer school remedial.
DeleteFunny how those memories come alive with music from our past. I'm planning a trip to Paris this spring.
ReplyDeleteReally!?! Need a bag-boy?
DeleteMe! Me! raises hand like a 3rd grader...
DeleteActually, I'd really like to fly to London, rent a VW bus, and drive to Nice on a two week adventure, with the chunnel included of course. I'm not much for big cities and museums, but I think I would enjoy terrorizing the natives.
I'm pretty good at terrorizing the natives too. I have references in that space. ;-)
DeleteHere's some funny French light humour
ReplyDeleteEddie Izzard - Learning French
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1sQkEfAdfY
Thanks for that! I watched a few more of his clips and his "Latin" routine really cracked me up (as did the French one).
DeleteNeat, Buck!
ReplyDeleteBig Eddie Izzard fan here, since he did that little show about travelling con-artists... let's see.... Ah. The Riches, with Minnie Driver.
Steve Martin did a standup essay about his trip to Paris, too. A Guy chokes, medical authorities are called. "What happened? What happened?" "He spoke French!"
Buck, try Taco's version of La Vie en Rose-- Lileks would be proud of your Techno savvy. Also, I have it by Belinda Carlisle (of her own fame, but mainly known as lead singer of the Go-Go's [punctuated correctly]). On her album Voila, there are two versions, French and English.
I took two years of French in high school. Made me want to visit Montreal. I tried, spending my last dime but only made it to Oshawa on the '78 KZ-650, just making it home in time to leave for bootcamp.
Thanks, Bob. You'd have liked Montreal as a young man. Hell, I loved it as an old married geezer, and I went in the dead o' winter, too. Thanks for the music recommendations. I have a couple o' Go-Go's (Carlisle) albums, too, but not Voila.
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