Vienna’s new album was released in Europe last week. Here’s a quick translation of a song (“the emo sad song”) off it.
(And in other news: I miss my translation class terribly. I think the prof who taught it has retired now; he’s no longer listed on the department website anywhere, nor do I see his name on the French faculty list posted in BuTo. Pity. He was quick and witty and cutting, equally at ease in English and French, and made me want to do well. Not that I ever don’t want to do well. But I’m not as motivated in some classes.)
le soleil se couche dans un mer de nuages bruns sur la terre agricole 1This line kept going on and on… and so did the next one. English has this punchiness that French lacks.
lignes électriques drapés au-dessus des routes où rouler pendant des jours
ben, c’est trop parfait
c’est temps de nous tourner sur nous-mêmes
infinies et vides, comme le Kansas 2Interpretation! “empty and endless” could refer to the people in the song, or to the cities…. I chose the cities.
nos villes de nuages
plates sur la table comme le Kansas
je me couche dans des draps soudainement usés
chaque mur contre lequel je m’appuie change en baie vitrée, en air
ben, j’espère que la tienne est plus gentille 3Interpretation again. “la tienne” seemed most natural with the “find her” in the next line.
laisse ça tomber quand tu la trouveras
enterre ça profondémment 4“hard” = “deep”, yes?
en-dessous de ta toile blanche
nos maisons de cartes
plates sur la table comme le Kansas
ce n’est pas du regret
juste une comptabilisation inattendue des dettes
qu’on vient à l’instant d’appeler
ce n’est pas du regret
juste un souvenir, voilà tout
du quel point nous y étions proches 5this construction–“how close X is (to)”–is a difficult one to express in French. I’m not entirely satisfied with what I have here.
la guerre presque gagnée
mais j’ai hissé notre drapeau et me suis mise en route
toi et moi
perdus au hiver comme le Kansas
et tous mes adieux
plats sur la tables comme le Kansas
| ↑1 | This line kept going on and on… and so did the next one. English has this punchiness that French lacks. |
|---|---|
| ↑2 | Interpretation! “empty and endless” could refer to the people in the song, or to the cities…. I chose the cities. |
| ↑3 | Interpretation again. “la tienne” seemed most natural with the “find her” in the next line. |
| ↑4 | “hard” = “deep”, yes? |
| ↑5 | this construction–“how close X is (to)”–is a difficult one to express in French. I’m not entirely satisfied with what I have here. |