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The Poet in Francoise Hardy
“A
Quoi Ca Sert” is one
of the four Francoise Hardy songs chosen to depict four seasons in Francois
Ozon’s new movie “Jeune et Jolie” (“Young
and Beautiful”), which was nominated for the Palme d’Or award at the May 2013
Cannes Film Festival and will be released in France this August. Marine Vacth,
French model-turned-actress who plays the leading role of seventeen-year-old
Isabelle, shot to fame as the film premiered at the Festival. The story follows
Isabelle in a one-year span, who leads a double life as a student and a
high-class prostitute.
The song title of the
official English adaption is “Why Even Try”.
“A Quoi Ca Sert” (“How
Would It Help”):-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZPriwkS7K4&list=FLlMBDFYTe8MGL_Z6TJc6LOg&index=1
Comme toi j'ai un cœur
Qui ne peut rien promettre
A qui l'amour fait peur
Mais qui t'aime peut-être
A quoi ça sert de le cacher?
A quoi ça sert d'y échapper?
Je n'ai rien à t'offrir
Que ce que mes yeux voient
Tu ne veux pas souffrir
Mais qui ne souffre pas?
A quoi ça sert de l'éviter?
A quoi ça sert de t'en aller?
A rester dans ta tour d'ivoire
En broyant du rose ou du noir
Tout seul - tout seul
Comme on n'est pas très malheureux
On oublie qu'on n'est pas heureux
Tout seul, tout seul
Je n'ai que les étoiles
Et rien d'autre pour toi
Si l'on doit se faire mal
C'est la vie qui veut ça
A quoi ça sert de rester seul?
A quoi ça sert de vivre seul?
Je n'ai que les étoiles
Et rien d'autre pour toi
Si l'on doit se faire mal
C'est la vie qui veut ça
A quoi ça sert de rester seul?
A quoi ça sert de vivre seul tout seul?
My
English Rendition of the Lyrics:-
Like you I have a heart,
That can promise
nothing,
That is frightened by
love,
But that loves you
perhaps.
How would it help, hiding
from it?
How would it help, slipping away?
I have nothing to offer
you,
Except what my eyes can
see.
You don’t want to get
hurt,
But who doesn’t get hurt?
How would it help, avoiding
it?
How would it help, walking
away?
Staying in your ivory
tower,
Grinding to red or to
black.
All alone, all alone.
When you’re not very
unhappy,
You forget that you are
not happy.
All alone, all alone.
I have nothing but the
stars,
And nothing else to
share.
If we must cause us pain,
It is life that wants that.
How would it help, staying
alone?
How would it help, living alone?
I have nothing but the
stars,
And nothing else to
share.
If we must cause us pain,
It is life that wants that.
How would it help, staying
alone?
How would it help, living
alone, all alone?
Here
are links to my previously published translations of other French songs:-
N’y A Pas d’Amour Heureux”
Temps de L’Amour” and “La Mer”
Feuilles Mortes” by
Suis Un Homme” by
A Le Droit” by Bruel,