Mon Amie La Rose

In my last post I wrote about a song over which I have been obsessing. This sort of thing happens to me from time to time; I suspect I'm not alone in that regard. On an even earlier post I received a comment from Kate Smudges, who, as far as I know, was a new visitor to this blog (this is going somewhere. Really.) I try to check out the blogs of any visitors who choose to make themselves known, both out of courtesy and because it's a great way to find new and interesting blogs to keep me from engaging in real life. In typical Enriched Geranium fashion, it took me a couple of days to get over to her blog, but make it there I did, and I came across this post. For reasons that will most likely be obvious, it reminded me of another song over which I obsessed a while back, although the perspective of the song differs greatly from that of Kate's post. The name of the song is Mon Amie La Rose. A poem by Cécile Caulier and Jacques Lacombe, it was first recorded in 1964 by Francoise Hardy. Natacha Atlas sang it when she last came to Madison and I knew I had heard it somewhere before, but I couldn't remember where, when or by whom. After hearing Natacha Atlas perform it I couldn't get the darned thing out of my head for weeks. Then I read Kate Smudges' post and now it's running through my head again. Like the Fairport Convention song in the post previous to this one, there are some interesting musical quirks in it which I won't go into or this post will become entirely too long.

Here's the English translation of the lyrics (taken from a Natacha Atlas fansite) for those, like me, who don't know enough French to understand it, followed by the Natacha Atlas video. I have no idea what the deal is with some of the images in the video (the fighting couple, etc.). Maybe it's supposed to represent a typical nightclub scene. I don't know. I'd prefer to see either Ms. Atlas and her band or nothing and just listen rather than have some video producer impose their "artistic vision" on the song. I must be getting old. Personally, I'd recommend ignoring the video and, unless you're fluent in French, read the translation while listening. I suppose I ought to warn you, it's not exactly an uplifting song and Natacha Atlas can rip your heart out with her voice. I guess I like that sort of thing. Sick, I know. Thanks for indulging me my little obsessions.

We amount to very little
And my friend the rose
Told me that this morning
I was born at dawn
Baptized by the dew
I opened in full bloom
Happy and in love
In the sunshine
I closed up at night
I woke up having turned old
Yet I had been beautiful
Yes, I was the most beautiful
Flower in your garden

We amount to very little
And my friend the rose
Told me that this morning
See god who made me
Made me bow my head
And I feel like I'm falling
And I feel like I'm falling
My heart is almost bare
I have one foot in the tomb
Already I am no more
Only yesterday you were admiring me
And I will be dust
Tomorrow forever more

We amount to very little
And my friend the rose
Died this morning
The moon last night
Watched over my friend
In a dream I saw
Her dazzling, naked
Soul that danced
Way above the clouds
And which smiled at me
Believe it he who can
Myself, I need hope
Otherwise I am nothing

We amount to very little
And my friend the rose
Told me that this morning
See god who made me
Made me bow my head
And I feel like I'm falling
And I feel like I'm falling
My heart is almost bare
I have one foot in the tomb
Already I am no more
Only yesterday you were admiring me
And I will be dust
Tomorrow forever more