217 replies to this topic

[angeluk2]

Firstly I wanted to start this topic by saying to the mods/admin that I have done a search and cant seem to find a topic recently that only contains English translations of Celine's French songs.
I also wanted to Say to everyone that I only wish this topic to contain translations of her songs,I know we already have a topic discussing whether they should be SUNG in English,this is NOT what I am doing on this topic.
I do believe that some of the meaning and mood can be lost in translation(forgive the film reference ),but I always translate the songs I listen to in other languages so to get the general idea what a song is about(although i know this is not important to some).I have also seen on many occasions others ask for translations of some songs,so I thought this topic would be a good idea,and I have been thinking about this for a while!
This topic will be open to everyone to post translations and requests.

Before we start posting translations can I have a little feed back just to check this topic is OK with you all?Its purely for song translations and requests.

Admin Edit:
Below are the songs already translated in this thread, please go through the next pages to find them.

Le Blues Du Businessman
Billy
Aun Existe Amor (Spanish)
On S'est Aime A Cause
Immensite
Je Cherche L'ombre
Lettre De George Sand à Alfred De Musset
Comment T'aimer
Sur Le Même Bateau
Cherche Encore
Je Ne Vous Oublie Pas
S'il N'en Restait Qu'une (Je Serais Celle-là)
Berceuse
Je Danse Dans Ma Tête
Je Ne Suis Pas Celle
Nadie Lo Entiende (Spanish)
Sola otra vez (Spanish)
Be The Man (Japanese)
La Diva
Femme Comme Chacune
En Attendant Ses Pas
Tonight We Dance
Je Crois Toi
I Believe In You
Tous Les Secrets
Terre
Pour Que Tu Maimes Encore- version sung by Celine's family for her Birthday.

Edited by Koolan, 19 January 2009 - 11:23 AM.
Added the names of the translated songs

[Soloni]

Cool topic ... i have some i will post in a while

Edited by Soloni, 16 June 2008 - 12:29 PM.

[angeluk2]

yey! Great,thank you

[angeluk2]

tonybower, on Jun 3 2008, 06:38 PM, said:

Le blues du businessman

I’ve been successful in business
I’ve been successful in my relationships,
I often change my secretary…
I have my office at the top of a high tower
From where I can see the whole city
From where I control my universe

I spend half my time in the air
Between new york and Singapore
I always travel first class
I have a second home in all the Hiltons of the land
I cannot bear poverty

I’m not happy, though it might seem I am
I lost my sense of humour when I discovered my business sense
I’ve succeeded and I’m proud of it
Deep down, I only regret one thing
I’m not doing what I would have liked to do

I (would have liked) wanted to be an artist
To have my moment of glory
When the plane touches down in Rotterdam or in Rio
I wanted to be a singer
To be able to sing about who I am
I wanted to be a writer
To be able to invent my life

I wanted to be an actor
To change my identity every day
To be beautiful
on the big (coloured) screen

I wanted to be an artist
To be able to improve the world
I wanted to be an anarchist
And live like a millionaire x2

I wanted to be an artist
To be able to say why I exist.

This translation was on another post and im hoping tonybower doesnt mind me posting it here,but it was an excellent translation and just what we need for this topic!!

[tal-sh2]

Almost all of Celine's songs translation can be found on www.celinedionweb.com and on CelinePassion.
So if someone want to request something, check in them first.

Edited by tal-sh2, 16 June 2008 - 01:56 PM.

[angeluk2]

Ok thankyou for letting us know ,i didnt realise they had the English translations of the songs on these sites.Im glad i started this topic,otherwise i and possibly others,wouldnt have known about the translations   

[SensationalCeline]

I like this topic.  I always wanted to know the english translations of Pour Que Tu M'aime Encore and A Cause.  Also Billy and Comment t'aimer.   Thank you so much for starting this topic.  I hope it will help me to understand her songs better.  I was going to take French next year at my school but my French teacher left so now I have no choice but to take spanish because it is the only language at our school which sucks...... But, thanks again for this topic.  I'm hoping someone could help me with these songs.

[CelineAndRene]

PQTME is on youtube.. at least it was...

[celineargento]

Does this topic apply only to her French songs? Because I could help translating her Spanish songs into English, just like grobandion did with "aun existe amor" by request of tonybower
I could do "Amar haciendo el amor" or the gem "Nadie lo entiende" by Cafe Quijano.

[angeluk2]

OOOOHHH yes! please translate her Spanish songs    

Also where is this translation of aun existe amor please?

Edited by angeluk2, 17 June 2008 - 04:23 PM.

[angeluk2]

SensationalCeline, on Jun 17 2008, 02:11 AM, said:

I like this topic.  I always wanted to know the english translations of Pour Que Tu M'aime Encore and A Cause.  Also Billy and Comment t'aimer.   Thank you so much for starting this topic.  I hope it will help me to understand her songs better.  I was going to take French next year at my school but my French teacher left so now I have no choice but to take spanish because it is the only language at our school which sucks...... But, thanks again for this topic.  I'm hoping someone could help me with these songs.

I really should spend more time on this translation to make it make more sense,but then sometimes it just doesnt sound right in english although you know what it means.so please keep this in mind when reading the translations

Ok iv only got Billy for now(and its really long,and im tired ):

BILLY

Give me the world for one day
And all I need to
Write a song
Give me things to say
To those who will suffer
While we're dancing

You that lives inside my heart
To double my happiness
It would enough tomorrow
That this world torn away
To heal its wounds
Find itself a magician

Billy as long as you love me
That my name coils around your name
If people love each other
Like we love each other
The magicians will come back

I was born near the spring
And I saw The Great Bear
At the sky of my house
I met with shepherds
Who made me travel
Much more than reason

And if it still exists out there some places
Where sometimes deserts turned into flowers
That's because everything is in our hands
And that we can't do a thing to stop life

Billy as long as you love me
That my name coils around your name
If people love each other
Like we love each other
The magicians will come back

Give me the world for one day
And all I need to
Write a song
Give me things to say
To those who will suffer
While we're dancing

If there still are rain makers
We can also find
Beautiful days makers
Give them the world for a day
And you'll see that love
Can last long

Billy as long as you love me
That my name coils around your name
If people love each other
Like we love each other
The magicians will come back

If people love each other
Like we love each other
The magicians will come back

PHEW! that was with the help of a translator site as well so please dont think it was all me

[SensationalCeline]

angeluk2, on Jun 17 2008, 06:21 PM, said:

SensationalCeline, on Jun 17 2008, 02:11 AM, said:

I like this topic.  I always wanted to know the english translations of Pour Que Tu M'aime Encore and A Cause.  Also Billy and Comment t'aimer.   Thank you so much for starting this topic.  I hope it will help me to understand her songs better.  I was going to take French next year at my school but my French teacher left so now I have no choice but to take spanish because it is the only language at our school which sucks...... But, thanks again for this topic.  I'm hoping someone could help me with these songs.

I really should spend more time on this translation to make it make more sense,but then sometimes it just doesnt sound right in english although you know what it means.so please keep this in mind when reading the translations

Ok iv only got Billy for now(and its really long,and im tired ):

BILLY

Give me the world for one day
And all I need to
Write a song
Give me things to say
To those who will suffer
While we're dancing

You that lives inside my heart
To double my happiness
It would enough tomorrow
That this world torn away
To heal its wounds
Find itself a magician

Billy as long as you love me
That my name coils around your name
If people love each other
Like we love each other
The magicians will come back

I was born near the spring
And I saw The Great Bear
At the sky of my house
I met with shepherds
Who made me travel
Much more than reason

And if it still exists out there some places
Where sometimes deserts turned into flowers
That's because everything is in our hands
And that we can't do a thing to stop life

Billy as long as you love me
That my name coils around your name
If people love each other
Like we love each other
The magicians will come back

Give me the world for one day
And all I need to
Write a song
Give me things to say
To those who will suffer
While we're dancing

If there still are rain makers
We can also find
Beautiful days makers
Give them the world for a day
And you'll see that love
Can last long

Billy as long as you love me
That my name coils around your name
If people love each other
Like we love each other
The magicians will come back

If people love each other
Like we love each other
The magicians will come back

PHEW! that was with the help of a translator site as well so please dont think it was all me

THANK YOU SO MUCH!  THIS REALLY HELPS ME!  I understand more of what I'm listening to now.  I think it is such a beautiful song.  Thanks for translating even though you were tired. Very much appreciated.

[grobandion]

angeluk2, on Jun 17 2008, 07:05 PM, said:

OOOOHHH yes! please translate her Spanish songs    

Also where is this translation of aun existe amor please?

Hi angeluk2
I translate "Aun existe amor" in a topic called "Celine songs that trascends languages".
I'm sorry, but I have no idea how to place a link to that topic here.

saludos

[angeluk2]

grobandion, on Jun 12 2008, 10:54 PM, said:

Well tony, "Aun existe amor" is pretty much the same as "L'amour..." but here it goes:

"When you fell asleep next to me, then I have no doubt, love still exists
the hesitation in me, I'll send it to the moon, to live with you
the loneliness of each day, that grew among tears, I'll take it away from me

to love you at any cost, to love you every moment,
despite so much evilness that's spinning around us
When you fall asleep next to me, then I have no doubt, love still exists

The arguments of ours, knowing who's blame is it, what do we care about it now?
in this world, eternal, big, my darling we'll love each other, much, much more
beyond violence, beyond madness, despite so much evilness that separate us

when you fall asleep..."

well,that's pretty much it
bye, take care.

p/s: beware of celineargento...I believe she DIDN'T take that cold shower after all...

Hi!    Thankyou so much,i found it!   Hope you dont mind i posted it here as well? Please feel free to post more when you can

(just incase you wanted to know for future posts,if you need to quote something in another topic just hit that quote+ button and go to the other topic rather than straight to reply,does that make sense?   )

[Jacqui]

I used my brain for this, and a translator for a few words I didn't know...but I'm still very much learning French, so if I've made any mistakes, please feel free to correct me!!

"On S'est Aimé À Cause."

We loved each other because
Because of the Summer
Who painted all in pink
The love and the city
Because of the big dreams
That we had built
Around Adam and Eve
And of their paradise

Because of the ambiance
Of the place and the moment
And of the scraps of childhood
Stuck to our twenty years

We loved each other because
Because, because, because
But now you see
We cannot be unaware of
What it is necessary we see a little
The different things
We loved each other because
It is necessary to love each other despite

Despite, despite the rain
Falling on our Summers
Despite the sky of soot
And the days without clarity
Despite all the big dreams
Of which we are returned
As Adam and Eve
Of the paradises returned

Despite the clairvoyances
Of our indulgent hearts
Despite familiarisation
Woven into the wire of the years

It is necessary to love one another despite
Despite a lot of things
But now you see
We cannot be unaware of
That the love itself transformed
And its culmination
This is when we are the cause
Because of...despite.

[SensationalCeline]

Jacqui, on Jun 21 2008, 01:16 AM, said:

I used my brain for this, and a translator for a few words I didn't know...but I'm still very much learning French, so if I've made any mistakes, please feel free to correct me!!

"On S'est Aimé À Cause."

We loved each other because
Because of the Summer
Who painted all in pink
The love and the city
Because of the big dreams
That we had built
Around Adam and Eve
And of their paradise

Because of the ambiance
Of the place and the moment
And of the scraps of childhood
Stuck to our twenty years

We loved each other because
Because, because, because
But now you see
We cannot be unaware of
What it is necessary we see a little
The different things
We loved each other because
It is necessary to love each other despite

Despite, despite the rain
Falling on our Summers
Despite the sky of soot
And the days without clarity
Despite all the big dreams
Of which we are returned
As Adam and Eve
Of the paradises returned

Despite the clairvoyances
Of our indulgent hearts
Despite familiarisation
Woven into the wire of the years

It is necessary to love one another despite
Despite a lot of things
But now you see
We cannot be unaware of
That the love itself transformed
And its culmination
This is when we are the cause
Because of...despite.

Oh, thank you so much.  This is the first song I fell in love with on the D'elles album and I wanted to know the translation.  Thank you for helping me out!  If I may ask, what translator do you use?

[tonybower]

angeluk2, on Jun 16 2008, 09:53 PM, said:

tonybower, on Jun 3 2008, 06:38 PM, said:

Le blues du businessman

I’ve been successful in business
I’ve been successful in my relationships,
I often change my secretary…
I have my office at the top of a high tower
From where I can see the whole city
From where I control my universe

I spend half my time in the air
Between new york and Singapore
I always travel first class
I have a second home in all the Hiltons of the land
I cannot bear poverty

I’m not happy, though it might seem I am
I lost my sense of humour when I discovered my business sense
I’ve succeeded and I’m proud of it
Deep down, I only regret one thing
I’m not doing what I would have liked to do

I (would have liked) wanted to be an artist
To have my moment of glory
When the plane touches down in Rotterdam or in Rio
I wanted to be a singer
To be able to sing about who I am
I wanted to be a writer
To be able to invent my life

I wanted to be an actor
To change my identity every day
To be beautiful
on the big (coloured) screen

I wanted to be an artist
To be able to improve the world
I wanted to be an anarchist
And live like a millionaire x2

I wanted to be an artist
To be able to say why I exist.

This translation was on another post and im hoping tonybower doesnt mind me posting it here,but it was an excellent translation and just what we need for this topic!!

No problem at all... I'm glad you found it useful.

I like this topic... Whilst I know it is enough for some people to read translations from other websites I have to admit that sometimes I find them insufficient... Often I find that people do not try to capture the image or idea of the lyrics when translating into English and opt for a word-by-word transaltion instead. As a result the song loses some of its worth. I think this thread could be useful for people to discuss what they have translated and explain the choices they have made... Especially if native speakers were also able to give their input.

Thanks to everyone for the translations discussed so far...!

Edited by tonybower, 21 June 2008 - 02:38 PM.

[Jacqui]

SensationalCeline, on Jun 22 2008, 04:57 AM, said:

Jacqui, on Jun 21 2008, 01:16 AM, said:

I used my brain for this, and a translator for a few words I didn't know...but I'm still very much learning French, so if I've made any mistakes, please feel free to correct me!!

"On S'est Aimé À Cause."

We loved each other because
Because of the Summer
Who painted all in pink
The love and the city
Because of the big dreams
That we had built
Around Adam and Eve
And of their paradise

Because of the ambiance
Of the place and the moment
And of the scraps of childhood
Stuck to our twenty years

We loved each other because
Because, because, because
But now you see
We cannot be unaware of
What it is necessary we see a little
The different things
We loved each other because
It is necessary to love each other despite

Despite, despite the rain
Falling on our Summers
Despite the sky of soot
And the days without clarity
Despite all the big dreams
Of which we are returned
As Adam and Eve
Of the paradises returned

Despite the clairvoyances
Of our indulgent hearts
Despite familiarisation
Woven into the wire of the years

It is necessary to love one another despite
Despite a lot of things
But now you see
We cannot be unaware of
That the love itself transformed
And its culmination
This is when we are the cause
Because of...despite.

Oh, thank you so much.  This is the first song I fell in love with on the D'elles album and I wanted to know the translation.  Thank you for helping me out!  If I may ask, what translator do you use?

Usually www.freetranslation.com
I don't often use translators for whole texts though, because they tend to be very literal and the sentences don't always come out making sense lol!

[SensationalCeline]

Jacqui, on Jun 21 2008, 07:35 PM, said:

SensationalCeline, on Jun 22 2008, 04:57 AM, said:

Jacqui, on Jun 21 2008, 01:16 AM, said:

I used my brain for this, and a translator for a few words I didn't know...but I'm still very much learning French, so if I've made any mistakes, please feel free to correct me!!

"On S'est Aimé À Cause."

We loved each other because
Because of the Summer
Who painted all in pink
The love and the city
Because of the big dreams
That we had built
Around Adam and Eve
And of their paradise

Because of the ambiance
Of the place and the moment
And of the scraps of childhood
Stuck to our twenty years

We loved each other because
Because, because, because
But now you see
We cannot be unaware of
What it is necessary we see a little
The different things
We loved each other because
It is necessary to love each other despite

Despite, despite the rain
Falling on our Summers
Despite the sky of soot
And the days without clarity
Despite all the big dreams
Of which we are returned
As Adam and Eve
Of the paradises returned

Despite the clairvoyances
Of our indulgent hearts
Despite familiarisation
Woven into the wire of the years

It is necessary to love one another despite
Despite a lot of things
But now you see
We cannot be unaware of
That the love itself transformed
And its culmination
This is when we are the cause
Because of...despite.

Oh, thank you so much.  This is the first song I fell in love with on the D'elles album and I wanted to know the translation.  Thank you for helping me out!  If I may ask, what translator do you use?

Usually www.freetranslation.com
I don't often use translators for whole texts though, because they tend to be very literal and the sentences don't always come out making sense lol!

Yeah, some don't make any sense at all.  I found that out when I was translating an email from my cousin.  He's french.  He said some of the stuff I sent didn't make any sense.  Thank you for letting me know by the way.

[VanMerlin]

celineargento, on Jun 17 2008, 03:45 PM, said:

I could do...the gem "Nadie lo entiende" by Cafe Quijano.

That would be fantastic!

[William2005]

[bkitt]

tal-sh2, on Jun 16 2008, 03:54 PM, said:

Almost all of Celine's songs translation can be found on www.celinedionweb.com and on CelinePassion.
So if someone want to request something, check in them first.

Thank you so much for this information!!!  I never knew these sites were there!  Yea!  

[Galuush]

Good topic

[zoea2812]

Im loving this topic.

[angeluk2]

tonybower, on Jun 21 2008, 09:36 PM, said:

angeluk2, on Jun 16 2008, 09:53 PM, said:

tonybower, on Jun 3 2008, 06:38 PM, said:

Le blues du businessman

I’ve been successful in business
I’ve been successful in my relationships,
I often change my secretary…
I have my office at the top of a high tower
From where I can see the whole city
From where I control my universe

I spend half my time in the air
Between new york and Singapore
I always travel first class
I have a second home in all the Hiltons of the land
I cannot bear poverty

I’m not happy, though it might seem I am
I lost my sense of humour when I discovered my business sense
I’ve succeeded and I’m proud of it
Deep down, I only regret one thing
I’m not doing what I would have liked to do

I (would have liked) wanted to be an artist
To have my moment of glory
When the plane touches down in Rotterdam or in Rio
I wanted to be a singer
To be able to sing about who I am
I wanted to be a writer
To be able to invent my life

I wanted to be an actor
To change my identity every day
To be beautiful
on the big (coloured) screen

I wanted to be an artist
To be able to improve the world
I wanted to be an anarchist
And live like a millionaire x2

I wanted to be an artist
To be able to say why I exist.

This translation was on another post and im hoping tonybower doesnt mind me posting it here,but it was an excellent translation and just what we need for this topic!!

No problem at all... I'm glad you found it useful.

I like this topic... Whilst I know it is enough for some people to read translations from other websites I have to admit that sometimes I find them insufficient... Often I find that people do not try to capture the image or idea of the lyrics when translating into English and opt for a word-by-word transaltion instead. As a result the song loses some of its worth. I think this thread could be useful for people to discuss what they have translated and explain the choices they have made... Especially if native speakers were also able to give their input.

Thanks to everyone for the translations discussed so far...!

Thankyou so much,you have said exactly what i was hoping would happen on this topic.
I would love people who can understand french,spanish,etc to translate a song for this topic as they could do much more justice than a translation site.
I know even when this happens the song can still seem not as good but at least we could get the feel and meaning of the song
Please everyone feel free to translate songs,and discuss them too if you would like

[angeluk2]

Any chance someone who knows what they are doing could translate l'Immensité.I have been trying to do it but am getting confused with some of the lines and some of the meanings.Thanks in advance if someone could do this

[KimboCosmo]

This is a pretty neat topic  

[godessceline]

Jacqui, on Jun 21 2008, 12:16 AM, said:

I used my brain for this, and a translator for a few words I didn't know...but I'm still very much learning French, so if I've made any mistakes, please feel free to correct me!!

"On S'est Aimé À Cause."

We loved each other because
Because of the Summer
Who painted all in pink
The love and the city
Because of the big dreams
That we had built
Around Adam and Eve
And of their paradise

Because of the ambiance
Of the place and the moment
And of the scraps of childhood
Stuck to our twenty years

We loved each other because
Because, because, because
But now you see
We cannot be unaware of
What it is necessary we see a little
The different things
We loved each other because
It is necessary to love each other despite

Despite, despite the rain
Falling on our Summers
Despite the sky of soot
And the days without clarity
Despite all the big dreams
Of which we are returned
As Adam and Eve
Of the paradises returned

Despite the clairvoyances
Of our indulgent hearts
Despite familiarisation
Woven into the wire of the years

It is necessary to love one another despite
Despite a lot of things
But now you see
We cannot be unaware of
That the love itself transformed
And its culmination
This is when we are the cause
Because of...despite.

OMG I've got major goosebumps now!     This one DEFINITELY transcends language barriers. Now that I know what it emans...it makes sense. The FEELING of the song is perfect for the lyrics.      

Oh and..someone mentioned Passion Céline Dion. Is it back up??   I thought Sylvain moved into a mental asylum at last?

[birdabee]

Wow, thanks so much!! I love them even more!

[tonybower]

angeluk2, on Jun 23 2008, 01:15 AM, said:

Any chance someone who knows what they are doing could translate l'Immensité.I have been trying to do it but am getting confused with some of the lines and some of the meanings.Thanks in advance if someone could do this

Hi, well this is a difficult song to translate. Because of the list-like nature of the verses, it actually sounds quite clumsy and as I am not a songwriter I found it quite difficult to render the English translation as musical as the original French version. Usually when I translate the songs though I do not try to rewrite an English song, but just try to capture the ideas behind the Fremch lyrics. As such the translation rarely sounds as beautiful as the French but I would hate to change the words too much for the sake of making it more musical.

A huge problem with this song is the French use of the word immensité. This is almost an abstract noun which are used quite freely in French and can express a certain image or idea. But they cannot be used quite so easily in English. As you can see, I start of by translaitg it as 'the immensity of it all' but finish by simply saying 'Immensity'. I think the image of stars against skin leads into the image of 'l'immensité' and gives a good idea of what the writer wants to say: perhaps that the kiss and the passion are like an endless, starry night sky. The beauty and the vastness and the mystery of it... Still, not so easy to render in English unless you want to write a whole sentence to express what the French expresses with one word!

Other problems arise: 'reine de Sabbah' for example. I put Egyptian queen but just because the image works in English. I think Sabbah might be a town in Lebanon so maybe we could change this to Lebanese queen...? 'Sursaut' is difficult because it means jolt or surprise or maybe even startle. I use throes here to fit with desire (as in the throes of passion, or pangs of emotion. The idea of jolt or surprise coming from the fact that throes are often awkward and sudden...)

Well, here is my translation... There were other problems and maybe I was quite lazy with the images... I probably should spend more time on it but once I reach this stage I usually get impatient and am eager to share it with others. If there is anybody who disagrees with the translation or who has more appropriate suggestions, please feel free to comment and make your amendments... I hope you like it...

Immensity

I have seen the Ural Mountains and the Sahara desert
The dark nights of an Egyptian Queen
I have seen the Earth, and its storms
The oceans and their shipwrecks
I have witnessed crowds and the silence
The fire of joy and of suffering
I have seen roses beneath snow
And great white wolves caught in traps
I have watched the summer rain fall
And lovers linger on the platform

But, you know, what amazes me the most
Is the passion of our kiss
The desire and the throes
Like stars against your skin
The immensity of it all

I have seen angels and demons
Lowered eyes and sermons
I have seen the darkness and the light
Of a solitary female warrior
I have seen the seas and the rocks
Revelations and secrets
I have seen the vast Americas
And all the mirages in Africa
I have seen blue skies and glaciers
Come together and then tear apart

But you know, what amazes me the most
Is the passion of our kiss
The desire and the throes
Like stars against your skin
The immensity of it all

I have seen childhood and drunkenness
Life which smiles at us, sadness
The poverty of a foolish world
I have watched men fall
And rise again before my very eyes

I have seen the cold and the trance
The laughter of our dancing son
I recognise his golden eyes
Oh, how he looks like you
I have seen lilies and orchids
Hidden in our secret garden

But, you know, what blows me away
Is the passion of your kiss
The desire and the throes
Like stars against my skin
Immensity
Like the gentle touch of your kiss
The desire and the throes
Immensity