Chord Req: Silenci (Lluis Llach)

Subject: Chord Req: Silenci Lluis Llach
From: Gazza2
Date: 24 Jul 13 - 03:13 AM

Anyone got the chords for this smashing song?
Gazza2

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Silenci Lluis Llach
From: Monique
Date: 24 Jul 13 - 07:25 PM

[Sol]
Si m'heu de fer callar
que sigui [Fa]ara,
que sigui [Sol]ara,
ara que puc dir no,
i res no te[Fa]niu
per a com[Sol]prar-me.

Que no vull espe[Fa]rar.
Que sigui [Do]ara!
Que sigui [Sol]ara!
Ara que puc sen[Fa]tir
el pes de [Do]tanta ba[Sol]sarda.

Que no em sap cap greu
dur la [Re]boca tan[Sol]cada,
sou vosaltres qui heu [Re]fet
del si[Do]lenci pa[Sol]raules.

Que no vull esperar,
que el temps ro[Fa]velli [Sol]l'arma,
que no vull que la por
tingui més [Fa]temps per a guan[Sol]yar-me.

Si m'heu de fer ca[Fa]llar
que sigui [Do]ara,
que sigui [Sol]ara,
ara que tinc les [Fa]mans
per a canvi[Do]ar de gui[Sol]tarra.

i no em sap cap greu...

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Silenci Lluis Llach
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 24 Jul 13 - 07:55 PM

Song can be heard on youtube.

Subject: ADD: Silenci Lluis Llach
From: Joe Offer
Date: 24 Jul 13 - 08:55 PM

I've never seen chords notated like that, Monique. Makes sense, though. There's a very nice YouTube recording of the song here (click). Can anybody tell us the meaning of the song and the story behind it? I take it that the name of the song is "Silenci," and the songwriter is Lluis Llach. What language is it - Portuguese? Wikipedia says Lluis Llach is Catalonian, so I guess that answers that question - one of those languages that looks like Spanish, but isn't.

Here are the lyrics without chords, for ease of reading:

SILENCI
(Lluis Llach)

Si m'heu de fer callar
que sigui ara,
ara que puc dir no,
i res no teniu per a comprar-me.

Que no vull esperar.
Que sigui ara!
Ara que puc sentir
el pes de tanta basarda.

Que no em sap cap greu
dur la boca tancada,
sou vosaltres qui heu fet
del silenci paraules.

Que no vull esperar,
que el temps rovelli l'arma,
que no vull que la por
tingui més temps per a guanyar-me.

Si m'heu de fer callar
que sigui ara,
ara que tinc les mans
per a canviar de guitarra.

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Silenci (Lluis Llach)
From: Monique
Date: 25 Jul 13 - 02:02 AM

I copied the lyrics with the chords from there. The language is indeed Catalan and the closest language to it is Occitan. The song was written in 1974, i.e. before Franco died, which probably tells much: he'd be censored and victim of intellectual harrassment; he left Catalonia from 1971 to 1976 for an exile in Paris he called "tourism for political motivations". Those who know Spanish or French, the Wiki entry is much longer and more documented, of course the Catalan entry is the longuest and most documented.

Here is my (literal) try

If you must hush me/make me hush,
Let it be now,
Now that than I can say no
And [that] you have nothing to buy/bribe me.

I don't want to wait:
Let it be now!
Now that I can feel
The weight of such dread.

It doesn't hurt me
To have my mouth shut,
You're the ones who have turned
The silence into words (who've made words from silence).

I don't want to wait
For time to rust the (my) soul,
I don't want fear
To have more time to overwhelm me;

If you must hush me/make me hush,
Let it be now,
Now that I have my hands
[busy with] changing my guitar.

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Silenci (Lluis Llach)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 25 Jul 13 - 12:04 PM

LLuis Llach was a popular singer in Europe, but was little known in North America.
He originally was a classical singer, and recorded Faure's "Requiem."

"Silenci" is his own composition.

Here is the translation from www.cancioneros.com, it compliments the one kindly posted by Monique. It is one of the many poems and songs which came out of the Spanish agony of the 1930s.


SILENCI
Lluis Llach

If you have to silence me
Do it now, do it now
While I can still say no
And you have nothing
With which to bribe me.

I don't want to wait
Do it now, do it now
While I can still feel
All the horror, weighing heavy.

It doesn't hurt me none
To keep my mouth firmly closed
You are the ones who made
These words, from the silence.

I don't want to wait
'Till time rusts the weapons
I don't want this fear
To have more time, with which to beat me.

If you have to silence me
Do it now, do it now
While I still have the hands
To trade this guitar, for another.

It doesn't anger me
To keep my mouth firmly closed
You are the ones who made
These words from the silence.

It doesn't anger me
To keep my mouth firmly closed
You are the ones who made
These words from the silence.

If you have to silence me
Do it now, do it now.

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Silenci (Lluis Llach)
From: Gazza2
Date: 25 Jul 13 - 02:11 PM

Thanks Monique, I've struggled with the sol fa notation before when drifting around Europe, keep thinking of Julie Andrews! Anybody out there translate it? Lluis Llach is probably better known for another lovely song L'Estaca, which I think became a rallying song for Solidarity in Poland and was taken up by Catalan Dragons Rugby League supporters. Silenci appeals across the language barrier. Just got to nail down those apparently simple chords!

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Silenci (Lluis Llach)
From: GUEST,Grishka
Date: 25 Jul 13 - 03:03 PM

They are simple indeed. On YouTube, obviously authentic, I hear:

[G]
Si m'heu de fer callar
que sigui ara,
que sigui ara,
ara que puc dir no,
i res no teniu
per a comprar-me.

Que no vull espe[F]rar.
Que sigui [C]ara!
Que sigui [G]ara!
Ara que puc sen[F]tir
el pes de [C]tanta ba[G]sarda.

Que no em sap cap greu
dur la [D]boca tan[G]cada, [C][G]
sou vosaltres [D]qui heu fet
del silenci pa[G]raules. [C][G]

etc. The song is meant to convey elementary bitter emotions; any sophistication would have been detrimental. Rugby League - ehem, I best keep silent.

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Silenci (Lluis Llach)
From: Gazza2
Date: 25 Jul 13 - 03:04 PM

Ah!Worked out a basic chord system!
GFGFG
FCGFCG
DGDCG
FGFG
FCGFCG

Good this sol fa isn't it?

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Silenci (Lluis Llach)
From: Gazza2
Date: 25 Jul 13 - 03:32 PM

Gosh Grishka, that was quick. While I was sol fa-ing you were posting! Thank you everybody. Enjoy the song!

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Silenci (Lluis Llach)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 25 Jul 13 - 03:49 PM

L'Estaca, lyrics at www.lluisllach.cat/espanol/lestac.htm and www.cancioneros.com. No translation found at either.

Literal translation at www.allthelyrics.com

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Silenci (Lluis Llach)
From: GUEST,Grishka
Date: 25 Jul 13 - 06:21 PM

Sol-faing is good to know anyway, Gazza, particularly when using an Italian nickname. Good old Julie A. once again did a good work.

I know why you found hearing the chords more of a challenge than usually: they center at G major, but include F major, similar to mixolydian tunes or those by the Rolling Stones. It gives the song a somewhat archaic Mediterranean touch.