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Origins: Sons of (Fils de)
| Joe Offer | 03 Aug 16 - 05:30 PM | |
| Joe Offer | 03 Aug 16 - 05:43 PM | |
| keberoxu | 03 Aug 16 - 05:49 PM | |
| Joe Offer | 03 Aug 16 - 06:09 PM | |
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Origins: Sons of (Fils de)
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Subject: Origins: Sons of (Fils de) From: Joe Offer Date: 03 Aug 16 - 05:30 PM We made a Song Database (click) to accompany the Rise Again Songbook, and now I'm researching all the songs in Rise Up Singing for a similar database. I know the song "Sons of" from the recording by Judy Collins, and I had wrongly assumed that Judy Collins had written it. A while back, Amos posted a version of the lyrics and said it came from Jacques Brel, but I'm not sure Brel is the author. Let's see what we can find out. Here are the lyrics Amos posted: Thread #80580 Message #1470036 Posted By: Amos 25-Apr-05 - 08:09 AM Thread Name: BS: Ever wonder if you will end up old and a Subject: RE: Lrics--Sons of Your Sons
This song from Jacques Brel was popularized by Judy Collins. It is relevant here, and in its own way quite poignant. Here's a Jacques Brel recording of "Fils de": FILS DE (as recorded by Jacques Brel) de bourgeois ou fils d'apôtres Tous les enfants sont comme les vôtres Fils de César ou fils de rien Tous les enfants sont comme le tien Le même sourire Les mêmes larmes Les mêmes alarmes Les mêmes soupirs Fils de César ou fils de rien Tous les enfants sont comme le tien Ce n'est qu'après Mais fils de sultan, fils de fakir Ce n'est qu'après Mais fils de bon fils ou fils d'étranger Ce n'est qu'après Mais fils de bourgeois ou fils d'apôtres |
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Subject: ADD Version: Sons of (Fils de) From: Joe Offer Date: 03 Aug 16 - 05:43 PM SONS OF (English words by Eric Blau and Mort Shuman) (French lyrics by Jacques Brel, music by Jouannest) Sons of the sea, sons of the saint Who is the child with no complaint Sons of the great or sons unknown All were children like your own The same sweet smiles, the same sad tears The cries at night, the nightmare fears Sons of the great, sons unknown All were children like your own Sons of tycoons, or sons from the farms All of the children ran from your arms Through fields of gold, through fields of ruin All of the children vanished too soon In towering waves, in walls of flesh Amid dying birds trembling with death Sons of tycoons, sons from the farms All of the children ran from your arms Sons of your sons, sons passing by Children were lost in lullaby Sons of true love, sons of regret All of your sons you can never forget Some built the roads, some wrote the poems Some went to war, some never came home Sons of your sons, sons passing by Children were lost in lullaby in lullaby, in lullaby. source: http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/judycollins/sonsof.html (corrected) Here is the Judy Collins recording, from her 1970 album, Whales and Nightingales: Here's an interesting live performance by Judy Collins: The lyrics in the Rise Up Singing Songbook are just a little different in places. Please post background information and lyrics corrections below. -Joe- Mort Shuman and Eric Blau translated Brel's French lyric for their 1968 Off-Broadway play, Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris, which had 1,847 performances. Elly Stone headed the cast and sang most of the important songs in the play. |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Sons of (Fils de) From: keberoxu Date: 03 Aug 16 - 05:49 PM "Fils de..." the original French lyrics appear on many webpages on the Internet. There is also a singable English translation by Rod McKuen, and this, it seems, was covered and recorded by no less than Frank Sinatra. Let's see if I can get a blue clicky link to it. I'm Not Afraid |
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Subject: ADD: I'm Not Afraid (Rod McKuen) From: Joe Offer Date: 03 Aug 16 - 06:09 PM Gee, thanks, keberoxu. I vaguely recall the Sinatra recording, but I didn't make the connection with "Sons of." It's certainly not a translation, but it does use the tune of "Sons of." I'M NOT AFRAID (lyrics by Rod McKuen, to the tune of "Sons of") One afternoon I came to hear You sing a soft song into my ear Who would have thought quite by chance We might engage in the loving dance? Coming together, staying apart Lost in diversions, dancing stars Caught in the quiet, off on our own Coming together, staying alone Are you afraid? I'm not afraid What about you, what about me? Two years from now where will we be? Each of us gone our separate ways Lost in a headlong passage of days Maybe we might give love a try Extending the moment before "goodbye" And for a gentle moment in time We'll take what pleasure people can find Are you afraid? I'm not afraid What is for real, what is false? All of us seem to be caught in a waltz Turning around, turning again When will the dancing ever end? As for us, you and me Our eyes are open, we can see Both of us know where we've been Why must we both go dancing again? Are you afraid? I'm not afraid Come join the dance, come join the waltz Don't look too closely at my faults Why can't I die here in your arms, Safe from the night and away from the dawn? Back to the nothing from where I came Back to the nowhere that has no name Don't worry of me, I know what I am Where I'm going and where I've been I'm not afraid! I'm not afraid! (repeat to fade) Source: http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/franksinatra/imnotafraid.html (corrected to match McKuen recording) A recording of "I'm Not Afraid" by McKuen:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ki8B7KMS04o Note this from http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=31866
One half of a Double A single along with Frank's duet with daughter Nancy Sinatra "Life's a Trippy Thing," this song flopped when it was released in 1971. However, the singer's son, Frank Sinatra Jr., told Mojo magazine that the Jacques Brel, Gérard Jouannest and Rod McKuen-penned tune is very much underrated. "This for me is a great song," he said. "The arranger was a man called Lenny Hayton. This never became a hit, unfortunately. It's a thoroughly sophisticated love song. It is not the usual mundane love song lyric. It's a very, very good piece of writing by a man who's been forgotten, named Rod McKuen. The music is by Jack Brel and Gérard Jouannest, but McEwan's lyrics." Sinatra continued: "Years ago, the concert pianist Arthur Rubinstein said, 'Chopin's music speaks directly to the heart of the people.' Certain lyrics do exactly that and Sinatra, as an interpreter of those lyrics, did that same thing. McKuen was a poet. A beautiful sadness." |
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