The Language of Music

 I was feeling a bit nostalgic about my childhood when on Sunday afternoons my Mom would play some records that were from my parents time.   A lot of the music were from French artists since my family were from the islands.   One of my Mom's favorite artists was Mireille Mathieu.   She's a French singer born July 22, 1946, the oldest of 14 children in a town named Avignon.   She truly is the story of rising from rags to riches.   The family lived in poverty for many years and she worked various odd jobs to make ends meet.   She starting singing at age 4 and started singing at a local contest in 1962.   She lost twice before winning in 1964 singing a song by another famous French singer Edit Pilaf.   From there she worked her way up and went through her own ups and downs on her journey to being a world-wide musical sensation.

My Mom had several of Mireille's albums.   One of my favorite albums to listen to was her album J'étais si jeune, which translates to "I Was So Young".   Weren't we all?   It especially became my favorite since the album was released in 1972, the year of my birth.

My Mom would translate the songs for us to try and better understand.   I did appreciate the effort but always felt bad because I would later forget.   I hate thinking that my Mom's efforts were in vain.   They weren't though and what I couldn't forget was the amazing melodies themselves.   Music indeed is the universal language that evokes feelings no matter the language.  I remembered enjoying listening to them and the memories of seeing the joy in my Mom's face when it played.   She would lovingly sing along to the music.   They were happy times and it makes me miss my Mom.

This is why I wanted to take this time to translate the songs from Mireille's J'étais si jeune album.   I have to give credit to the Lyrics Translate website for the translates.   I'm so grateful that translations are so easily available today.   Without further ado, here is the translations of Mireille's album.

Song 1 - J'étais Si Jeune

Verse 1:

I was sixteen

The promises were beautiful

The days passed as if in a dream

When I saw him so grand in the sun

The fire of love flaired in me

Refrain:

I was so young for my first love

I was so young but it was my turn

It was my dream come true

I forgot everything when he held me tight

The sky all around danced

I could have died in his arms

So much did I already love him

Verse 2:

We gave ourselves all the joys of life

A marvelous passion

But he was a prisoner of his past

Another love waited for his return...

Refrain 2:

I was so young for my first love

I was so young, goodbye to my most precious days

It was my dream that shattered without a sound

I will never forget, throughout my life,

Those days passed close with him -

And the scars in the depths of my heart

Reminds me of my happiness

Outro:

I was so young for my first love

I was so young, but I think about it all the time

I was so young for my first love

I was so young, but I think about it all the time

My thoughts:  First off the song in English definitely does not sound as good.  I wouldn't change a thing about it though.  I do now remember my Mom telling me this song was about a first love.   I was young back then so didn't really understand that kind of love.   But I only had to live life to learn the same lessons that Mireille sang so beautifully.   I had to grow into love though.  I don't think I ever truly fell heads over heels with anyone.   I definitely fell in lust initially but I grew to love in time.   Such a beautiful song and a great way to start the album.

Song 2 - Le Chemin Du Ciel

Refrain:

To You

To You

To You

Verse 1:

To you the soldier of a fight you who had no other weapon or goal other than love

(To you)

To you the whole world runs to forget its tragedies and live better here below

Repeat Refrain

Verse 2:

To you the humiliated, the offended who fight under the weight of the burden of your cross

(To you)

To you a burning world turns and proclaims the right to have faith

Bridge:

All roads lead us to you

You are light and joy

All roads lead us to you

Listen to our voices

On this Earth as in a desert

Man is lost without you

It's your sun that will open it to him

The path to heaven

Repeat Refrain

Verse 3:

To you legions of twenty years throw to the four winds the echoes of their songs

(To you)

To you millions of unbelievers will seek a creed for a new world

Repeat Bridge

Repeat Refrain

My thoughts:  My mind is blown.  I never knew this song was a dedication to Jesus Christ.  Now that I think about it, when I hear the men in the background chant "to you", they did sound like a marching song.  And Jesus truly was a soldier who died on the cross for our sins.  Now that I know the meaning, I'll never think of the song in the same vein again.   

Song 3 - Corsica

Verse 1:

Your own love is your country

Your island is sunny day after day

For your life is the same color as the sky

Everything is finished

I won't come back and tonight,

We fall in love for the very last time

Refrain:

Goodbye Corsica, it's over

The love of your life was not me

Corsica, I'm leaving tonight

The love of your life is your country

Verse 2:

You love your big skies

And your plants in bloom and in your eyes

I see flames of so many pleasures

You think about them, and then you forget about me

I won't come back and tonight,

We will live to fall in love for the very last time

Repeat Refrain

Outro:

La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la

La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la

Repeat Refrain

My thoughts:  This song is so short and sweet.  I didn't know what Corsica was growing up but now I know it's an island not far from Tuscany, Italy.   Clearly in the refrain you can hear the Italian influence in the melody.  In short it sounds like a song about a country that is no longer home for the singer in question as they leave to chart off on new adventures.

Song 4 - Une Passerelle

Verse 1:

A gangway and there you are on a plane, the plane waiting

A footbridge that is removed you leave and I see you leaving

A caravel went up there, my head is upside-down in the sky

And I stay there, I who believed that nothing was ever going to separate us

Refrain:

It all went away in one day, all this love, so strong, so sweet, yes

Everything went away our clear mornings when the Earth only turned for us

Verse 2:

Where will our honeymoons go if you never come back

Wherever you call me from, I leave everything immediately to go to you

Forget our quarrels, I will rush to throw myself into your arms

It was sunny and I stood there in despair, shivering but it wasn't the cold

Repeat Refrain several times

My thoughts: I don't remember this being a song I particularly liked.   And now that I see the lyrics in English, I can understand why.   Poor Mireille was pretty much a doormat in this song.   It's definitely not something to aspire to.   She lived her life only for her love and would drop everything, even to the detriment of her own well-being.   But I do get that.  When you are in love, you do silly things.  I will say I've done my share of "silly" for some guys but thankfully I woke up and smelled the coffee not too long afterwards.   Or I had a Eugene or Sally telling me the errors of my ways...repeatedly.  Till it sunk...LOL.

Song 5 - La Chanson Du Depart

Verse 1:

Never say no, never "goodbye"

The departure song, it's a "see you again"

Never say no, never "goodbye"

Into a drink with friends who are here tonight

Bridge 1:

They are coming to tell you goodbye

We are going to sing of love and hope

And pretend to believe

Verse 2:

We love each other and tomorrow you leave

The departure song, it's a "see you again"

Never say no, never "goodbye"

Think about us sometimes when you are happy

Bridge 2:

I would have wanted to sleep in your arms

And to forget that love had gone

Tomorrow for you and me

Verse 3:

If sometimes I close my eyes

Don't believe I will cry, it's better to see you

Never say no, never "goodbye"

The departure song, it's a "see you again"

It's a "see you again", nothing but a "see you again"

It's a "see you again", nothing but a "see you again"

Outro:

Oooh, oooh, oooh, oooh, oooh ,oooh, oooh

Oooh, oooh, oooh, oooh, oooh, oooh, oooh

My thoughts: I loved the melodies and harmonies of this song.   I do love this song is almost similar to the previous song except it doesn't give a sense that she's a doormat this time.   It's more like not wanting things to end but knowing that it has to.   But it'll be a happy memory when you think of that person again.   I do hear the slight Italian influences similar to Corsica.   I definitely enjoy listening to this on repeat.

Song 6 - En Frappant Dans Nos Mains

Verse 1: 

All together, we are there

The night is grand,

Populated joy,

Some people play

On their guitar

Then suddenly start a song

That the crowd resumes

Refrain:

Clapping our hands, we wait for the morning

We're ready to live, this life that we love

Clapping our hands, we forget our sorrows

We dream elsewhere, on a world of the best day

Verse 2:

Your eyes are blue

Mine are black

What is your God?

I want to know

All is magic around us

Everything seems easy and crazy

And the sky is at us

Repeat Refrain

Bridge:

I watch you and my heart beats

You're beautiful, I love you, I love

We're together and the happiness is there

My life starts with you

Verse 3:

We leave from the day

Across the horizon

And our love

To our friends

Cries 'thank you'

For grand and happy night

Who reunites us

Repeat Refrain

La, la, la, la, la, la...

My thoughts:  This song seemed like a good camp song.   Now that I see the words translated, it does seem like my sentiments fit here.   The best part is near the end where Mireille's accompanied by an unnamed singer who effortlessly repeats her every line until the end of the song.    This continues to be one of my favorite songs and was a good way to end "side one"...back when we had to flip the record over to continue hearing an album...LOL.

Song 7 - Adieu Je T'aime

Verse 1:

I'm getting married tomorrow

Say goodbye to me

And then get out

There's no more time

To tell me you love me

I'm getting married tomorrow

Say goodbye to me

This evening, you and I

No longer have the right 

To say "I love you" to each other

I'm getting married tomorrow

And you come back

It's too late

In our story

There's nothing left

But a little love

A little choice

In a blow of heartache

It's too late, you see

To say, "I love you"

Verse 2:

I'm getting married tomorrow

And yet, you know

If you wanted

We could have left

Both of us, together

I'm getting married tomorrow

You don't say anything 

You don't want any other duties

But a little pleasure

That we took together

And then you'll leave

It's no longer you 

It will never again be you

Who will hold me

In the hollows of your arms

Bridge:

So get out

There's no more time

To say "I love you"

I'm getting married tomorrow

Good bye, I love you

I'm getting married tomorrow

Good bye, I love you

I'm getting married tomorrow

Good bye, I love you

My thoughts:  This song always had a twinge of sadness in it.  It's quite a sad way to start the second half of a record.   In fact I thought of this song in recent years as a farewell song to my Mom, especially the ending where it's sung "Good bye, I love you".  Obviously now that I know the song is about a guy who lost his chance at a love for procrastinating and not expressing his feelings, the song takes on a different meaning.   Yes guy, she's getting married tomorrow.  Did you hear her?  She repeats it several times over.    However I choose to remember the sentiment I had on the song prior to the translation.   I love and miss my Mom so much.   Such a beautiful and sad song.

Song 8 - Ils S'en Vont Tous Un Jour 

Verse 1:

Don't cry Fanny

Do not cry

It's not yet today

That your love Fanny will come back to you

His beautiful journey is not finished

Refrain:

They all go away one day that we love and nothing can ever hold them

They all go away one day that we love they have that day their most beautiful smile

Is it the mountain or is it the sea or the sky that comes to us take them one morning

They all go away one day that we love neither you nor I will we never be able to do anything

Verse 2:

Don't stay Fanny

There on the port

It's starting to get cold outside

Long is the wait

We don't get used to it

I knew her just like you

Repeat Refrain

My thoughts:  I just remembered the intro to the song breaking me out of the somber left from the previous song.   I will say the translation seems a bit weird.   I feel sorry that there are folks with the name "Fanny".   But maybe "Fanny" is the girl in the song "Une Passerelle" (song 4) who stays out in the cold too long when Mireille sings in Verse 2 to not stay out in the port in the cold.   I hope you listened Fanny.   I do love the beat of the song if nothing else.

Song 9 - Emporte-Moi

Verse 1:

Take me aboard a great love 

In a long-term dream all around the Earth

Take me between sky and water

Towards new countries bursting with light

I stayed on this platform too long 

To watch from other hearts on a cruise

Come take my hands in your dreams

And let our love show us the way

Verse 2:

Take me aboard a great love 

In a long-term dream all around the Earth

Take me everyday of your life

Every hour of your days in each of your dreams

I want to love you like we no longer love each other

How afraid we are to love today

When we love I want to love you like you only love once

And build this love with you every day

Bridge:

We must remember the dreams before they end

Let time take them away 

I closed the door to dream with you

Repeat Verse 2

My thoughts:  The Italian influence is strong in this song as well.   I like the sentiment of the song.  It's mostly fantasy obviously but it's nice to dream grandiose thoughts when being with the one you love.

Song 10 - Quand J'entends Cet Air-Là

Verse 1:

When I hear that tune

Love is good, close to you

When I hear that tune

This is the signal that you are home

As I live below I hear this tune when you play it

When everything is asleep I will see you without making noise

Refrain:

Beating heart I join you

My parents don't know anything about it

In your arms until the morning under the roofs

We are so good

Verse 2:

When I hear that tune

Love is good, close to you

How to go back down

It's a long day without you

When I hear that tune

Everything is changed, I dance with joy

It's night and it's time

On the stairs I tremble and I'm afraid

Refrain 2:

In your room we are hidden

And without fear we can love each other 

Under the roofs we see the sky 

And sometimes the Eiffel Tower

Verse 3:

When I hear that tune

Love is good, close to you

One day we will be taken

And without fanfare we will get married

As I only think about that

Everytime my heart beats

When I hear that tune

Love is good, my love

La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la

My thoughts:  I liked the melody of this song and who wouldn't love a guy who has a room with the view of the Eiffel Tower.   Dom and I talk about going to Paris one day to see it.    He has been years back but not with anyone he loves.   I do hope we get to see the Eiffel Tower in person one day.   Yes that's what I got out of this song...LOL.

Song 11 - Dieu Te Garde

Refrain:

God bless you, oh my love

God keep you, until I return

God saves you from the bad days

I have to leave my love

Verse 1:

When time tells you (forget)

When the wind tells you (forget)

And when day after day you will remain alone

All alone in life

When your heart tells you (forget)

When the night tells you (forget)

And when it gets cold

That winter will come bringing the rain

Repeat Refrain

Verse 2:

When boredom tells you (forget)

When love tells you (forget)

And that adventure 

Will open arms to that nostalgia

Repeat Refrain twice

My thoughts - The song starts with a rock type of beat which is catchy.   And I'm laughing at the word "forget".  In French the backing singers say "oublie".   All these years I thought they were singing "Ooh  Wee"...LOL.   From the mind of babes.   I never corrected myself till now.    It reminds me how for the longest time when SWV sang Downtown (and what a departure from Mireille...LOL) I thought they were talking about going downtown shopping.   It wasn't till years later I realized they were talking about oral sex.    Even Coko admitted in an interview she thought it was about shopping at first.   I'll choose to sing "forget" as "ooh wee" thank you very much.

Last Song - Pleure Mon Coeur

Verse 1:

Cry my heart - cry my heart

Cry, cry, my heart

You who were made to sing

The joy of life - cry, my heart

What makes the bird fall from the sky?

What does the wounded bird do?

He no longer can fly

He cannot even sing anymore

Like the bird, I'm cold - I'm scared

You can cry, cry, my heart

Bridge:

My heart, you remember

He had taught me everything - it was beautiful - it was good

He knew how to take me away

On mad trips to sunny islands

The world was mine

For a moment of joy in the clasp of his arms

You, my heart, you beat

And you laughed and you sang

Verse 2:

Cry my heart - cry my heart

Cry, cry, my heart

You who were made to sing

The joy of life - cry, my heart

What does the child that you abused do?

What does the lost child do?

He does not know why

But he knows that you do not love him

Like the child, I'm cold - I'm scared

You can cry, cry, my heart

I love him - 

I love him - 

I love him - 

I love him - 

I love him -

I love him - 

My thoughts:  This song always spooked me as a kid.   When I started watching horror movies, the movie Jason theme reminded me of this song.    I remember that Mom would always start this side of the album first and then the other side which was the first half.   And now I know why.   What a sad tragic song to end the album on.    It is hauntingly beautiful especially the ending where she repeats "I love him..." till you barely hear her over the louder and louder music, the Jason horror ending.

A Third Look Revisited

Almost three months ago I blogged about a past hookup named Anthony who I first met in 2005 and hooked up with in 2021 and again reconnected for a third time with, online at least.   We promised to meet up sometime in 2024 for another hookup.   Well that promise finally took place last Friday on 03/15.   

I decided to take the 15th off since I made the 2 1/2 hour minimum trek to Indianapolis on the 14th for a work related quarterly townhall.   The car trip of course was the most arduous part of the day.   It was a mostly rainy morning though thankfully things cleared up by the time I arrived.

It seemed a lot of the newer folks were excited to see me.  It felt a bit surreal to have all this attention on me since I like to stay out of the spotlight.   I also found out that our townhall was not taking place in a conference room but rather at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse, home of the NBA's Indianapolis Pacers and the WNBA's Fever teams.

The stadium is about half a mile from our corporate office so the team all walked over.   It was my first time inside the stadium.   The townhall mostly featured lady trailblazers within the company talking about their various journeys at the company.   There was also a slide featuring those who were promoted in the last quarter.    I saw my name on the big screen which was pretty cool to see.   At the end of the event we all got to take a group photo with one of the speakers and then we walked back to our office.

It just so happened that it was Pi Day so as part of that day, there were pizza pies available to all the floors for everyone to take part in.   So at least lunch was taken care of.

I wound up staying a bit late to help one of my mentees on a particularly challenging case.   I was glad I decided to take that Friday off.

So I noticed that Anthony stared at my "social networking" profile earlier that week without responding.  Since I decided to take the day off on the 15th, I thought it would be good to reach out to him.   But on Wednesday I started to experience the head cold symptoms that I managed to mostly avoid while Dom was still dealing with congestion.   I wanted to message Anthony to let him know ahead of time that I took the day off.   But I didn't know how I would feel by that day so I opted not to.

I told myself that I had to go Thursday to Indianapolis regardless since I didn't want to make it seem like I was avoiding the trip.   I pretty much was sniffling and blowing my nose most of that day.

I was feeling stuffy come Friday morning but I still wanted to see if I could meet Anthony since I wasn't sure how soon I'd have another free day.   I went back and forth though on messaging, reverting back to my high school days.   I didn't want to be presumptuous that Anthony didn't have other plans for the day and wasn't just sitting around waiting for me to text him.

But I got encouragement from a random video I was watching from the website of an upcoming conference that I plan to attend in June.   One of the speakers said, "Do It Scared, Do It Afraid, Do It Anyway."   I never heard anyone encourage folks quite like that but I repeated that mantra and went ahead and texted Anthony.   Worse case scenario he would just be busy and could always reschedule another time.

It turned out he wasn't busy and he invited me over.  I managed to breath again through my nose after taking an inhaler decongestant.   I prepped myself and then made my way over.   Anthony and I chatted for a bit when I arrived.   We did the same thing when we met in 2021.   

It was then show time.  Anthony and I had a great time again.  He definitely knows what he's doing.  It's cool that he still has the desire for sex in his 60's.   I guess there are guys that still have it in their 60's and beyond.    

He's a pretty cool guy.   He's actually a retired school teacher that's going for a PH.D in education that he has a dissertation for in April.  (Heh I guess I have a type...LOL).   We were chatting afterwards about the lack of positive gay black couples that you see in media.   He said he didn't even think at one time that black guys could be together in a relationship.   I honestly didn't think it was possible either.  I did try to connect with other gay black men with bad results.   We both remembered this young-ish black couple in Atlanta that does Youtube videos and agreed that it is nice to see more representation these days.

I admit our conversation had me wondering what would've happened if Anthony and I had a second date.  I just remembered not really feeling a spark with him so it never happened.  But you never know what would've happened had I gave him another shot.    Would I have even met Rock, Midas, or Dom?   Would I have still worked at my previous job?   Would I still be at my old home?   Life is pretty interesting.   Every choice you make leads to your other choices.    Everything happens for a reason. 

I am glad Anthony and I reconnected once again.   Maybe we'll do it again sooner.

Hot Cop Short

 

No I didn't get pulled over recently by a hot cop.   But OMG...this video gave me the laughs that I didn't know I needed today.   This woman definitely did her part to get herself out of a parking ticket.    The cop in question (assuming it wasn't a staged video) was all smiles and damn it, he is hot.   She threw a few truth bombs in there such as if all cops that were hired were as hot as he was, there would be no violence.    I just had to share this video with whomever still reads my blog and most importantly for me to periodically look at when I need a smile on my face.   

I have been pulled over by office cutie decades back.   I wish I could've gotten away with doing this.   Maybe I wouldn't have gotten a ticket.   Though I wound up getting that ticket dismissed.  Who knew too that I would wind up relocating almost ten years after that incident to Indiana, not far from where I had to go to court that time.   Hopefully this woman didn't get one either.   She definitely put a smile on my face and also on officer cutie.

Spotlight Effect

 Since getting my promotion I've definitely noticed my work days are getting busier.   Besides having to be available for Severity 1 cases, I also have to make myself available for my mentees whenever they have case issues and also other team members with their questions.   I also have to be able to meet my weekly goals at the same time.   It's been crazy.

During my manager's weekly meeting a few weeks back, she mentioned that she wanted to have a segment where an individual talks about an interesting case and do a show and tell with the group.  Our team mostly consists of wallflowers so you can imagine how well that suggestion went.   So when my manager saw nobody was biting, she made a mention of going by alphabet for presenters.   There was another team member with her name starting with A that of course protested.   

Imagine my surprise when A suggested that she and I present a case together that she was asking my help on.  I wasn't even trying to get my name tossed and somehow I wound up coming to the forefront.   So basically I was volunteered with her the following week to present the case.

That week comes and the case in question actually is in investigation by another team and I didn't hear anything from A regarding what to present.   So to save face I decided to dig out one of my cases to present.   I quickly emailed the manager to let her know about my case.   

So I wound up doing a presentation which I hated but it mostly went without a hitch.   There was a minor hiccup in coding that I luckily was able to fix.   Basically the case that A was wanting to present with me doesn't appear to be anymore ready this week to present.   But I did my part last week so I'm hoping A steps up and presents another case.

But besides that it seems that management wants "senior folks" (I'm in that category now) to volunteer and update Knowledge Articles and do additional demos with other colleagues.   I just want to go hide in a corner but I seem to be out in the open.

I will say that the promotion isn't all bad though.  I'm definitely enjoying the raise that comes with it.  I guess management wants to get their money's worth from me.   Guess I need to step up my game.