As an artist, French singer-songwriter Yves Simon (1944-) lived two lives. Similarly, he was an article writer, publishing nearly one book per year since 1971 and finally being compensated (in 1988 and 1991). Alternatively, he was an nearly as prolific documenting musician, having released around twenty LPs since 1967, though his two initial outings remained beneath the radar. He in fact was discovered in 1972 using the release of the EP, Les Gauloises Bleues, getting him major starting act possibilities (George Brassens, Maxime LeForestier, Philippe Chatel). Though he offers quit playing live from 1977 to 2007, he continued to be active, even though less prolific, following a set of effective releases showing his traditional but eclectic affects, rating from Dylan to Brassens.
J’ai rêvé New York!
J’ai rêvé New York!
J’ai rêvé New York!
New York City sur Hudson!
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I dreamt New York!
I dreamt New York!
I dreamt New York!
New York City on Hudson!
– Monsieur Lester Young, si une bombe atomique
tombait sur New York (New York City), que feriez-vous? (New York City)
– J’briserais la vitrine de chez Tiffany (New York) et j’piquerais
tous les bijoux.
(New York, City)
– Monsieur Grégory Corso, qu’est-ce que la puissance? (New York City)
– Rester debout au coin d’une rue et n’attendre personne! (New York City)
– Bonjour Monsieur Hendrix. Je suis du New York Times! (New York City)
– Salut, moi j’suis de la planète Mars! (New York City)
– Mr. Lester Young, if an atomic bomb
fell on New York (New York City), what would you do? (New York City)
– I would break the window at Tiffany’s (New York) and I would steal
all the jewelry.
(New York, City)
– Mr. Grégory Corso, what is power? (New York City)
– Stand at the corner of a street and wait for noone! (New York City)
– Hello Mr. Hendrix. I’m from the New York Times! (New York City)
– Hi, I’m from the planet Mars! (New York City)
Refrain
Babylone, tu te shootess et tu rêves
Babylone, tu fumes trop et tu crèves
Babylone, tu exploseras sur un graffiti de New York!
Quand il pleut des cordes:
Roule en Ford!
Si tu veux faire mac:
Roule en Cadillac!
Si tu veux faire chic:
Roule en Buick!
Si tu Rockfeller:
Roule en Chrysler!
Babylon, you shoot yourself and you dream
Babylon, you smoke too much and die
Babylon, you’ll explode on New York graffiti!
When it rains heavily:
Drive a Ford!
If you want to look cool:
Drive a Cadillac!
If you want to look chic:
Drive a Buick!
If you Rockefeller:
Drive a Chrysler!
Refrain
Nous étions arrivés balancés par des filins d’acier
(Manhattan Bridge)
Du haut de nos chevaux nous regardions les fumées
(Brooklyn bridge)
De l’asphalte, des morceaux de pneus, de la gomme et des souliers
(Queenborough bridge)
We had arrived swayed by steel ropes
(Manhattan Bridge)
From the top of our horses we were watching the smoke
(Brooklyn bridge)
Asphalt, pieces of tires, rubber and shoes
(Queenborough bridge)
J’ai dit:
Nous détacherons les ponts de cette cité
(Queenborough bridge)
Pour qu’elle puisse s’envoler
(Georges Washington bridge)
Pour qu’il n’y ait plus
De sang
(Blood)
De sueurs
(Sweat)
Ni de larmes
(Tears)
Seulement le silence
Coincé entre mon rêve
Et deux océans
I said:
We will untie the bridges of this city
(Queenborough bridge)
So that she [city is feminine] can fly away
(Georges Washington bridge)
So that there is no more
Blood
(Blood)
Sweats
(Sweat)
Nor tears
(Tears)
Only silence
Stuck between my dream
And two oceans
J’ai rêvé New York
J’ai rêvé New York
J’ai rêvé New York
New York City sur Hudson!
(Hé!)
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