More OFC soundboard stuff.

[tenlittlebullets]

I know in my summary of the OFC soundboard I mentioned Marius and Eponine's cracktastic reprise of 'L'Air de la misère.' But it is just so cracktastic that I feel the need to transcribe it in full.

This takes place after Look Down (it follows immediately after Eponine's "Des choses que la morale reprime / pour que ce soir on ait a manger" on the official album) and before the robbery. LOOK AT EMO MARIUS GOOOOO.

[Stuff in brackets] is where I can't quite make out the lyrics and have made a best guess. If I can't understand a damn word, I put in a question mark for each missing syllable.

Marius
Quand on a eu faim trop longtemps, on perd même l'appetit de vivre
Et le peu de vie que l'on prend, c'est la mort qui nous en délivre
À moins qu'un peu d'amour mette une lueur dans notre coeur

Je la voyais au Luxembourg chaque soir au bras de son père
Elle n'y vient plus depuis trois jours, et son absence me désespère
Sans elle je n'ai plus rien qui me retient sur cette terre

La misère a la mort dans la tête
Ses victoires pour nous sont des défaites
Elle affame le corps pour tuer l'âme
Et, du plus courageux des hommes, crucifie l'enthousiasme

La misère étouffe l'espérance
Au printemps, son hiver recommence
Et le coeur, transi de solitude,
Finit par ne plus battre [justement] que par habitude

Eponine
[??] vous êtes plus riche que moi
Même si celle que vous aimez ne le sait pas
Vous vivrez pour d'autres sacrifices
[Pour qu'au peuple on fasse justice]

Marius & Eponine
La misère, comme une fille publique,
Dans la rue enfante la République
[À l'épreuve] du tréfonds de l'abîme
[???????????? sublime]

-

Marius
When you've been hungry for too long, you lose even the appetite to live
And what little life you have, death delivers us from it
Unless a bit of love puts a glimmer in our hearts

I saw her every evening at the Luxembourg on her father's arm
She hasn't come in three days, and her absence drives me to despair
Without her, I have nothing to keep me on this earth

Misery has death in its head
Its victories, for us, are defeats
It starves the body to kill the soul
And cruicifies the enthusiasm of the bravest of men

Misery suffocates hope
In the spring, its winter begins again
And the heart, paralyzed with solitude,
Ends by only continuing to beat out of habit

Eponine
[??] you are richer than me
Even if the one you love doesn't know it
You will live for other sacrifices
[So that justice will be done to the people]

Marius & Eponine
Misery, like a prostitute
In the street gives birth to the Republic
[Proof against/put to the test by*] the depths of the abyss
[????????????] sublime

-

Don't believe me? HERE IS THE MP3. I would much appreciate if any other French-speakers could help me with the unknown lyrics, especially the last line.



* I suspect the meaning of 'à l'épreuve' here depends on context which is given in the line I can't understand. Alas.

Comments

[mmebahorel.livejournal.com]

Oh dear god. I am laughing so hard. Alain, Jean-Marc, what the fuck were you on?

[reconditarmonia.livejournal.com]

I am a fellow French-speaker, but I'm afraid I can't help. Some of the bits in brackets don't seem to line up with what they're saying, but I don't have any suitable replacements, and I've no clue what the last line is.

[10littlebullets.livejournal.com]

Yeah, every time I listen I become convinced that [justement] is wrong, but I don't know what the fuck else would go there. The other parts in brackets I'm slightly more sure of, although it took me lots of repeat listens.

[reconditarmonia.livejournal.com]

It almost sounds like he's saying "battre tristement," but running together the "tr" cluster of "battre" with that of "tristement," which....isn't right.

[10littlebullets.livejournal.com]

I don't know, but I want some.

Actually, no I don't, some of those lines are just plain awkward. Especially that super-convoluted one, just for the sake of a rhyme that doesn't work (âme/enthousiasme? Hugo is spinning in his grave).

...okay, so if Misery is a whore who's giving birth to the Republic, logically that means she's been with everyone, i.e. the father is the French people. But if Enjolras' mother is the Republic, doesn't that make it kind of incestuous that France is his mistress?

[lovemoony4ever.livejournal.com]

I love all lyrics that mentions the stalking in the park, but I'm glad this didn't make it through to the English version:) My French is not nearly good enough, but I have some ideas:

When I don't look at your transcription, I hear "aimer/aimé Cosette plus riche que moi", which to me makes sense and fits well with the next line. I can hear it as "vous êtes" as well though:(

In the last line, Éponine seems to sing "tu laisses son/ton parent" while Marius talks about some exception/word that ends with -tion.

[ulkis.livejournal.com]

Empty Chairs at Empty Tables is downright cheery in comparison.