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Au fond de la Seine, il y a de l'or, Des bateaux rouillés, des bijoux, des armes. Au fond de la Seine, il y a des morts. Au fond de la Seine, il y a des larmes. Au fond de la Seine, il y a des fleurs; De vase et de boue elles sont nourries. Au fond de la Seine, il y a des coeurs Qui font souffrir trop pour vivre la vie. Et puis des cailloux et des bêtes grises. L'âme des égouts soufflant des poisons. Les anneaux jetés par des incomprises, Des pieds qu'une hélice a coupés du tronc. Et les fruits maudits des ventres stériles, Les blancs avortés que nul n'aima. Les vomissements de la grand'ville. Au fond de la Seine, il y a cela. Ô Seine clémente où vont les cadavres, Ô lit dont les drops sont faits de limon, Fleuv' des déchets, sans fanal, ni hâvre, Chanteuse bercant, la morgue et les ponts, Accueill' le pauvre, accueill' la femme, Accueill' l'ivrogne Accueill' le fou, Mèle leurs sanglots au bruit de tes lames, Et porte leurs coeurs, et porte leurs coeurs et porte leurs coeurs, parmi les cailloux. Au fond de la Seine, il y a de l'or, Des bateaux rouillés, des bijoux, des armes. Au fond de la Seine, il y a des morts. Au fond de la Seine, il y a des larmes.
Authorship:
- by Maurice Magre (1877 - 1941), "Complainte de la Seine", written 1913, appears in Les belles de nuit, in 3. La robe arrachée, no. 7, Paris, Éd. Fasquelle, Bibliothèque Charpentier, first published 1913 [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Kurt Weill (1900 - 1950), "Complainte de la Seine", 1934, published 1946, first performed 1934 [ medium voice and piano ], from Trois chansons, no. 1, Édition Heugel (Coda) [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sean Phillip Mabrey) , "Lament of the Seine", copyright © 2004, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 30
Word count: 229
At the bottom of the Seine there is gold, rusting boats, jewels, weapons... At the bottom of the Seine there are dead bodies... At the bottom of the Seine there are tears... At the bottom of the Seine there are flowers; in their vase of mud they are nourished by silt... At the bottom of the Seine there are the hearts that greatly suffered for living life... And then the rocks and the grey beasts... The pipes of the sewers, blowing out poison... The rings thrown away by misunderstood lovers, feet that a propeller cut off from their trunk... And the cursed fruits of sterile wombs, the innocent abortions that no one loved... The vomit of the big city... At the bottom of the Seine, it is there... Oh, lenient Seine where the cadavers go, oh, bed with the sheets made from silt, river of losses without beacon, nor haven, singing a lullaby to the morgue and the bridges, welcoming the poor one, welcoming the woman, welcoming the drunkard, welcoming the crazy one, mixing theirs sobs to the sound of your blades, and carrying their hearts among the rocks... At the bottom of the Seine there is gold, rusting boats, jewels, weapons... At the bottom of the Seine there are dead bodies... At the bottom of the Seine there are tears...
Authorship:
- Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2004 by Sean Phillip Mabrey, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
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Based on:
- a text in French (Français) by Maurice Magre (1877 - 1941), "Complainte de la Seine", written 1913, appears in Les belles de nuit, in 3. La robe arrachée, no. 7, Paris, Éd. Fasquelle, Bibliothèque Charpentier, first published 1913
This text was added to the website: 2005-01-24
Line count: 44
Word count: 221