Sports and diversions

Translations © by Laura Prichard

Song Cycle by Alfred Erik Leslie Satie (1866 - 1925)

View original-language texts alone: Sports et divertissements

Unappetizing Chorale
May 15, 1914
(Written in the morning, on an empty stomach)

For the “cowering," and the “dummed down,” 
I wrote a grave and suitable chorale. This
chorale is a sort of bitter preamble, a
type of austere and unfrivolous introduction.
I put in everything I know about boredom.
I dedicate this chorale to those who do not like me.
I’m out.
1. La balançoire
 (Sung text)
Language: French (Français) 
C'est mon coeur qui se balance ainsi.
Il n'a pas le vertige.
Comme il a de petits pieds.
Voudra-t-il revenir dans ma poitrine ?

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by Alfred Erik Leslie Satie (1866 - 1925)
1. The swing
Language: English 
My heart swings like this.
It doesn’t get dizzy.
It’s as if it had tiny feet.
Does it want to get back inside my breast?

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2016 by Laura Prichard, (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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This text was added to the website: 2016-10-23
Line count: 4
Word count: 25

Translation © by Laura Prichard
2. La chasse
 (Sung text)
Language: French (Français) 
Entendez-vous ce lapin qui chante ?
Quelle voix !
Le rossignol est dans son terrier.
Le hibou allaite ses enfants.
Le marcassin va se marier.
Moi, j'abats des noix à coup de fusil.

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by Alfred Erik Leslie Satie (1866 - 1925)
2. The hunt
Language: English 
Do you hear the rabbit singing?
What a voice!
The nightingale is hiding in his hole.
The owl is breastfeeding her children.
The boar is getting married.
Me, I use nuts for ammunition.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2016 by Laura Prichard, (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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This text was added to the website: 2016-10-23
Line count: 6
Word count: 33

Translation © by Laura Prichard
3. La comédie italienne
 (Sung text)
Language: French (Français) 
Scaramouche explique les beautés de l'état militaire.
On y est fortement malin, dit-il.
On fait peur aux civils.
Et les galantes aventures !
Et le reste !
Quel beau métier !

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by Alfred Erik Leslie Satie (1866 - 1925)
3. Commedia dell'Arte
Language: English 
Scaramouche explains the beauties of the military state.
It’s extremely cunning, he says.
It frightens the civilians.
And the chivalrous escapades!
And the rest!
What a beautiful profession!

Text Authorship:

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Note: Scaramouche is a stock Commedia dell’Arte clown character attired in black Spanish dress and burlesquing a don.


This text was added to the website: 2016-10-23
Line count: 6
Word count: 28

Translation © by Laura Prichard
4. Le réveil de la mariée
 (Sung text)
Language: French (Français) 
Arrivée du cortège.
Appels.
Levez-vous !
Guitares faites avec de vieux chapeaux.
Un chien danse avec sa fiancée.

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by Alfred Erik Leslie Satie (1866 - 1925)
4. Waking up married
Language: English 
Arrival of the procession.
Shouts.
Get up!
Guitars made of old hats.
A dog dances with his fiancée.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2016 by Laura Prichard, (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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Line count: 5
Word count: 18

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5. Colin‑Maillard
 (Sung text)
Language: French (Français) 
Cherchez, Mademoiselle.
Celui qui vous aime est à deux pas.
Comme il est pâle : ses lèvres tremblent.
Vous riez ?
Il tient son coeur à deux mains.
Mais vous passez sans le deviner.

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by Alfred Erik Leslie Satie (1866 - 1925)
5. Playing Blind Man’s Bluff
Language: English 
Look, Miss.
One who loves you is just a stone’s throw away.
How pale he is: his lips tremble.
You laugh?
He hangs on to his heart with both hands.
But you turn around without guessing where I am.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2016 by Laura Prichard, (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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This text was added to the website: 2016-10-23
Line count: 6
Word count: 39

Translation © by Laura Prichard
6. La pêche
 (Sung text)
Language: French (Français) 
Murmures de l'eau dans un lit de rivière.
Venue d'un poisson, d'un autre, de deux autres.
"Qu'y a-t-il ?"
"C'est un pêcheur, un pauvre pêcheur."
"Merci"
Chacun retourne chez soi, même le pêcheur.
Murmures de l'eau dans un lit de rivière.

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by Alfred Erik Leslie Satie (1866 - 1925)
6. Fishing
Language: English 
Murmurs of water in a riverbed.
Arrival of a fish, of another, of two others.
“What is it?”
“It’s a fisherman, a poor fisherman.”
“Thank you.”
Everyone goes home, even the fisherman.
Murmurs of water in a riverbed.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2016 by Laura Prichard, (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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This text was added to the website: 2016-10-23
Line count: 7
Word count: 38

Translation © by Laura Prichard
7. Le yachting
 (Sung text)
Language: French (Français) 
Quel temps !
Le vent souffle comme un phoque.
Le yacht danse.
Il a l'air d'un petit fou.
La mer est démontée.
Pourvu qu'elle ne se brise pas sur un rocher.
Personne ne peut la remonter.
"Je ne veux pas rester ici," dit la jolie passagère.
"Ce n'est pas un endroit amusant.
J'aime mieux autre chose.
Allez me chercher une voiture."

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by Alfred Erik Leslie Satie (1866 - 1925)
7. Yachting
Language: English 
What weather!
The wind is blowing like a seal.
The yacht is dancing.
It looks a little crazy1.
The sea is stormy.
Provided it doesn’t break up on the rocks.
No one can launch.
“I don’t want to stay here,” says the pretty passenger.
“This isn’t an amusing scene.
I’d prefer to do something else.
Go get me a car.”

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2016 by Laura Prichard, (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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1 or "crowded"


This text was added to the website: 2016-10-23
Line count: 11
Word count: 62

Translation © by Laura Prichard
8. Le bain de mer
 (Sung text)
Language: French (Français) 
"La mer est large, Madame."
"En tous cas, elle est assez profonde."
Ne vous asseyez pas dans le fond. C'est très humide."
"Voici de bonnes vieilles vagues."
"Elles sont pleines d'eau."
"Vous êtes toute mouillée !"
"Oui, Monsieur."

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by Alfred Erik Leslie Satie (1866 - 1925)
8. Swimming
Language: English 
“The sea is wide, Madam.”
“In any case, it is deep enough.
Don’t sit down on the sea bottom. It’s very wet.”
“These are good old waves.”
“They are full of water.”
“You’re all wet!”
"Yes, Sir."

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2016 by Laura Prichard, (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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This text was added to the website: 2016-10-23
Line count: 7
Word count: 37

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9. Le carnaval
 (Sung text)
Language: French (Français) 
Les confetti descendent !
Voici un masque mélancolique.
Un pierrot ivre fait le malin.
Arrivent de souples dominos.
On se bouscule pour les voir.
"Sont-elles jolies ?"

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by Alfred Erik Leslie Satie (1866 - 1925)
9. The carnival
Language: English 
The confetti is falling!
Here’s a melancholy mask.
A drunken Pierrot acts tough.
The supple Dominos arrive.
They're in a rush to see them.
“Are they pretty?”

Text Authorship:

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Translator's notes: "Pierrot" is a white puppet or sad clown costume based on a stock character from pantomime and Commedia dell'Arte; and "Dominos" are revellers wearing robe-like costumes dating back to 18th-century masked balls.



This text was added to the website: 2016-10-23
Line count: 6
Word count: 27

Translation © by Laura Prichard
10. Le golf
 (Sung text)
Language: French (Français) 
Le colonel est vêtu de "scotch Tweed" d'un vert violent.
Il sera victorieux.
Son "caddie" le suit portant les "bags".
Les nuages sont étonnés.
Les "holes" sont tout tremblants.
Le colonel est là !
Le voici qui assure le coup : son "club" vole en éclats !

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by Alfred Erik Leslie Satie (1866 - 1925)
10. Golf
Language: English 
The colonel is dressed in a violent green “Scotch tweed.”
He will be victorious.
His “caddie” follows with the “bags.”
The clouds are astonished.
The “holes” are all a-tremble.
The colonel is here!
Now he’s taking no chances: his “club” has shattered!

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2016 by Laura Prichard, (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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This text was added to the website: 2016-10-23
Line count: 7
Word count: 42

Translation © by Laura Prichard
11. La pieuvre
 (Sung text)
Language: French (Français) 
La pieuvre est dans sa caverne.
Elle s'amuse avec un crabe.
Elle le poursuit.
Elle l'a avalé de travers.
Hagarde, elle se marche sur les pieds.
Elle boit un verre d'eau salée pour se remettre.
Cette boisson lui fait grand bien et lui change les idées.

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by Alfred Erik Leslie Satie (1866 - 1925)
11. The octopus
Language: English 
The octopus is in his cave.
It plays with a crab.
It pursues it [the crab].
It chokes.
Haggard, it steps on its own toes.
It drinks a glass of salt water to recover.
This drink makes it much better and it changes its attitude.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2016 by Laura Prichard, (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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Translator's notes: "pieuvre" (octopus) is sometimes used as an ironic synonym for a French aristocrat, as the animal is considered to “have blue blood,” due to its having evolved a copper rather than iron-based blood, which turns its blood blue.

Line 4: (chokes) - after eating, the octopus ejects the shells.
Line 5: (steps on its own toes) - octopuses die soon after mating.
Line 7: (changes its attitude) - octopuses are able to mimic the opposite sex by changing color. In the poem, the octopus is female for all lines except the last, when it is represented by the male pronoun.



This text was added to the website: 2016-10-23
Line count: 7
Word count: 45

Translation © by Laura Prichard
12. Les courses
 (Sung text)
Language: French (Français) 
La foule.
Le pesage.
Achat du programme.
Vingt et vingt.
Aux rubans.
Départ.
Ceux qui se dérobent.
Les perdants (nez pointus et oreilles tombantes.)

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by Alfred Erik Leslie Satie (1866 - 1925)
12. The races
Language: English 
The crowd.
Weighing the jockeys.
Buying the program.
Twenty and twenty.
Awarding ribbons.
Leaving the track.
Those who fail to win a bet.
The losers (nose pointed down and ears drooping).

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2016 by Laura Prichard, (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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This text was added to the website: 2016-10-23
Line count: 8
Word count: 31

Translation © by Laura Prichard
13. Les quatre‑coins
 (Sung text)
Language: French (Français) 
Les quatre souris.
Le chat.
Les souris agacent le chat.
Le chat s'étire.
Il s'élance.
Le chat est placé.

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by Alfred Erik Leslie Satie (1866 - 1925)
13. The far corners
Language: English 
Four mice.
A cat.
The mice annoy the cat.
The cat stretches.
He leaps.
The cat is ready to pounce.

Text Authorship:

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Note on the last line: “Il a placé le chat parmi les pigeons,” or “The cat has been set among the pigeons,” is an expression that prepares the reader for a sudden action.


This text was added to the website: 2016-10-23
Line count: 6
Word count: 20

Translation © by Laura Prichard
14. Le picnic
 (Sung text)
Language: French (Français) 
Ils ont tous apporté du veau très froid.
Vous avez une belle robe blanche.
Tiens ! Un aéroplane !
Mais non : c'est un orage.

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by Alfred Erik Leslie Satie (1866 - 1925)
14. The picnic
Language: English 
They all brought very cold veal [to eat].
You’re wearing a beautiful white dress.
Look! An airplane!
But no, it’s just a storm cloud.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2016 by Laura Prichard, (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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This text was added to the website: 2016-10-23
Line count: 4
Word count: 24

Translation © by Laura Prichard
15. Le water‑chute
 (Sung text)
Language: French (Français) 
Si vous avez le coeur solide, vous ne serez
pas trop malade.
Il vous semblera que vous tombez d'un
échafaudage.
Vous verrez comme c'est curieux.
Attention !
ne changez pas de couleur.
Je me sens mal à l'aise.
Cela prouve que vous auriez besoin de vous amuser.

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by Alfred Erik Leslie Satie (1866 - 1925)
15. The waterfall
Language: English 
If you have a strong heart, you won't
feel ill.
It will seem like you’re falling from
a scaffold.
You’ll see how strange it is.
Warning!
Don’t look so pale.
I feel uncomfortable.
This proves you need to have some fun.

Text Authorship:

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Note for line 7: literally, "don't change color."


This text was added to the website: 2016-10-23
Line count: 9
Word count: 41

Translation © by Laura Prichard
16. Le tango
 (Sung text)
Language: French (Français) 
Le tango est la danse du diable.
C'est celle qu'il préfère.
Il la danse pour se refroidir.
Sa femme, ses filles et ses domestiques se refroidissent.

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by Alfred Erik Leslie Satie (1866 - 1925)
16. The tango
Language: English 
The tango is the dance of the devil.
It’s the one he prefers.
It’s the dance that cools you down.
His lady, his daughters and his domestic servants cool down.

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Line count: 4
Word count: 30

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17. Le traîneau
 (Sung text)
Language: French (Français) 
Quel froid !
Mesdames, le nez dans les fourrures.
Le traîneau file.
Le paysage a très froid et ne sait où se
mettre.

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by Alfred Erik Leslie Satie (1866 - 1925)
17. The train
Language: English 
How cold!
Ladies, tuck your noses down into your furs.
The train flies along the track.
The countryside is very cold and isn’t sorry
about it.

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This text was added to the website: 2016-10-23
Line count: 5
Word count: 26

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18. Le flirt
 (Sung text)
Language: French (Français) 
Il se disent de jolies choses, des choses
modernes.
"Comment allez-vous ?"
"Ne suis-je pas aimable ?"
"Laissez-moi ?"
"Vous avez de gros yeux."
"Je voudrais être dans la lune."
Il soupire.
Il hoche la tête.

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by Alfred Erik Leslie Satie (1866 - 1925)
18. The flirt
Language: English 
He says pretty things,
modern things.
“How are you?” 
“Am I not lovable?”
“May I?”
“You have big eyes.” 
“I would like to be in the moon.”
He sighs.
He nods his head.

Text Authorship:

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Note for line 7: “Il est con comme la lune” is an expression that means “He’s a damned fool.”


This text was added to the website: 2016-10-23
Line count: 9
Word count: 33

Translation © by Laura Prichard
19. Le feu d'artifice
 (Sung text)
Language: French (Français) 
Comme il fait noir !
Oh ! Un feu de Bengale !
Une fusée !
Une fusée toute bleue !
Tous admirent.
Un vieillard devient fou.
Le bouquet !

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by Alfred Erik Leslie Satie (1866 - 1925)
19. Fireworks
Language: English 
It’s getting so dark!
Oh! A Roman candle!
A flare!
An all-blue flare!
Everyone is full of admiration.
An old man goes crazy.
The grand finale!

Text Authorship:

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This text was added to the website: 2016-10-23
Line count: 7
Word count: 26

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20. Le tennis
 (Sung text)
Language: French (Français) 
Play ?
Yes !
Le bon serveur.
Comme il a de belles jambes !
Il a un beau nez.
Service coupé.
Game !

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by Alfred Erik Leslie Satie (1866 - 1925)
20. Tennis
Language: English 
Want to play ?
Yes !
A good serve.
What nice legs he has!
He has a beautiful nose.
A slice on the serve.
Game!

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2016 by Laura Prichard, (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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This text was added to the website: 2016-10-23
Line count: 7
Word count: 23

Translation © by Laura Prichard