Attention! Some of this material is not in the public domain.
It is illegal to copy and distribute our copyright-protected material without permission. It is also illegal to reprint copyright texts or translations without the name of the author or translator.
If you wish to reprint translations, please use the Reprint Basket (upper right hand corner).
Reminder: You must always use the copyright symbol © when you reprint copyright-protected material.
Te souviens-tu d'une étoile Qui nous regardait un soir, Ainsi qu'un oeil sous un voile, Dans le ciel noir ? Nous avons fait la grimace A cet astre curieux, Cachant à demi sa face Pour nous voir mieux. Elle est toujours dans l'espace. Mais c'est l'étoile aujourd'hui Qui là-haut fait la grimace A mon ennui.
About the headline (FAQ)
Confirmed with Les caresses, Nouvelle Édition, Paris, G. Charpentier, [no date], page 275.
Text Authorship:
- by Jean Richepin (1849 - 1926), "Te souviens-tu d'une étoile ?", written 1877, appears in Les Caresses, in 4. Nivôse, no. 29, Paris, Éd. M. Dreyfous, first published 1882 [author's text checked 1 time 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 César Antonovich Cui (1835 - 1918), "Te souviens-tu d'une étoile?", op. 44 (20 Стихотворений Ж. Ришпена (20 Stikhotvorenij Zh. Rishpena) = 20 Poems by J. Richepin) no. 7 (1890) [ voice and piano ], from Vingt Poèmes de Jean Richepin, no. 7, Éd. "Au Menestrel" Henri Heugel [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Ernest Moret (1871 - 1949), "Te souviens-tu d'une étoile ?", 1892, published 1900 [ high voice and piano ], from Chansons tristes, no. 8, Paris, Éd. Heugel [sung text not yet checked]
- by Nikolay Aleksandrovich Sokolov (1859 - 1922), "La grimace", op. 31 (Sept Mélodies pour Chant et Piano) no. 2 (1898), published 1898 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig, Belaieff, also set in Russian (Русский) [sung text not yet checked]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in Russian (Русский), a translation (M. A. ) by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist ; composed by Nikolay Aleksandrovich Sokolov.
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Grant Hicks) , copyright © 2025, (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: 12
Word count: 54
Do you recall a star That watched us one night, Like an eye behind a veil, In the black sky? We made a face At that curious star, Half hiding its own face To see us better. It is in space still. But today it is the star Up there making a face At my ennui.
About the headline (FAQ)
Translations of titles:
"La grimace" = "Making a Face"
"Te souviens-tu d'une étoile ?" = "Do you recall a star"
Text Authorship:
- Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2025 by Grant Hicks, (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.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in French (Français) by Jean Richepin (1849 - 1926), "Te souviens-tu d'une étoile ?", written 1877, appears in Les Caresses, in 4. Nivôse, no. 29, Paris, Éd. M. Dreyfous, first published 1882
This text was added to the website: 2025-08-16
Line count: 12
Word count: 56