Three songs from The Little Mermaid

Translations © by Peter Low

Song Cycle by Arthur Honegger (1892 - 1955)

View original-language texts alone: Trois Chansons de la Petite Sirène

1. Chanson des Sirènes
 (Sung text)
Language: French (Français) 
Dans le vent et dans le flot
dissous toi fragile écume
Dissous toi dans un sanglot
pauvre cœur rempli d'amertume

Prends ton vol dans le ciel bleu
vois la mort n'est pas cruelle.
Tu auras la paix de Dieu
viens à nous âme immortelle...

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by René Morax (1873 - 1963)
1. The song of the mermaids
Language: English 
In the wind and in the waves,
dissolve, oh fragile foam.
Dissolve into a teardrop,
poor heart filled with bitterness
 
Take flight into the blue sky.
See - death is not cruel.
God's peace will be yours,
come to us, immortal soul.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2017 by Peter Low, (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: 2017-08-11
Line count: 8
Word count: 41

Translation © by Peter Low
2. Berceuse de la Sirène
 (Sung text)
Language: French (Français) 
Danse avec nous dans le bel Océan
le matin ou le soir sous la lune d'argent.
Plonge avec nous dans le flot transparent,
chante au soleil dans l'écume et le vent.
Mer berce nous dans tes bras caressants
Mer berce nous sur ton coeur frémissant.

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by René Morax (1873 - 1963)
2. The mermaid's lullaby
Language: English 
Dance with us on the beautiful ocean
in the morning or evening beneath the silver moon.
Dive with us into the limpid waves,
sing to the sun in the spray and the wind.
Ocean, rock us in your caressing arms,
ocean, rock us on your trembling heart.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2017 by Peter Low, (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: 2017-08-11
Line count: 6
Word count: 47

Translation © by Peter Low
3. Chanson de la Poire
 (Sung text)
Language: French (Français) 
C'est l'histoire
d'une poire
on la cueille
dans les feuilles
on la tape
tant et tant,
qu'elle en claque
en trois temps
d'une attaque
Il faut boire
à la poire
un bon coup.
Il faut boire
et c'est tout.

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by René Morax (1873 - 1963)
3. The song of the pear
Language: English 
This is the story
of a pear.
It is picked
among the leaves,
it is squeezed
for such a long time
that it perishes
in three stages
from an attack.
You need to drink
a good mouthful
of the pear-juice.
You need to drink,
and that's all.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2017 by Peter Low, (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: 

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This text was added to the website: 2017-08-11
Line count: 14
Word count: 47

Translation © by Peter Low