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Three Songs of a Negro Woman
Song Cycle by Darius Milhaud (1892 - 1974)
View original-language texts alone: Trois Chansons de Négresse
J'étais toute petite Quand un grand négrier, Cachant la vérité, Me fit venir d'Afrique. On nous entassa toutes Dans une barque à voiles Et je compris en route Que j'étais une esclave! Devant la vérité Pauvre de moi, mes frères, Voyez cette misère, Horrible à constater. Ah! je n'étais plus même Précipitation, J'étais calamité Et indignation. Maintenant on est libre De tous ses mouvements, On a beau être nègre,1 On est comme les Blancs. La jambe par devant, La jambe par derrière, Nous sommes des enfants Libres et volontaires.
Text Authorship:
- by Jules Supervielle (1884 - 1960), appears in Bolivar
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Please note: this text, provided here for educational and research use, is in the public domain in Canada, but it may still be copyright in other legal jurisdictions. The LiederNet Archive makes no guarantee that the above text is public domain in your country. Please consult your country's copyright statutes or a qualified IP attorney to verify whether a certain text is in the public domain in your country or if downloading or distributing a copy constitutes fair use. The LiederNet Archive assumes no legal responsibility or liability for the copyright compliance of third parties.
I was very small when a tall slave-trader, hiding the truth, brought me from Africa. We were all crammed into a sailing ship, and I found out during the journey that I was a slave! Before the truth, poor me, my brothers, look on this misery, horrible to see. I was no longer even precipitation. I was calamity and indignation. Now we're totally free. We may be negroes1, but we're just like the whites. One leg before, one leg behind, we are free and willful children.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2002 by Faith J. Cormier, (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 Jules Supervielle (1884 - 1960), appears in Bolivar
Go to the general single-text view
View original text (without footnotes)1 properly translated, this word would get our website banned by censorware.
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 23
Word count: 88
En attendant je serai À la maison toute seule, Sans avoir un seul baiser À me mettre sous la gueule. J'aurai tout plaisir gâté, Comme une pauvre orpheline, Le coeur pâle d'anxiété Je ferai triste cuisine. Je salerai mes repas Avec des larmes brûlantes, Je m'en irai pas à pas Vers les solutions violentes. Mais, mon petit, voici l'heure De ton alimentation. Étant femme, avec pudeur, J'irai derrière un buisson Donner mon sein de couleur À notre petit garçon.
Text Authorship:
- by Jules Supervielle (1884 - 1960), appears in Bolivar
Go to the general single-text view
Please note: this text, provided here for educational and research use, is in the public domain in Canada, but it may still be copyright in other legal jurisdictions. The LiederNet Archive makes no guarantee that the above text is public domain in your country. Please consult your country's copyright statutes or a qualified IP attorney to verify whether a certain text is in the public domain in your country or if downloading or distributing a copy constitutes fair use. The LiederNet Archive assumes no legal responsibility or liability for the copyright compliance of third parties.
Till then, I'll be all alone in the house without a single kiss. All my pleasure will be spoilt, like a poor orphan, my heart pale with anxiety, I will be a sad cook. I will salt my meals with burning tears and slowly turn toward violent solutions. But, little one, it's time to feed you. Being a woman, I will modestly go behind a bush to give my coloured breast to our little boy.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2002 by Faith J. Cormier, (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 Jules Supervielle (1884 - 1960), appears in Bolivar
Go to the general single-text view
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 17
Word count: 76
Pour les enfants sans feu ni lieu Faudrait une chanson si belle Qu'elle puisse leur tenir lieu De demeure très naturelle. Tout ce dont ils auraient besoin, Un peu de lait, un peu d'étoffe, Ainsi que tous les autres soins, Ils les trouveraient dans les strophes, Afin de leur faire comprendre Qu'ils sont moins seuls qu'ils n'ent ont l'air, Même au milieu de la montagne Et de la guerre et de l'hiver.
Text Authorship:
- by Jules Supervielle (1884 - 1960), appears in Bolivar
Go to the general single-text view
Please note: this text, provided here for educational and research use, is in the public domain in Canada, but it may still be copyright in other legal jurisdictions. The LiederNet Archive makes no guarantee that the above text is public domain in your country. Please consult your country's copyright statutes or a qualified IP attorney to verify whether a certain text is in the public domain in your country or if downloading or distributing a copy constitutes fair use. The LiederNet Archive assumes no legal responsibility or liability for the copyright compliance of third parties.
For the children with neither hearth nor home, we need a song so beautiful that it can take the place of a very natural dwelling for them. All they need - a little milk, a little cloth, all other care - will they find in its verses, to make them understand that they are not as alone as they seem, even amidst mountains and war and winter.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2002 by Faith J. Cormier, (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 Jules Supervielle (1884 - 1960), appears in Bolivar
Go to the general single-text view
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 66