Everyone is wicked | I will construct on the sand

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by Michel Veber (1896 - 1965), as Nino

Translation © by Laura Prichard

Tout l'monde est méchant

Language: French (Français)

Our translations: ENG

Je vais construire sur le sable 
Une frégate de corsaire, 
Et si le vent m'est favorable, 
A marée haute je prends la mer. 
Tout le monde est méchant sur la terre, 
A marée haute je prends la mer. 

J'invite le diable à mon bord, 
S'il veut de moi pour capitaine, 
Pavillon noir à têt' de mort 
Tu flotteras à ma misaine. 
Tout le monde est méchant sur la terre, 
A marée haute je prends la mer. 

De Cadix à Valparaiso, 
Du Cap Horn à la Trinidad, 
Je coulerai tous les vaisseaux 
A portée de mes caronades! 
Tout le monde est méchant sur la terre, 
A marée haute je prends la mer. 

Et mon navire chargé d'or 
Je reviendrai couvert de sang, 
Déposerai tous mes trésors 
Aux genoux de ma pauv' maman. 
Tout le monde est méchant sur la terre, 
Tout le monde est méchant sauf ma mère; 
Tout le monde est méchant sur la terre, 
Tout le monde est méchant sauf Maman.

Text Authorship:

by Michel Veber (1896 - 1965), as Nino [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 Manuel Rosenthal (1904 - 2003), "Tout l'monde est méchant", 1934, from Chansons du Monsieur Bleu, no. 8. [ sung text verified 1 time]

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

ENG English (Laura Prichard) , "Everyone is wicked", copyright © 2016, (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: 26
Word count: 162

Everyone is wicked

Language: English after the French (Français)

I will construct on the sand 
A privateer frigate, 
And if the wind is favorable, 
At high tide, I’ll take to the sea. 
Everyone in the world is wicked, 
At high tide, I’ll take to the sea. 

I’ll invite the devil on board, 
If he wants me to be the capitain, 
The black Jolly Roger 
Will fly from my foremast. 
Everyone in the world is wicked, 
At high tide, I’ll take to the sea. 

From Cadiz to Valparaiso, 
From Cape Horn to Trinidad, 
I’ll sink all the vessels 
Within reach of my carronades! 
Everyone in the world is wicked 
At high tide, I’ll take to the sea. 

And my ship, loaded with gold 
I will return covered in blood, 
I will heap all of my treasures 
At the feet of my poor mommy. 
Everyone in the world is wicked, 
Everyone is wicked except my mother.

Translators note for line 3-4: "carronades" - short cast iron cannons used as short-range weapons on ships from the 1770s-1850s

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.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net

Based on:

a text in French (Français) by Michel Veber (1896 - 1965), as Nino
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2016-04-14
Line count: 24
Word count: 145