La Chanson de Prevert et le Testament d'Amelia

[Jean Pierre]

So! Watch out, rockers, it's going to get funny in your ears!

It's a double tribut...
the introduction are the 16 first bars of "El Testament d'Amelia" by the composer-guitarist Miguel LLobet (1878-1938) and it's a wink to my few years of classical guitar playing.

then it's "la chanson de Prévert" by Serge Gainsbourg, a great French singer-songwriter who has a double personality (Dr Gainsbourg and Mister Gainsbarre) Gainsbourg in the 50's and 60's with magnificent songs ("Le poinsonneur des Lillas" (the punchman of the Lilacs), "La Javanaise" (the Javanese(, "Je viens te dire que je m'en vais" (I've come to tell you I'm leaving) and Gainsbarre, a much more sulphurous character : la marseillase Reggae (the Marseille Regga, "Je taime , moi non plus"  I love you neither...) and probably better known outside France.

Gainsbourg

Miguel Llobet

[Ferryman]

This is lovely JP. Nice guitar playing but I really liked the overall arrangement. The balance of guitars, vox and accordion (?) is really well done, and in particular the vox sound great, really fitting for the feel of the song and very nice harmonies. Bravo!

I started having classical guitar lessons at age 11, lasted about 3 lessons and gave up. They weren't teaching me any Beatles chord sequences, so I decided it wasn't for me 

[Jean Pierre]

Thank you Ferryman;

I started having classical guitar lessons at age 11, lasted about 3 lessons and gave up.

Me also, I went straight from  "forbidden games" to "hard days night" when I was 16...but I came back (without quitting beatles and rolling stones) to the classical guitar because there are wonderful things!
I'm going to soon resume here on SC (to give a kick in conformism) Eric Satie's "gymnopedie n°1,  for guitar and ...wWissenborn and I'm sure you'll like it, my friend!

[Mike_S]

Beautiful JP

Mike

[Jean Pierre]

for George in particular,  and for all in general the explanation and translation of this song

The singer, composer and author of great hits for himself and other artists has left behind a rich discography that reflects his brilliant career as well as his success that lives on long after his death. Indeed, Serge Gainsbourg was an artist at heart. It was in the world of painting that his heart first capsized, then at the age of 30 he decided to embrace music, which he described as a minor art.

"La chanson de Prévert" was one of the songs on Serge Gainsbourg's third album entitled "L'Etonnant Serge Gainsbourg". He exposed this project to his public in 1961. The song was covered by several artists including his daughter Charlotte Gainsbourg. The singer was inspired by Yves Montand's song "Les feuilles mortes" which was sung for the film "Les portes de la nuit". "Les feuilles mortes" was written by Jacques Prévert and composed by Joseph Kosma.

Serge Gainsbourg was inspired by this song written by Prévert and in turn wrote a song referring to this work 15 years after its release. Indeed, Gainsbourg expresses through this song a sometimes melancholic love, full of nostalgia and memory, while drawing a parallel with Prévert's song "Les feuilles mortes".
NB

I had done a cover of Prevert's song les feuilles d'automne (the autumn leaves) here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2I448l8NuI

The song also tackles the theme of the singer's indifference and a certain nonsense felt in relation to life, as everything is cyclical. Indeed, to justify his vision, the author evokes the flight of time by referring to the seasons: "Autumn comes winter" but also to the days that pass by: "Day after day, dead loves never stop dying". It is the fatality of life that demands an end to every beautiful adventure.

His words tinged with melancholy are set to soft music accompanied by the suave voice of Serge Gainsbourg. The song is a great classic of the singer who defines his poetic universe, long inspired by men of letters.

How I would like you to remember,
this song was yours,
it was your favorite, I think
Prévert and Cosma wrote it.

And always The Fallen Leaves
recall my memories of you,
day after day
the fallen loves
are never done dying.

Of course I lose myself in other's arms,
but their song is dull
and I grow ever more indifferent,
there is no helping it.

Since always The Fallen Leaves
recall my memories of you,
day after day
the fallen loves
are never done dying.

Is it ever possible to know
the begining or the end of indifference?
May fall pass, may winter come,
and may Prévert's song

this song,
The Fallen Leaves,
vanish from my memories,
and that day
my fallen loves
will be done dying.

And that day,
my fallen loves
will be done dying.

[Oldrottenhead]

Beautiful, tres braw mon ami.

[Hook]

Wonderful.
Rock on!

[Zoltan]

My comment was missing, but now it's here.

Magnifique JP!

[dasilvasings]

J'adore cette chanson!
J'ai fait une version il ya pres de 10 ans avant (?) quand j'etais a faire le bain à ma fille bebe.

Je ne sais pas pourquoi, ton accent c'est vraiment meilleur que le mien!

Merci!

[Jean Pierre]

Je ne sais pas pourquoi, ton accent c'est vraiment meilleur que le mien!

Thank you Dasivasing, my english accent it is not bad, either