We played the blues....(french blues)

[Jean Pierre]

It's not often that I go through Original Song by Songcrafters...I'm actually not able to compose!

This is a composition of words and music by my friend Bernard, a French bluesman, from Lyon to be precise, who kindly entrusted me with this composition to present it to you.

The subject of the text is the passion of young Frenchmen of my generation who discovered the blues in France through Big Bill Bronzy, John Lee Hooker, then Clapton, the Stones ... we had rotten guitars and amps and we played in the cellars of buildings, bars more or less ill-famed (in slang the caboulots) ... and quite often it must be said without much success.
"it was a different time ... but we were young and beautiful", as the lyrics go.
I think we've all experienced that in our respective countries, and remember it with a touch of nostalgia.


traductions des paroles
we played the blues in the cabilots*1
we played the blues we weren't pros*2
we'd meet in the evening in the heart of the old quarter
we cherished the hope of crossing paths with success

we listened to John Lee, the Stones and then Clapton
but our crappy guitars sounded like tin cans
with bright tomorrows in our brains
and then sparks in the back of our eyes

we sang the blues and then Rock and Roll
we sang about jealous girls and our idols
and we'd panhandle*3 in little restaurants*4
and even on Sundays we had no rest   

we played the blues in cabarets
we played the blues we weren't pros
it was a different time we were young and beautiful
and blues and rock were in our blood

*1 slang term for a cabaret, a disreputable bar
*2 professionals
*3 la manche to beg
*4 restaurant

on jouait le blues dans les cabilots*1
on jouait le blues on était pas des pros*2
on se trouvait le soir  au coeur du vieux quartier
on caressait l'espoir  de croiser le succes

on écoutait John Lee, Les Stones et  puis Clapton
mais nos guitares pourries sonnaient comme des bidons
avec dans nos cervelles des lendemains radieux
et puis des étincelles tout au fond de nos yeux

on a chanté les blues et puis le Rock and Roll
chanté les filles jalouses et chanté nos idoles
et l'on faisait la manche*3 dans les petits resto*4
et meme le dimanche pour nous pas de repos   

on jouait le blues dans les caboulots
on jouait les blues on etait pas des pros
c'était une autre époque on etait jeunes et beaux
et le blues et le rock on l'avait dans la peau

*1 terme argotique designant un cabaret, un bar mal famé
*2 des professionnels
*3 la manche to beg
*4 restaurant

thanks guys for listening,    JP vocals, guitars, organ
                              BIAB  drums ,Electric piano, bass
 

[TPB]

Very nice brother thanks for translation  nice playing but then again I am partial to a good blues tune
Well done. The background organ works is a nice contrast to your playing
Tim

[Jean Pierre]

Merci Tim

[StephenM]

ça fume bien mec... J'adore ça... la basse cuit au gaz et la guitare est douce comme de la soie... la guitare rythmique est tellement cool que Steely Dan la veut...

puis ça s'étend jusqu'au pays des basses ambulantes... des rebondissements à profusion... c'est comme plusieurs chansons en une... bravo et quelques coups de langue stellaires là-dedans JP... bien, beau travail tout autour.


this is smoking good man... I love it... the bass is cooking with gas and the guitar is smooth like silk... the rhythm guitar is so cool Steely Dan wants it...

then it goes way out into walking bass land... twists and turns a plenty... it is like several songs in one... bravo and some stellar licks in there JP.... fine, fine work all around.

[Jean Pierre]

Thanks Stephen for this comment

All the credit goes to my friend Bernard who is a blesman at heart and composes a lot of original blues in French.
In France we have some very good blues men: Bill Deraine, Paul Personne, Patrick Verbeke, to name but a few.

[Pete C]

Great sounding Blues, I enjoyed hearing this

Pete

[Jean Pierre]

merci Pete

[Jarle]

Nice

[Jean Pierre]

thank you Jarle

[Zoltan]

.I'm actually not able to compose!

We don't believe such nonsense around here! The only reason you're not "able" to compose is the lack of wine and trying.

Such great playing and sounds. That phrasing is at times Santana / Bloomfield like.
And those loup-garou vocals!

Almost forgot. Do French people even get the blues? I mean cheap wine and all that food...

Far out!