Musical Monday: C'Etait L'Hiver

After about 20 takes (I am not kidding) I finally got an acceptable cut of this gorgeous French song.  A bit dark in the lyrics, but the melody is so haunting and beautiful that I wanted to sing it anyway.  I have included both the English and French lyrics.  I hope you like it.  Just click on the yellow title below.  And, as always, this week's song will be in the mp3 player in the right side bar all week.

Kazzy's voice has been silenced by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act(see the details here). Sorry you can't listen to her sing directly. But send her a message and she'll try to work something out.

C'Etait L'Hiver

Elle disait: "j'ai déjà trop marché,
mon cœur est déjà trop lourd de secrets,
trop lourd de peines".
Elle disait: "je ne continue plus,
ce qui m'attend, je l'ai déjà vécu,
c'est plus la peine".

Elle disait que vivre était cruel,
Elle ne croyait plus au soleil,
Ni aux silences des églises.
Même mes sourires lui faisaient peur,
C'était l'hiver dans le fond de son cœur.

Le vent n'a jamais été plus froid,
La pluie plus violente que ce soir-là,
Le soir de ses vingt ans,
Le soir où elle a éteint le feu,
Derrière la façade de ses yeux,
Dans un éclair blanc.

Elle a sûrement rejoint le ciel,
Elle brille à côté du soleil,
Comme les nouvelles églises.
Mais si depuis ce soir-là je pleure,
C'est qu'il fait froid
Dans le fond de mon cœur.


Winter Deep in Her Heart
by Francis Cabrel

She would say, "I just cannot go on.
My heart is too weighed down with secrets,
too heavy with pain."

She would say, "I just cannot go on.
What's to come is just more of the same.
It's pointless."

She would say that life was only cruel.
She no longer believed in the sun,
nor in the silence of a church.
Even my smiling frightened her.
It was winter deep in her heart.

She would say that life was only cruel.
She no longer believed in the sun,
nor in the silence of a church.
Even my smiling frightened her.
It was winter deep in her heart.

The wind had never blown more cold;
the rain, never more severe than on that night,
the night that she turned twenty.
That night she put out the fire
behind the facade of her eyes
in a white flash.

She has surely returned to the sky;
she shines beside the sun
as the steeples of new churches
And if ever since that night I cry,
it's because it is so very cold
deep in my heart.

16 comments

Robin | April 26, 2010 at 12:54 AM

Beautifully haunting.

CiCi | April 26, 2010 at 6:26 AM

You are right about the lyrics and the melody. The music and singing are lovely. I could close my eyes and be in Paris.

Connie | April 26, 2010 at 6:28 AM

You're right about the lyrics being a bit dark but it's a beautiful song.

Connie | April 26, 2010 at 6:43 AM

btw - HAPPY BIRTHDAY, my dear "old" friend!

The Crash Test Dummy | April 26, 2010 at 9:05 AM

What the what? Are you serious? You can sing?

I mean, you CAN sing! You can SING! YOU can sing!

I lub the lyrics so much and your beautiful voice.

You go, girl!

Beautiful rings AND a beautiful voice!

Happy Birthday!

gigi | April 26, 2010 at 9:44 AM

Hey it's your birthday!?!???!!!

You say it's your birthday
It's my birthday too, yeah
They say it's your birthday
We're gonna have a good time
I'm glad it's your birthday
Happy birthday to you

Yes we're going to a party party
Yes we're going to a party party
Yes we're going to a party party.

I would like you to dance
(Birthday)
Take a cha-cha-cha-chance
(Birthday)
I would like you to dance
(Birthday)
Dance

I would like you to dance
(Birthday)
Take a cha-cha-cha-chance
(Birthday)
I would like you to dance
(Birthday)
Dance

You say it's your birthday
It's my birthday too, yeah
They say it's your birthday
We're gonna have a good time
I'm glad it's your birthday
Happy birthday to you

Today is also my sisters, nephew and good friends birthday, I knew you were special!!

Oh, and yeah, the song... it sounds sad to me.

Kazzy | April 26, 2010 at 11:30 AM

Yup, this is a sad song, but singers are storytellers. And some stories aren't happy ones.

How about next month I do something that would fit with a top hat and cane? :)

Lanie | April 26, 2010 at 1:48 PM

I loved it...some songs are sad, but, that's ok..wonderful job...

Heidi | April 26, 2010 at 3:26 PM

Happy Birthday! Thank goodness you are past 20 and we don't have to look too deeply into the lyrics of this song . . . I took two years of French and spent many years taking ballet from a French woman so I can say with full confidence that your accent is exquisite!

Heidi | April 26, 2010 at 3:30 PM

Also--gorgeously executed, one of the songs that must go on the CD when you finally get around to cutting one.

Rebecca Blevins | April 26, 2010 at 4:18 PM

Oh my goodness, this is exquisite! Your voice is incredibly lovely!

It was so good to meet you Thursday!

Rebecca Blevins | April 26, 2010 at 4:20 PM

Oh, and happy birthday!

LisAway | April 27, 2010 at 12:32 AM

Woah! That is just beautiful! I wish I spoke French so it would carry any weight when I say that I cannot believe how awesome your accent is! It is a sad story, but a moving song.

Erin | April 27, 2010 at 9:05 AM

WOW! I know a few Francis Cabrel songs, but not this one... you did an amazing job (with the french accent and all). I am so impressed. And, of course, your voice is beautiful too. I am just blown away that you can sing French (with the accent) as well as I can. Wait - did you get a degree in French???

And happy belated birthday too!

Lola Sharp | April 29, 2010 at 8:31 AM

As always, your voice is captivating and silky smooth.

But, who knew you could speak (sing) such perfect french?! AWESOME!

Beautiful song, lovely melody indeed.


Happy belated Birthday!!!!!!!!

Luann | May 2, 2010 at 7:33 AM

Haunting and beautiful are the perfect descriptions for this. I love it.

I can't believe you tackled this in french. I am constantly amazed by you.