George Brassens - "L'orage"

sockeye · February 2009

I first heard this song from Rodolphe Raffalli's superlative recording (one of the best CDs in this genre in the past 10 years in my opinion).

I've since grown to love this song and Brassens's work in general. The chords are easy enough and available elsewhere but I thought I'd share a video of Brassens singing the song in case you've not heard it:

Also, I've attempted, as a rather poor French speaker, to translate the lyric to English. The meter doesn't match the song but it gives you some idea of what he's singing about:

The Storm

Speak to me of the rain and not of good weather
Good weather disgusts me, sets my teeth on edge
Beautiful blue skies infuriate me
For the greatest love that was granted to me on earth
I owe to bad weather, I owe to Jupiter
It fell to me from a stormy sky

One November evening, riding over the rooftops
A storm screamed in from the Northeast
And lit its fireworks
Leaping from her bed in her nightgown
My panicked neighbour hammered at my door
Calling for my help

"I'm alone and I'm scared, let me in, for pity’s sake
My husband has gone off to work
Poor unfortunate mercenary
He must sleep outside when the weather is bad
He represents a company
That sells lightning rods"

Blessing the name of Benjamin Franklin
I put her in a safe place snuggled in my arms
And love did the rest
You who plant lightning rods in abundance
Why did you not plant one on your own house?
Your error could not have been worse

When Jupiter went to make himself heard elsewhere
The young beauty, having cast off her fright
And found her courage
Went home to get her husband dried off
And told me to meet her when the weather turns bad
Meet her at the next storm

From that day on I never lowered my eyes
I spent my days looking heavenwards
To watch the clouds
Checking on the stratus, examining the nimbus
Making eyes at the low-hanging cumulus
But she never came back

Her good husband had done so much business
Sold so much iron that night
He had become a millionaire
And he took her away to land of blue skies
Stupid country where it never rains
Where people know nothing of thunder

God grant that my lament goes, with drum beating
Speak to her of rain, speak to her of rough weather
That we faced together
Tell her that a certain murderous thunderbolt
Left a drawing on the bullseye of my heart
Of a little flower that looks like her

B25Gib · February 2009

Thanks for posting. Amazing how Rodolphe Rafralli produces such beautiful lines against such basic chord voicings that Brassens uses. There are at least three songs in key of Bm on RR's "A Georges Brassens". Such a great CD! I've been playing La Marine (waltz) from it.
Nice to see Brassens playing and good work on the translation.
.....Rocky

Caravan GSE · March 2009

I have been playing a few Georges Brassens tunes in a side project. Actually some of his tunes are quite jazzy. I wish more of his tunes were in regular rotation in Gypsy Jazz groups. I know The Minor Swing Quartet with Sammy Dussat play a few tunes.

We play the following tunes:
Les Amoureux Des Bancs Publics
Je me suis fait tout petit
Les copains d'abord

You can find our version of copains at www.malodua.com