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Saturday, April 24, 2010

Maybe Francophilia Is Inherited

I've long admitted to being a francophile so it's quite understandable that I occasionally post French stuff here. The thing is, I'm waiting before teaching Marguerite (yes the mania carried out to the naming of my daughter) French (and in the process get to reviser old leçons because all I can manage maintenant is the most atrocious Franglais as you can see). Spanish is the priority in this multilingual endeavor because, well, I'm better at it, lol. However, it cannot be denied that Marguerite is already getting exposure - lots of it - to francophilia (is this even a word? it's getting the red underline). For instance, the Disney channel has periodically been showing "Ratatouille", so when we chance upon it, Marguerite and I give matching delighted squees of "Ratatou-weeee!!!" Anyway, I fell in love with the theme, so as usual when this thing happens, I consulted YouTube for proper nourishment of a potential musical obsession (omg, I just had a flashback of how things were in the '80s when I was growing up - it was soooo much harder being a fan back then). We've been watching videos with the song in the background and we're gradually learning to sing along. Marguerite's "Le Festin" is mostly gibberish (though she stays in tune way better than I do - or my mom, for that matter, as proved by an incident with "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds"), but, oooh, she has the most delightfully French pronunciation of "chemin". "Le Festin" is so typically parigot that it leaves me sighing and flipping through my Paris pictures. When I was teaching, I would have French café music playing in my classroom in between classes. My students would come in and beg me not to turn off the CD player, lol. I remember, when Marguerite was but an infant, my husband who's a techie would ask her, "Do you want an iPod/some other gadget?" and I'd answer, pretending to be Marguerite, "No, Daddy, I'd rather go to Paris." Brainwashing starts early obviously,lol. Anyway, going back to "Le Festin", did you know the singer Camille Dalmais also did the dubbing for Colette in the French version of the movie? Just a little trivia. Before I stray from the actual topic again, here's a Ratatouille video with "Le Festin" in the background:


Les rêves des amoureux sont comme le bon vin
Ils donnent de la joie ou bien du chagrin
Affaibli par la faim je suis malheureux
Volant en chemin tout ce que je peux
Car rien n'est gratuit dans la vie.

L'espoire est un plât bien trop vite consommé
À sauter les repas je suis habitué
Un voleur solitaire est triste à nourrir
À nous, je suis amer, je ne peux réussir
Car rien n'est gratuit dans la vie.

Jamais on ne me dira que la course aux étoiles, ça n'est pas pour moi
Laisser moi vous émerveillez, prendre mon en vol
Nous allons en fin nous régaler

La fête va enfin commencer
Sortez les bouteilles, finis les ennuis
Je dresse la table, de ma nouvelle vie
Je suis heureux a l'idée de ce nouveau destin
Une vie à me cacher, et puis libre enfin
Le festin est sur mon chemin
Une vie à me cacher et puis libre enfin
Le festin est sur mon chemin

English lyrics:

Dreams are to lovers as wine is to friends
Carried through lifetimes, (and) spilled now and then
I am driven by hunger, so saddened to be
Thieving in darkness; I know you're not pleased
But nothing worth eating is free

My hope is a banquet impatiently downed
Impossibly full, now I'll probably drown
Many thieves' lives are lonely with one mouth to feed
If giving means taking, I'll never succeed
For nothing worth stealing is

Free at last; won't be undersold
Surviving isn't living; won't eat what I'm told
Let me free, I'll astonish you; I'm planning to fly
I won't let this party just pass me by

The banquet is now underway, so
Bring out the bottles; a new tale has spun
In clearing this table, my new life's begun
I am nervous, excited; (oh) just read the marquee!
A lifetime of hiding; I'm suddenly free!
My dinner is waiting for me

A lifetime of hiding; I'm suddenly free!
My dinner is waiting for me
*** One of these days, Marguerite and I will have a Ratatouille party. :) 

4 comments:

The Rooster Crows at 4am! said...

I have a French last name, DeWall, as my ancestors came from a part of Germany that bordered France, but I have absolutely no knowledge of the French language. Seems very difficult to learn to me, but good luck.

spinninglovelydays said...

Hi, Dave. I did notice that about your last name, lol. I have another friend who has a German name but her family came from a French region that bordered Germany. :)

Sharkbytes said...

My French is very rusty, and I'm no BB fan, but thanks for sharing. I haven't even seen Ratatouille, but it's on my list.

spinninglovelydays said...

Hi, Sharkbytes! So's my French. Ratatouille is a cute little animated film. I'm not sure if it's your cup of tea though, lol. What's BB, btw?