My mother didn't care much for any Top 40 music (well, neither did/does my father, for that matter).

However, she made an exception for this song (a Dutch #9 in 1982). I think we even gave her the 7" at the time. It's French, so most of you won't understand a word, but I hope you'll give it a listen anyway. There's no actual video for this song.

Michel Sardou - Les Lacs Du Connemara

Wow, cool song. I like it. I didn't understand much of the words but I can get the gist of it.

I have several French songs in my own personal library. It is the same thing-not quite understanding the words but understanding the gist and liking the music.



Cat

Wow, cool song. I like it. I didn't understand much of the words but I can get the gist of it.


I'm glad you like it. :)


I have several French songs in my own personal library. It is the same thing-not quite understanding the words but understanding the gist and liking the music.



Cat


Well, I don't fully understand it either...and I doubt my mother did. To me, it doesn't really matter. I like it anyway. It's the melody, the words that I do understand, the bagpipes...the whole image it creates in my mind.

If it helps, here's the translation of the song:

Michel Sardou
Lakes of Connemara

Words: Michel Sardou & Pierre. Music: Jacques Revaux   1981
© A.R.T.music France
other interpreters: The Dumbs (2000) Star Academy 4 (2004)
note: Recovery Patricia Kaas, Patrick Fiori, Garou in the album "Last edition before the year 2000" of the Dumbs

Ground burned with the wind
Stone moors,
Around the lakes,
It is for the alive ones
A little hell,
Connemara.

Black clouds
Who come from north
Colour the ground,
Lakes, rivers:
It is the decoration
From Connemara.

Next spring,
Irish sky
Was in peace.
Maureen plunged
Naked in a lake
From Connemara.

Sean Kelly said himself:
"I am catholic.
Maureen too."
The granite church
De Limerick,
Maureen said "yes".

De Tiperrary
Bally-Connelly
And of Galway,
They arrived
In the county
From Connemara.

Y had Connor,
O' Conolly,
Flaherty
Boxing ring of Kerry
And of what to drink
Three days and two nights.

Over there, in Connemara,
All the price of silence is known.
Over there, in Connemara,
It is said that the life
It is a madness
And that the madness,
That is danced.

Ground burned with the wind
Stone moors,
Around the lakes,
It is for the alive ones
A little hell,
Connemara.

A very powerfully sung song.  Thanks for sharing it with us.  I'd never heard of it.

I also liked the pictures that whomever made the youtube video for it, included as a video travelog.  Beautiful.

These are the French lyrics, for comparison. The English translation seems to be slightly off here and there.

Terre brûlée au vent, des landes de pierres
autour des lacs, c'est pour les vivants un peu d'enfer
le Connemara
Des nuages noirs
qui viennent du nord colorent la terre
les lacs, les rivières
c'est le décor du Connemara

Au printemps suivant, le ciel irlandais était en paix
Maureen a plongé nue dans un lac du Connemara
Sean Kelly s'est dit: "Je suis catholique, Maureen aussi!"
L'église en granit de Limerick,
Maureen a dit oui
De Tipperary, Barry-Connely et de Galway
ils sont arrivés dans le comté du Connemara
Y'avait les Connors, les Flaherty du Ring of Kerry
et de quoi boire trois jours et deux nuits?

Là-bas au Connemara
on sait tout le prix du silence
là-bas au Connemara
on dit que la vie, c'est une folie
et que la folie, ça se danse

Terre brülée au vent, des landes de pierres
autour des lacs, c'est pour les vivants, un peu d'enfer
le Connemara
des nuages noirs
qui viennent du nord
colorent la terre, les lacs, les rivières
c'est le décor du Connemara

On y vit encore
au temps de Gaëls et de Cromwell
au rhytme des pluies et du soleil
au pas de chevaux
On y croit encore
aux monstres des lacs, qu'on voit nager
certains soirs d'été
et replonger pour l'éternité
On y voit encore
des hommes d'ailleurs venus chercher
le repos de l'âme et pour la coeur
un goût de meilleur
L'on y croit encore
que le jour viendra, il est tout près
ou les Irlandais feront la paix autour de la Croix

Là-bas au Connemara
on sait tout le prix de la guerre
là-bas au Connemara
on n'accepte pas
la paix des Gallois
ni celle des rois d'Angleterre

This translation may be more accurate.

Soil, burned by the wind, rocky landscape
around the lakes, a bit of hell for the living,
that's Connemara
Black clouds
that come in from the north and color the earth,
lakes, rivers -
it's the entourage of Connemara

The following spring the Irish sky has settled down
Maureen has plunged naked into a lake in Connemara
Sean Kelly said to himself: "I'm a catholic, so is Maureen!"
In the granite church of Limerick
Maureen said "yes"
From Tipperary, Barry-Connely and Galway
they came to the county of Connemara
There were Connors, O'Connoly's, Flaherty's from the Ring of Kerry
and from everywhere to drink for three days and two nights (not entirely sure about this part)

Over there, in Connemara,
everyone knows the price of silence
Over there, in Connemara,
it is said that life is madness,
and because of the madness, people dance

Soil, burned by the wind, rocky landscape
around the lakes, a bit of hell for the living,
that's Connemara
Black clouds
that come in from the north and color the earth,
lakes, rivers -
it's the entourage of Connemara

People still live
like in Gaelic times, or the times of Cromwell,
following the rhythm of the rain and the sun,
in the tread of horses
People still believe
in the existence of lake monsters, that they've seen swimming
on certain summer nights
just to disappear again, forever
People still see
people from ancient times, looking for
rest for their souls and for their hearts
a better taste (not sure about this part)
People still believe
that the day will come, the day is nigh,
that all Irish will live in peace around the Cross

Over there, in Connemara,
everyone knows the price of war
Over there, in Connemara,
people don't accept
the Welsh peace
nor that of the English kings