A French masterpiece by the great George Brassens, in 1965.
Here you can find some useful information to understand the song:
*The French "Copains d'abord" is a play on words. Literally, it means 'Mates come first'. However it sounds like 'copains de bord' which means 'shipmates'. Thus the title could also be translated as 'Shipmates first and foremost'.
The sailing ship the Medusa sank on the 2nd July 1816. 149 survivors crowded together on a raft. 27 days later the sailing ship the Argus rescued only 15, who had experienced every horror, even cannibalism. Géricault immortalised the incident in his painting 'Raft of the Medusa'
Fluctuat nec mergitur is the motto of the city of Paris, which is represented by a ship in full sail. The expression means Beaten by the waves but does not founder.
Mais des amis franco de port: There is a play on words here: franco de port = postage paid, and port = harbour
Castor et Pollux: In Greek mythology these were not only two inseparable friends but also gods of navigation.
Sodome et Gomorrhe: The Bible tells that God destroyed the 2 cities. Sodom was of course the city in which men did not have female partners. Brassens was often accused, although very mildly, of being a little mysogynistic.
Montaigne et La Boétie: Montaigne, one of the greatest figures of French literature and thought, had a close and enduring friendship with the humanist La Boétie, which ws celebrated in Montaigne's great essay "On friendship. Their's was an intellectual as well as emotional bond, rather different from the familiarity (and vulgarity) of the "copains" who (translated literally) "slap each other on the belly"...the nearest equivalent English expression might be "mates who slap each other on the back".
Coup de Trafalgar: French speakers use this expression to describe a disaster.
**This translation aims to convey meaning and not attempt poetry or song.**
Many thanks to the website "projectbrassens" ( www.projetbrass... ) for the material, specifically Dr. Ted Neather for the main translation.
I do not own any rights over the video, the text, the music or the translation.
Les Copains d'abord a été reprise par :
Renée Claude sur l'album J'ai rendez-vous avec vous (1993)
Cornu sur l'album Les Oiseaux de passage (2001)
Alain Barrière sur l'album Chansons françaises (2007)
Michel Jonasz sur l'album Chanson française (2007)
Jasmine Roy sur l'album Rendez-vous in Paris (2009)
The Divine Comedy sur le disque bonus de l'album Bang Goes the Knighthood (2010)
Les Copains d'abord a également été adaptée en anglais par Graeme Allwright sous le titre Buddies First of All sur son album Graeme Allwright Sings Georges Brassens (1985).
14 окт 2024
