Charles Aznavour
La Mamma lyrics with English translation
- Language
- French
- Level
- Intermediate
- Released
- 1965
- Genre
- French Pop, Ballad
- Length
- 3:47
Ils sont venus, ils sont tous là
They have come, they're all here
Dès qu'ils ont entendu ce cri
As soon as they heard that cry
"Elle va mourrir la mamma"
"Momma is going to die"
Ils sont venus, ils sont tous là
They have come, they're all here
Même ceux du sud de l'Italie
Even those from the south of Italy
Y a même Giorgio le fils maudit
There's even Giorgio, the cursed son
Avec des présents plein les bras
With gifts piled high in his arms
Tous les enfants jouent en silence
All the children play in silence
Autour du lit et sur le carreau
Around the bed and on the floor
Mais leurs jeux n'ont pas d'importance
But their games don't matter
C'est un peu leur dernier cadeau
It's a bit like their final gift
Ah, la mamma
Ah, mama
Ah, la mamma
Ah, mama
On la réchauffe de baisers
We warm her with kisses
On lui remonte ses oreillers
We fluff up her pillows
Elle va mourir la mamma
Mama is going to die
Sainte-Marie pleine de Grâce
Saint Mary full of grace
Dont la statue est sur la place
Whose statue stands in the square
Bien sûr pour lui tendre les bras
Of course to open her arms to her
En lui chantant
While singing to her
Avé Maria
Hail Mary
Avé Maria
Hail Mary
Y a tant d'amour, de souvenirs
There is so much love, so many memories
Autour de toi, toi, la mamma
Around you, you, the mama
Y a tant de larmes et de sourires
There are so many tears and smiles
À travers toi, toi, la mamma
Through you, you, the mama
Et tous les hommes ont eu si chaud
And all the men have felt so warm
Sur les chemins de grand soleil
On the roads of bright sunlight
Elle va mourir la mamma
The mama is going to die
Qu'ils boivent, frais, le vin nouveau
Let them drink, fresh, the new wine
Le bon vin de la bonne treille
The good wine from the good vine
Tandis que s'entassent pèle-mèle
While they pile up haphazardly
Sur les bancs, foulards et chapeaux
On the benches, scarves and hats
C'est drôle, on ne se sent pas tristes
It's funny, we don't feel sad
Autour du lit et de l'affection
Around the bed and the affection
Y a même un oncle guitariste
There's even an uncle with a guitar
Qui joue en faisant attention
Who plays with care
À la mamma
To the mama
À la mamma
To the mama
Et les femmes se souvenant
And the women remembering
Des chansons tristes des veillées
Sad songs of the evenings
Elle va mourir la mamma
Mama is going to die
Tout doucement, les yeux fermés
Softly, with eyes closed
Chantant comme on berce un enfant
Singing like we rock a child
Après une bonne journée
After a good day
Pour qu'il sourit en s'endormant
So he smiles as he falls asleep
Avé Maria
Ave Maria
Y a tant d'amour, de souvenirs
There is so much love, so many memories
Autour de toi, toi, la mamma
Around you, you, mama
Y a tant de larmes, et de sourires
There are so many tears, and so many smiles
À travers toi, toi, la mamma
Through you, you, the mama
Que jamais (jamais)
That never (never)
Jamais (jamais)
Never (never)
Jamais (jamais)
Never (never)
Tu ne nous quitteras
You will never leave us
Merci Charles pour ce grand bonheur
Thank you Charles for this great happiness
Merci
Thank you
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Key vocabulary
- bancs
- benchesB1
- tandis
- whileB1
- berce
- rockB2
- bonne
- goodB2
- foulards
- scarvesB2
- guitariste
- guitaristB2
- avé
- hail
- maria
- name
- fermés
- closedC1
- bon
- goodA1
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About this song
Charles Aznavour was a French-Armenian singer and actor whose music blended French chanson with Eastern European folk, American jazz, tango, and Middle Eastern influences. He was known for a long-running career marked by thousands of recordings and his songwriting, composing or co-composing over a thousand songs for himself and other artists.