Langbeats
Aux fontaines de la cloche – Charles Trenet

Charles Trenet

Aux fontaines de la cloche lyrics with English translation

Language
French
Level
Intermediate
Released
1986
Genre
French Pop, Tradicional
Length
2:55
  1. Aux fontaines de la cloche

    At the fountains of the bell

  2. Aux fontaines de la cloche

    At the fountains of the bell

  3. M'en allant promener

    As I strolled along

  4. J'ai trouvé l'eau si moche

    I found the water so foul

  5. Que je m'en suis allé

    That I wandered away

  6. Il y a longtemps que ces roches

    For a long time these rocks

  7. Recueillent de l'eau troublée...

    Have gathered troubled water...

  8. Tout n'était que guenilles

    All was just rags

  9. Et membres frémissants

    And quivering limbs

  10. Faux garçons, fausses filles

    Fake boys, fake girls

  11. Tristes adolescents

    Sad adolescents

  12. Il y a longtemps que tu frimes

    It's been a long time since you swaggered

  13. Jamais je n'ai fait semblant.

    Never have I pretended.

  14. J'ai compris que leur mode

    I've understood that their way

  15. Leur modus Vivendi

    Their modus vivendi

  16. Étaient aux antipodes

    Was worlds apart

  17. Des amours de jadis.

    From the loves of yesteryear.

  18. Il y a longtemps que je rôde

    It's been a long time since I've been lurking

  19. Amen et De Profundis

    Amen and De Profundis

  20. Les blousons de la haine

    The jackets of hate

  21. Cachaient de pauvres cœurs

    Hiding away poor hearts

  22. Que Rimbaud et Verlaine

    That Rimbaud and Verlaine

  23. Auraient pris comme leurs

    Would have claimed as their own

  24. Il y a longtemps que je peine

    It's been long since I've struggled

  25. Ton cœur n'était qu'un voleur.

    Your heart was nothing but a thief.

  26. La crasse, la déroute

    The filth, the downfall

  27. Stagnaient sur leur chemin

    Lingered on their path

  28. Ils avaient pris la route

    They had taken the road

  29. Triste, sans lendemain

    Sad, with no tomorrow

  30. Il y a longtemps que je doute

    It's been long since I've doubted

  31. Du sort des mains dans les mains.

    From the fate of hands in hands.

  32. Mais leurs visages d'ange

    But their angelic faces

  33. Fleurissaient malgré tout

    Bloomed despite everything

  34. Malgré toute la fange

    Despite all the filth

  35. Qui sortait des égouts

    That came out of the sewers.

  36. Il y a longtemps que je range

    It's been a long time since I've put away

  37. Fausses couleurs et faux goûts...

    False colors and false tastes...

  38. Croyaient-ils en extase

    Did they believe in ecstasy

  39. Qu'ils vivaient par Villon

    That they lived like Villon

  40. Et que dans cette vase

    And that in this vase

  41. Ils tenaient leur salon.

    They were hosting their salon.

  42. Il y a longtemps que mes phrases

    It's been a long time since my words

  43. N'ont plus cours, et c'est selon

    Have been in circulation, and it's up to

  44. Lors je les laissais faire

    When I let them go on their way

  45. Pensant ils sont heureux

    Thinking they are happy

  46. Chacun son atmosphère

    Each in their own atmosphere

  47. La leur faite par eux.

    Theirs created by themselves.

  48. Il y a longtemps que j'espère

    It's been a long time that I hope for

  49. Le temps des vrais amoureux.

    The time of true lovers.

  50. Coda

    Coda

  51. J'ai fui cette fontaine

    I fled from that fountain

  52. Sans charme, sans attrait,

    Without charm, without allure,

  53. En chantant des poèmes

    Singing poems

  54. Que nul ne comprenait.

    That no one understood.

  55. Il y a longtemps que je t'aime

    I've loved you for so long

  56. Jamais je ne reviendrai.

    I will never return.

Lyrics powered by www.musixmatch.com

Key vocabulary

nul
uselessA1
peine
painA1
plus
moreA1
promener
to strollA1
route
roadA1
salon
living roomA1
selon
accordingA1
sort
luckA1
temps
timeA1
tout
allA1

About this song

Charles Trenet was a French singer-songwriter associated with French chanson, active for more than 60 years. He wrote both music and lyrics for nearly 1,000 songs, including “La Mer,” and collaborated with musicians Michel Emer and Léo Chauliac.

More songs by Charles Trenet

More Intermediate Music to Learn French

🇫🇷 Charles Trenet

Aux fontaines de la cloche

Aux fontaines de la cloche

At the fountains of the bell

Aux fontaines de la cloche

At the fountains of the bell

M'en allant promener

As I strolled along

J'ai trouvé l'eau si moche

I found the water so foul

Que je m'en suis allé

That I wandered away

Il y a longtemps que ces roches

For a long time these rocks

Recueillent de l'eau troublée...

Have gathered troubled water...

Tout n'était que guenilles

All was just rags

Et membres frémissants

And quivering limbs

Faux garçons, fausses filles

Fake boys, fake girls

Tristes adolescents

Sad adolescents

Il y a longtemps que tu frimes

It's been a long time since you swaggered

Jamais je n'ai fait semblant.

Never have I pretended.

J'ai compris que leur mode

I've understood that their way

Leur modus Vivendi

Their modus vivendi

Étaient aux antipodes

Was worlds apart

Des amours de jadis.

From the loves of yesteryear.

Il y a longtemps que je rôde

It's been a long time since I've been lurking

Amen et De Profundis

Amen and De Profundis

Les blousons de la haine

The jackets of hate

Cachaient de pauvres cœurs

Hiding away poor hearts

Que Rimbaud et Verlaine

That Rimbaud and Verlaine

Auraient pris comme leurs

Would have claimed as their own

Il y a longtemps que je peine

It's been long since I've struggled

Ton cœur n'était qu'un voleur.

Your heart was nothing but a thief.

La crasse, la déroute

The filth, the downfall

Stagnaient sur leur chemin

Lingered on their path

Ils avaient pris la route

They had taken the road

Triste, sans lendemain

Sad, with no tomorrow

Il y a longtemps que je doute

It's been long since I've doubted

Du sort des mains dans les mains.

From the fate of hands in hands.

Mais leurs visages d'ange

But their angelic faces

Fleurissaient malgré tout

Bloomed despite everything

Malgré toute la fange

Despite all the filth

Qui sortait des égouts

That came out of the sewers.

Il y a longtemps que je range

It's been a long time since I've put away

Fausses couleurs et faux goûts...

False colors and false tastes...

Croyaient-ils en extase

Did they believe in ecstasy

Qu'ils vivaient par Villon

That they lived like Villon

Et que dans cette vase

And that in this vase

Ils tenaient leur salon.

They were hosting their salon.

Il y a longtemps que mes phrases

It's been a long time since my words

N'ont plus cours, et c'est selon

Have been in circulation, and it's up to

Lors je les laissais faire

When I let them go on their way

Pensant ils sont heureux

Thinking they are happy

Chacun son atmosphère

Each in their own atmosphere

La leur faite par eux.

Theirs created by themselves.

Il y a longtemps que j'espère

It's been a long time that I hope for

Le temps des vrais amoureux.

The time of true lovers.

Coda

Coda

J'ai fui cette fontaine

I fled from that fountain

Sans charme, sans attrait,

Without charm, without allure,

En chantant des poèmes

Singing poems

Que nul ne comprenait.

That no one understood.

Il y a longtemps que je t'aime

I've loved you for so long

Jamais je ne reviendrai.

I will never return.