La bohème [English version] lyrics

Let me tell of a time when the world was in rhyme

With the sound of our laughter

Montmartre hanged with flowers for far-forgotten hours

Of hunger and of love

Unaware in our youth of the sobering truth

Of the years that came after

We laughed at common men for we were heroes then

And heaven smiled above

La boheme, la boheme

Poor hungry you, poor hungry me

La boheme, la boheme

See the old world that could not see

All those innocent hearts who imagined their arts

Could be casually mastered

I miss them every one

For the sands of time have run away for each and all

For it seems that our schemes were impossible dreams

That could never have lasted

For when we woke at last the big parade had passed

And spring had gone its way

La boheme, la boheme

Someone to care, someone to mind

La boheme, la boheme

We were in love and love is blind

Now and then I return and the memories burn

With a bittersweet aching

I climb the same old stairs

But no-one longer cares

And there's no-one to greet in the streets where we walked

And the bars where we talked of a world we were making

I stand upon that hill until I drink my fill

Then leave it all behind

La boheme, la boheme

Moments of joy, moments of pain

La boheme, la boheme

Nothing can bring them back again

• Artist:Charles Aznavour
• Album:His Kind Of Love Songs (1966)