La Madrague [English translation]

On the deserted beach

shells and crustaceans, who'd have thought it?

bemoan the loss

of summer since gone.

Hollidays have been stoved

in cardboard suitcases

and you feel sad thinking of the season

of sun and songs.

Still I know for sure that next year

everything will bloom again and we will come back,

now untill then I am saddened

to leave the sea and my house

The North wind1 will get used to

running withouth sailboats,

but it's its ruffling of my hair

that I will miss the most.

The sun, my great buddy

will burn me only from afar,

thinking we must be somewhat at odds

since we're so far apart

The train will carry me toward autumn

back to the rainy city.

I'll share my grief with noone,

I'll keep it close like a friend.

Now no sooner summer is back

we'll forget all our troubles

and come back to have some fun with seafood2

from the sunny beach

from the sunny beach

from the sunny beach

1. the Mistral is a cold and strong wind blowing down the Rhône valley in southern France2. "faire la fête" can mean both "party with sb" and "give a good what-for to sb", i.e. eating the shells and crustaceans :)

• Artist:Brigitte Bardot