À Paris [English translation]

In Paris

When a love flowers

It's like, for weeks,

Two hearts smiling at each other

Just because they love each other

In Paris

In spring

On the rooves, the weathercocks

Spin and flirt

With the first wind

That's passing by, indifferent

Nonchalant

For the wind

When coming to Paris

Has but one concern left

It is to dawdle around

In the uptown

Of Paris

The sun

Which is his old friend

Also takes part in the feast

And, like two schoolboys,

They go on a spree

In Paris

And, hand in hand,

They go without worrying,

Looking, on the way,

If Paris has changed

There are always

Taxis on the prowl

That illegally take you on

Before the parking

Where there's still the

Taxi agent

At the café,

You see anyone

Drinking anything,

Talking with his hands

Who's here since the morning,

At the café

There's the Seine

At any hour.

She has her visitors

Looking in her eyes.

These are the lovers

Of the Seine.

And there are those

Who nested

Near the bed of the Seine

And who wash at noon,

Every day of the week,

In the Seine.

And the others,

Those who are over it,

Because they saw it too much

And who want to forget.

So they take the plunge.

But the Seine,

She prefers

Seeing the nice boats

Going for a sail on her.

And with her stream

Playing caravels

On the Seine.

Troubles

Are not just in Paris.

They're all over the world.

Yes, but all over the world,

Paris isn't everywhere.

That's the trouble.

In Paris,

On July 14th,

By the paper lanterns' light,

You danse on and on

With the accordion's music,

In the streets.

Since The Bastille

Has been stormed in Paris,

In every suburb

And on every crossroads,

There are guys

And there are girls

Who, on and on,

on the cobblestones,

night and day,

Are whirling and whirling,

In Paris...

• Artist:Yves Montand