La traduction de The Captain de Léonard Cohen est disponible en bas de page juste après les paroles originales
Now the Captain called me to his bed
He fumbled for my hand
"Take these silver bars," he said
"I'm giving you command."
"Command of what, there's no one here
There's only you and me --
All the rest are dead or in retreat
Or with the enemy."
"Complain, complain, that's all you've doneNow the Captain called me to his bed
He fumbled for my hand
"Take these silver bars," he said
"I'm giving you command."
"Command of what, there's no one here
There's only you and me --
All the rest are dead or in retreat
Or with the enemy."
"Complain, complain, that's all you've done
Ever since we lost
If it's not the Crucifixion
Then it's the Holocaust."
"May Christ have mercy on your soul
For making such a joke
Amid these hearts that burn like coal
And the flesh that rose like smoke."
"I know that you have suffered, lad,
But suffer this awhile:
Whatever makes a soldier sad
Will make a killer smile."
"I'm leaving, Captain, I must go
There's blood upon your hand
But tell me, Captain, if you know
Of a decent place to stand."
"There is no decent place to stand
In a massacre;
But if a woman take your hand
Go and stand with her."
"I left a wife in Tennessee
And a baby in Saigon --
I risked my life, but not to hear
Some country-western song."
"Ah but if you cannot raise your love
To a very high degree,
Then you're just the man I've been thinking of --
So come and stand with me."
"Your standing days are done," I cried,
"You'll rally me no more.
I don't even know what side
We fought on, or what for."
"I'm on the side that's always lost
Against the side of Heaven
I'm on the side of Snake-eyes tossed
Against the side of Seven.
And I've read the Bill of Human Rights
And some of it was true
But there wasn't any burden left
So I'm laying it on you."
Now the Captain he was dying
But the Captain wasn't hurt
The silver bars were in my hand
I pinned them to my shirt.
Ever since we lost
If it's not the Crucifixion
Then it's the Holocaust."
"May Christ have mercy on your soul
For making such a joke
Amid these hearts that burn like coal
And the flesh that rose like smoke."
"I know that you have suffered, lad
But suffer this awhile
Whatever makes a soldier sad
Will make a killer smile."
"I'm leaving, Captain, I must go
There's blood upon your hand
But tell me, Captain, if you know
Of a decent place to stand."
"There is no decent place to stand
In a massacre
But if a woman take your hand
Go and stand with her."
"I left a wife in Tennessee
And a baby in Saigon --
I risked my life, but not to hear
Some country-western song."
"Ah but if you cannot raise your love
To a very high degree
Then you're just the man I've been thinking of --
So come and stand with me."
"Your standing days are done," I cried
"You'll rally me no more
I don't even know what side
We fought on, or what for."
"I'm on the side that's always lost
Against the side of Heaven
I'm on the side of Snake-eyes tossed
Against the side of Seven
And I've read the Bill of Human Rights
And some of it was true
But there wasn't any burden left
So I'm laying it on you."
Now the Captain he was dying
But the Captain wasn't hurt
The silver bars were in my hand
I pinned them to my shirt
Traduction The Captain - Léonard Cohen
Le capitaine il m'appelait de son lit
A pris ma main en tremblant
Accroche ces gants dit-il
Je te donne le commandement
Commandement de qui ?
Il n'y a plus personne
Que vous et moi ici
Tous les autres sont morts
Ou en déroute
Ou avec l'ennemi.
Te plaindre, te plaindre tu ne fais que ça
Depuis qu'on a perdu
Si ce n'est pas la Crucifixion
C'est l'Holocauste en plus.
Que le Christ aie pitié de votre âme
Pour une plaisanterie pareille
Parmi ces cœurs qui se consument
La chair montant en fumée.
Je sais que tu as souffert mon gars
Tu vas encore souffrir, j'ai peur
Ce qui rend un soldat triste
Ferait sourire un tueur.
Mon capitaine, je dois partir
Il y a du sang sur vos mains
Mon capitaine connaissez-vous
Un endroit qui est bien ?.
Il n'a pas d'endroit bien pour se tenir
Dans un massacre, tu sais.
Mais si une femme prend ta main
Tiens toi à ses cotés.
J'ai laissé une femme dans le Tennessee
Et in bébé à Saigon
Si j'ai souvent risqué ma vie
Ce n'était pas pour une chanson.
Ah, mais si tu ne peux pas porter ton amour
A un niveau très élevé
Alors, tu es l'homme qu'il me faut
Tiens toi à mes cotés.
J'ai crié, c'est terminé pour vous
Je ne vous suivrai pas
Je ne sais plus pour quel coté
Qu'on se battait, ni pourquoi.
Je suis du coté des perdants
Contre les forces du Ciel
Je suis du coté des yeux des serpents
Lancés sur le signe de sept.
Et j'ai lu le Charte des Droits de l'Homme.
Il y a du vrai, je le conçois
Mais il n'y avait plus de fardeau là
Alors, je le pose sur toi.
Le capitaine était mourant
Mais il n'était pas blessé
Las galons étaient dans ma main
Je les ai accrochés.
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