Mon légionnaire
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Mon légionnaire is a French song created in 1936 by Marie Dubas, with lyrics from Raymond Asso and music from Marguerite Monnot. With this song, Marie Dubas's popularity became so important that she toured the United States in 1939.
The song is now mainly identified with Edith Piaf, who took it up as a central element of her repertoire, and appears in most records of Piaf's songs. The romantic theme of a woman's longing for an embittered Legionnaire with whom she had a brief affair and who refused to tell her his name fits well with Piaf's image.
Raymond Asso was himself a veteran of the French Foreign Legion, who also wrote "Le Fanion de la Légion" (The Flag of the Legion), which was also taken up by Dubas and afterwards by Piaf - but with less suceess.
"Mon légionnaire" was reprised by Serge Gainsbourg in the 1980's, the male voice singing the lyrics made famous by Piaf giving the song a strong homoerotic undertone. The new version of "Mon Légionnaire" was a hit on French dancefloors, both gay and heterosexual.
[edit] Words
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Il avait de grands yeux très clairs Où parfois passaient des éclairs Comme au ciel passent des orages. Il était plein de tatouages Que j'ai jamais très bien compris. Son cou portait : "Pas vu, pas pris." Sur son cœur on lisait : "Personne" Sur son bras droit un mot : "Raisonne". {Refrain:} J'sais pas son nom, je n'sais rien d'lui. Il m'a aimée toute la nuit, Mon légionnaire ! Et me laissant à mon destin, Il est parti dans le matin Plein de lumière ! Il était minc', il était beau, Il sentait bon le sable chaud, Mon légionnaire ! Y avait du soleil sur son front Qui mettait dans ses cheveux blonds De la lumière ! Bonheur perdu, bonheur enfui, Toujours je pense à cette nuit Et l'envie de sa peau me ronge. Parfois je pleure et puis je songe Que lorsqu'il était sur mon cœur, J'aurais dû crier mon bonheur... Mais je n'ai rien osé lui dire. J'avais peur de le voir sourire ! {Refrain} On l'a trouvé dans le désert. Il avait ses beaux yeux ouverts. Dans le ciel, passaient des nuages. Il a montré ses tatouages En souriant et il a dit, Montrant son cou : "Pas vu, pas pris" Montrant son cœur : "Ici, personne." Il ne savait pas...Je lui pardonne. J'rêvais pourtant que le destin Me ramèn'rait un beau matin Mon légionnaire, Qu'on s'en irait seuls tous les deux Dans quelque pays merveilleux Plein de lumière ! Il était minc', il était beau, On l'a mis sous le sable chaud Mon légionnaire ! Y avait du soleil sur son front Qui mettait dans ses cheveux blonds De la lumière ! |
He had big eyes, very clear Where sometimes passed lightning As in the sky there pass storms He was covered in tattoos That I never understood very well His neck bore: "Not seen, not taken" On his heart one read: "No one" On his right arm one word: "Reason" {Refrain:} I don't know his name, I know nothing of him He loved me all the night My legionnaire! And leaving me to my fate He left in the morning Full of light He was thin, he was handsome He smelled good, of the hot sand My legionnaire! There was sunshine on his forehead That put in his blond hair Light! Happiness lost, happiness fled Always I think of that night And the want for that skin eats at me Sometimes I cry, and then I long That when he was on my heart I should have cried out my happiness But I dared tell him nothing I was afraid to see him smile! {Refrain} They found him in the desert He had his beautiful open eyes In the sky, clouds passed He showed his tattoos And smiling, he said Showing his neck: "Not seen, not taken" Showing his heart: "Here, no one" He didn't know...I forgive him I dreamed in spite of it that fate Would bring me back one fine morning My legionnaire, That we would go off alone us two In some wonderful country Full of light! He was thin, he was handsome They put him beneath the hot sand My legionnaire! There was sunshine on his forehead That put in his blond hair Light! |
