I Send Them Waltzing

Once in a while a song comes along that touches you to the core. Last Friday I stumbled on a 1996 song by Zazie, an amazing French singer. I loved her ever since I discovered her in France in 1999. She is quirky, she is real, she is sexy and her music just seems so genuine (while remaining edgy) that I always feel a connection listening to her. Her music just strikes a cord for me.

And since last Friday, I cannot get “J’Envoie Valser” out of my head:

It is a song about love, but oh what a song! Perhaps it is the folksy tune that reminds me of Russia. Or perhaps it is her feminine voice of an 18-year-old girl. There is such optimism in her voice that I want to call all my friends and tell them I love them. The lyrics are so simple and so powerful. Here is my cursory translation:

I see them who give
Give each other jewelry right to the neck
It is pretty but
But nothing but pebbles
Stones that roll
Roll and that roll down cheeks
I like it better when you love me
Without spending a penny…

But I, I do mock
I send their way
Jewelry-junk
The gilded cage
You when you hug me so strong
It is like treasure trove
And that, it is worth gold

I see them who fire
Looks and flowers
Then who leave each other
Somewhere else
Between roses and darlings
I know so many
Who would do better just loving each other
A bit, a bit like we love each other a lot

And to send their way
Elsewhere to waltz
The rings and the hearts in strings
For when we love each other strong
It is like treasure trove
And that, that is worth gold

Forevermore
I send their way
The proofs of love
In gold-plated gold
For when you hug me so strong
It’s right there, my treasure trove
It’s you, you who are worth gold

Ok, so I definitely took some artistic liberties in this translation (and it still sounds stupid, that is my fault, not Zazie’s), along with some Word Reference help. What is most important for me are not the words, but the rhythm with which Zazie tells this simple story and how much life she breathes into these words. Oh what a song!

P.S. I really need to move to France soon.