Carla Bruni's new album and the love song for Sarko

Here's your chance to listen to the new musical oeuvre from Carla Bruni. In a marketing build-up worthy of Madonna or a Stones release, Mrs Sarkozy's record company has put Comme si de rien n'était (As if nothing happened) on the internet for free listening.

This must be the first time that the presidency of a leading nation has promoted a pop album. The Elysée Palace has been working closely with Naive records to maximise the launch of breathy love songs by the first lady. The repercussions have even gone as far as Japan, which was miffed by Bruni's decision not to join the other spouses at this week's G8 summit. She decided to stay in Paris to advance the release date. Today, she was on France-Inter radio doing the first of a series of promotional interviews which culminate with a long live session on TF1 television news -- the most watched show -- on Friday evening.

We've touched on the songs here already. They include Ma Came (My junk), the now famous drug song which caused an official complaint from the Bogota government last month. Bruni sings of an amorous high with the effects of Colombian cocaine. Most of the songs were written before her romance with Sarkozy last winter but one song, Ta Tienne (Yours) is a declaration of passion for the president, whom she calls her "orgy" and her "prince charming".

Here are some of it's lyrics:

I put an end
To all my emblems
To my career as an Amazon
And to my sovereign freedom...

I give you my body, my soul and my chrysanthemum
For I am Yours

You are my lord, you're my darling
You're my orgy
You're my folly, my mix
You are my blessed bread
My charming prince
I am yours...

Watch out because I am Italian
I am going to discourage the ladies
I will gag the beautiful sirens
I who always sought fire
I am burning for you like a pagan woman
I who made men dance
To you I give myself entirely...

Phew!  (French lyrics below). Bruni will no doubt score a big hit with this record. It has been given the title  "Simply" for its international release at the weekend. Her company originally thought of putting a defensive label on the album in France, saying "You can like Carla Bruni without liking her husband". They didn't need to worry.

The media, with one or two exceptions, are heaping praise on the musical quality of an album which is much more ambitious than the minimalist, intimate style of her first two. Le Nouvel Observateur magazine broke with the admiring consensus and called the record uninspired, boring and trite. The disc, a mix of her folk style and more orchestrated pop, is helped by some high class arrangements and excellent musicians. The nostalgic tone of  the songs is nicely conveyed by a retro sound, a mixture of Françoise Hardy and American country. In her France-Inter interview, Bruni listed as her influences Dolly Parton, the Beatles, Stones and Ella Fitzgerald, among others. But there is no escaping Bruni's limited vocal talent. Her husky whisper is a running gag for Nicolas Canteloup, the comic impersontator, who plays her as inaudible. Judge for yourself. 

Bruni, who casts herself as a wild but melancholy child in the songs, says that she will give away her share of the royalties to charity. For the moment France has taken to the new Madame Sarkozy. Her presence is seen as a calming influence and she has played the role extremely well, dressing demurely and staying silent until last month. It's pretty likely that we will now see a reaction against Carla-mania just as we have had a backlash over the past few days against the excess emotion over Ingrid Betancourt 

Here are the lyrics of Bruni's Ta Tienne, her song for Sarko: 

ta tienne
y en a qui croquent
y en a qui craquent
y en qui dérapent
y en a qui se tatent
certains accourent
d'autres se trainent
certains se gourent
moi je suis ta tienne
je suis ta tienne,
je suis ta tienne,
je suis ta tienne,
ce n'est pas français non
mais c'est bon quand même
et je te donne mon corps, mon ame et mon chrysanthème
car je suis ta tienne,
tellement je tiens à être tienne,
je fais une croix
sur tous mes emblèmes,
sur ma carrière d'amazone
et sur ma liberté souveraine
je suis ta tienne,
je suis ta tienne,
je suis ta tienne,
ce n'est pas correct non
mais c'est bon quand même
qu'on me maudisse ou que l'on me damne
moi j'men balance oui
et je prends tous les blâmes
faut qu'tu saisisses, faut qu'tu comprennes
tu es mon seigneur, t'es mon chéri,
t'es mon orgie,
tu es mon carême
tu es ma folie mon amalgame
tu es mon pain béni,
mon prince qui charme
je suis ta tienne,
je suis ta tienne,
je suis ta tienne,
fais gaffe à toi car je suis italienne
je vais décourager les dames
je vais baillonner les belles sirènes
moi qui cherchais toujours les flammes
je brûle pour toi comme une paienne
moi qui faisais valser les hommes
toute entière à toi je me donne
je suis ta tienne,
je suis ta tienne,
oh oui je suis ta tienne,
ah ça ne se dit guère je sais mais c'est bon quand même
et je répète comme une rengaine
si tu veux de moi, je serai tienne

Comments

[Phillip]

If I were a French citizen, I would vote for Carla for president!

[Joan Arles]

Her songs sound nice enough. Good arrangements, as you say. But that voice? I know she's not just popular because she married the president. Her first album was sort of catchy in a novelty way. But you can't get away from the fact that she is not a singer. Now they have built up the arrangements with a bigger sound, her vocals are embarrassing....

[Romain]

Hmmm, Carla c'est ma came à moi. Beautiful guitar arrangements, combined with a transgender voice. A sure recipy to boost gentlemen's libido.
Finally, I am expecting a ladies mudd wrestling match. You've got the right to call me a deviant.

[mike]

she can't sing.... whispering is not singing however husky/sexy it sounds1
who is buying into this rubbish?

[dot king]

"You've got the right to call me a deviant."
Romain

Can't resist : )
Romain, you're a deviant!

The "transgender voice" is particularly noticeable on the word "rose" at the end of a line of one of the songs featured in her interview on Inter this morning, but it only means she fails to hit the note and squeaks instead - nothing too serious ;D

[maryse Vienne]

I am happy again to say I am French, which I am!
It is refreshing that love got mixed with politics. It is a lesson for the world, Love, not war!
Bravo for Miss Carla and bravo for Sir Nicolas!
I send them a gerge of the most beautiful flowers from Malaysia!
Maryse

[christopher muir]

Lest we forget another First Lady:

AP - 14 June 89.
Imelda Marcos has released her first record album, on which she sings her husband's favorite love songs. Her producer says a music video is to follow.

[PAUL]

It is not true to say she can't sing, unless she is to be compared with an opera singer, that is. Carla is in the tradition of French cabaret singers such as Juliette Greco or Barbara and she can hold her own in their company - quite a rich and definitely sensual voice. The arrangements are very pleasant and the lyrics of very good quality, especially when compared with virtually any pop star's.

[Daisy]

Well knock me over with a feather, it's not bad. Once you get past the fact that she's not a great vocalist, it's quite catchy and mellow. Cute website too.

Charles, is it true she's donating the proceeds to charity? If that's true, then I hope she scores a hit (even if her creepy husband will make hay of it).

[She says she is donating all her share of the royalties to the Fondation de France charity. The record company, producers, musicians etc keep their part of the profits. CB]

[sally]

very hypnotic sounding....she could read a phone directory and sound sexy.

[mamin]

Every time I see her with Sarko I wonder if she will remove her shoes and get the guitar out. She is a bit stuck in the 60's

[Rick]

I warrant it won't be long before the French public is deluged in 'alternative' versions of 'Ta Tienne'. And if such offerings should prove a little rude, would that be the songster's fault or the presidential better half's. 'La Tienne', I fear Carla! I hope your old man's got a sense of humour...

[azloon]

[It is refreshing that love got mixed with politics. It is a lesson for the world, Love, not war!] Maryse Vienne

does orgy mean something different in french than in english?

does she really mean that sarko is her 'orgy?' do you think they might lick whipped cream off each other?

there's just something about sarko that doesn't bring the idea of an orgy to mind.

if ever one wonders about the l'exception francaise, the difference between the french and every other nationality in the galaxy, carlita's music project (and her fellow citizens appreciation of it) will tell you all you need to know.

Pour tous ceux qui trouvent qu'on peut comparer la première dame avec Barbara ou encore Juliette Greco, cette chanson vous est généreusement dédiée -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ypeo118OuFw

[Ian]

You snobs! Yelling because the brits don't know good food, Brown's wife doesn't sing, and the french president doesn't only do errors! Put some taste in your food, skip the tea and be as europeans, enjoying culture, food and life! Shame on you cockneys!

[PAUL]

Merci, "anonyme"! Ce 'vieux con' te rend le compliment avec une chanson de Brassens chantée par Carla. J'espère que tu peux dire autant:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=f03KAiuMVRw

[JimRodger]

I have lived in France for 20 years and if HE is the best SHE can find then God help us all!
(She looks good but Francois Hardy she ain't)

[Jason O.]

Color me jealous: Leader of France, with a stunningly hot wife singing his romantic praises.

[dot king]

JimRodger
Not THE Jimmie Rodgers? "Lonesome and Blue"? The yodelling cowboy? :)

[azloon]

i am curious: is carla's rendition of Fernande (Georges Brassens) (youtube linked above) pleasing to a french ear? it seems to have meter and repetition of a children's song. and it can't contain more than three musical notes it. one poster described it as 'lamentable.' c'est vrai?

nice legs regardless.

[JLM]

Hey, Laura Bush has a great record out just now of her waterboarding W and his wailing his love of her and ................... waterboarding. I demand equal coverage!

[Jim]

Way to go Sarkozy-you devil you.

[Andy]

She can kiss my chrysanthemum!

[Romain]

Azloon,

The lyrics of Georges Brassens song are : Quand je pense à Fernande, je bande, "Thinking of Fernande gives me a hard on". Not too appropriate for a well educated lady. It must have been some kind of bet.
In French we say " de si vilains mots dans une si jolie bouche"

[Deb]

[It is refreshing that love got mixed with politics. It is a lesson for the world, Love, not war!] Maryse Vienne

If the terrorists attack us again, I'll stick with the guys with the missles - you can hide behind the lady with the microphone and the libido.

[John Gregory Flinn]

Are you sure the pics are not of Ingrid in the Colombian selva?

[Doremi ( still not Dot)]

Oh dear CB,

Carla again, caramba, you like it lively.

It's not about the singing, is it? Can't get that French fawning about girly-girl women singer who can't sing. Their songs might sound Arty, but they can't carry a tune. I grew up on Jane Birkin (sorry if I upset English people) and listening to her was torture. These women are all happy to play the fame game that sell paper and glossies; week after week trying to pass for artists when they really are fame's péripatéticiennes. They sell creams, aspirational dreams, maybe a range of underwear or bags. They are business women, and live off the mugs who buy their stuff.
A singer like Juliette has an amazing voice, not media friendly, she is great live. Carla has sex appeal, looks good in a YSL smocking jacket and can sell mirages, that gives her the right to massacre a song by Brassens.
I am a feminist, no I don't believe pole dancing classes opens up your sexuality and I rather carry mace than a push up bra.

It's really great that our president has a hot wife to sell his praises, if he can't deliver on what he was elected for, she might be exposed as a beard.

[Francois D]

To Azloon,
("is carla's rendition of Fernande (Georges Brassens) pleasing to a french ear?").

I may assure you, Azloon, that Carla rendition of Fernande is very pleasing for a french ear, and also for a man. For the first part, she sings very well Brassens and for the second, it is surprising to listen a glamour and beautiful wife speaking about 'bandaison'. (bandaison in popular french= erection).

For "Ta tienne ", I have not yet heard, and that seems dedicated to Sarko, this song is also surprising by sub sexual heard.

What does means "I give you my chrysanthéme"? I let you imagine.

Altough, Chrysantheme choice is a little sad, because it's an automn flower, but she may be sad.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=h32j42BdKaQ&feature=related

I suppose that erotic songs are the psychanalyse result.

[val]

all this and a homewrecker,too, n'est pas?

[Fernandez]

Well, she's right. I'm gagging.

Does anyone want to elaborate on the French meaning of chrysanthemum? Should I assume she's into gardening?

For all you proud Frenchpeople, why? Your first lady consistently points out that she's Italian (not, as she's said before, one of you 'miserable' French). We all know she's Italian, yet she seems compelled to keep telling us. It's as if she's afraid someone might mistake her for being French.

I'm with Rick. I hope Sarko's got a sense of humor (about himself**), because when I hear this, I'm laughing at him.

**I doubt it. Those high-heeled shoes he wears suggest he's very insecure about being laughed at.

Sign me one of Charles' 'Amazons'

[valerie]

Ah, the great French fermale singer... Let's see. Vanessa Paradis. Mylene Farmer. Elsa ?. Brigitte Bardot. Isabelle Adjani. BIRKIN. Ugh. Double Ugh. France Gall. All fab singers, I assure you.

LOL

[Fernandez]

IAN,

You missed Cherie Blair's love song to Tony, "Meat Pie & Potatoes".

and, of course, Sarah to Gordon:

'Love Haggis, No. 10'

Don't forget, Laura's opus to George:

'Let's do it like Armadillos (Laying by the Side of the Road)"

[dot king]

"I grew up on Jane Birkin (sorry if I upset English people) and listening to her was torture."
(DOREMI who's still not me)

Hi, it still is torture listening to her sing, but she's a fair enough actress - and she doesn't seem to have had all the tweaks that famous women her age have had. I've grown to like her for that at least.
I came to France just after Gainsbourg's death (though I wasn't aware of it at the time) and it seemed that every time I looked at the telly, there was Jane Birkin snivelling and sobbing like mad - I was horrified at the general image of English women she was projecting - but Frenchmen seem to love this - protective types :) and they also love these "chrysanthemum" women (gggrrrrooooowwwwrrr) - now there's a new one . . . Maybe "orchid" didn't fit the rhythm, though in French "orchidée", "chrysanthème", same n° of syllables, could have been the rhyme then? Chrysants are usually associated with graveyards, tombstones and La Fête des Morts. Strange lyric choice. Perhaps she'll "be the death of him"?

[dot king]

Goodness some men can be very odd sometimes! There are singers just as good-looking as Carla Bruni who can even manage to hit the notes.

François D, I clicked on to your "chanson triste" link - I lasted about the first five notes - she slides from one to the other and misses all of them by a wide margin.

Doremi, who isn't me and never has been, is right, Juliette: a whole lot less "glamour" but stacks more talent.
BTW I can tell you aren't me because I don't know what you mean by "she might be exposed as a beard". (?????) "elle pourrait être exposée comme une barbe" - nope, can't work that one out either. :)

[Ben]

I prefer this over Monica Lewinsky who could only hum.

[dot king]

QWERTY - treat for you tonight - George Clooney interviewed by Laurent Delahousse. (Is that called a "birdie"?) I'm sure you've noticed, but if not, it's on Fr2 after whatever they're churning out right now.

About one third of the news was given over to Carlita's album release, and the political analyst consulted (yup, they did) said the French love her, but still Sarko's popularity is low.
I hope nobody suggests to him that he can sing (well after all, if she can, then why not?) - a duet would be (supply own "mot juste") :)

[nacho]

i think she is fantastic

[azloon]

[I may assure you, Azloon, that Carla rendition of Fernande is very pleasing for a french ear, and also for a man. For the first part, she sings very well Brassens and for the second, it is surprising to listen a glamour and beautiful wife speaking about 'bandaison'. (bandaison in popular french= erection)] Francoise D

FD, thanx for your impression.

i would hazard to guess this is the first time in human history that the wife of a head of state, anywhere, has sung publicly about her husbands hard-on.

[MELVIN]

Just imagine if Hillary Clinton had call Bill, "her orgy, when she was first lady.

[Evan B]

This is all about Free Speech. Something we're losing in America (as well as Europe). After all, censorship is becoming America's favorite past-time. The US gov't (and their corporate friends), already detain protesters, ban books like "America Deceived" from Wikipedia, shut down Ron Paul. Free Speech forever (even for musicians).
Last link (before Google Books caves to pressure and drops the title):
http://www.iuniverse.com/bookstore/book_detail.asp?&isbn=0-595-38523-0

[Bill]

Anybody else notice the mix is off? It sounds layered, like her vocals are on top of the music, which gives a distinct karaoke effect. It almost sounds like something you would do in an old novelty recording booth where you sang to prerecorded music.

Whoever the sound engineer was needs to have his ears boxed and someone needs to break the news to Mrs. Sarkozy that she's about as talented at...oh...Jessica Simpson.

[Sheilah]

poor Niki... the dignity of the office he holds has now been reduced
by a two-bit wannabe lounge lizard...here in the states we say"ferme la bouche" hahaha

[Daisy]

Carla has said that Cherie Blair inspired her to keep her career. Hmmm, so she's the new Cherie? I suppose it's only fitting since Sarko is the new poodle.

[dot king]

"first time in human history that the wife of a head of state, anywhere, has sung publicly about her husbands hard-on."

Azloon

no, the orignal song is by Georges Brassens, written years ago, not about a Sarkozian hard-on at all. I remember her singing this - it was on "Esprits Libres" one of our aforementioned (on another thread) late night promo, erm, literary programmes.
The occasion was the release of her last "No promises" album and she had been asked on to the programme to "talk about poetry" (that was when she said she "immediately understood all of Shakespeare's sonnets", and this was just after a radio programme where she credited Seamus Heaney with having written "Those dancing days are done"). The fellow guest star (on "Esprits libres") with a coinciding (ma Foi!) album release who was also asked about poetry, was Joey Starr. Nuff said??

I wandered around the link to Saturday Night Live (nice one Mary F, thank you) and (since we're on a related subject) loved Christopher Walken as Colonel Angus.
;D

[dot king]

Melvin: When Hillary was First Lady, Bill was someone else's orgy.

It's a buzzword in France, orgy, Mme Bérancourt was described as having "une orgie de baisers" when reconciled with her children.

Forgot to mention above, when Carlita sang about "Fernande", she hadn't yet met Sarkozy. It was still in the days when she thought her best bet was to shock.

[Sheilah]

.....nothing but a
two-bit lounge lizard

[Donatella]

What a freak show; nothing else to do I guess.

[Tom]

The French are so cool and so passionate!

[Willie]

Nice looking, talented lady.

Look at the two slugs we have who might be the US First Lady.

[fudge nugget]

who the f**k cares?

[Guillaume]

Ok, say you're a superstar model, platinum-selling chanteuse, speak a few languages, and have a dating history including Mick Jagger and Donald Trump. Let's go further and say that while money and fame are sexy, there's nothing more attractive than power. Keep on: there's no power like a set of nicely matched intercontinental ballistic missiles: which, in addition to having the explosive force to destroy most of the countries on earth, also look like giant male members. So: you find the most eligible nuclear-armed head of state. All but one are married, and no one wants an angry nuclear-armed spouse. So: just your luck, the most powerful bachelor in the world happens to live in the country of your citizenship. Problem solved. Marry him.

Sing about it.

So hot.

[Asmodeus]

I'm not looking at her singing if you understand what I'm saying.

[Joe]

Another reason for Euroliberals to hate Sarko. I have been married to my Latina wife for nine years now and I guarantee my wife considers me to be her "orgy". She is thinking about sex all the time and I understand the passion in the words of Bruni. At any rate, the concept that liberal guys are better lovers is complete BS. Women need a strong man, not some weak, liberal fool who wants a socialist utopia and is waiting around for global warming to flood the coasts. LOL

[Observer]

shouldn't it be "her latest orgy"? Maybe I'm being overly cynical.

[Marcus Starr]

yummy she is hot!She is lovely

[Jeanne]

I've never much been into music, but no doubt lots of money will be made with this. I didn't think she talked about love under the influence of drugs--I thought she was making an analogy. Love is like a high on....as someone from another era might have sung, Love is like a bowl of cherries or some other nonsense.

[Beelzebub]

After listening to La Bruni's music, I think that the French people should demand that she be placed in the Guillotine!

That way, they'll be rid of her head and her dopey music!

[dan]

What a horrible conflict of interests.

[Conservone]

Beautiful.... Simply Beautiful!

[qwerty]

Dot: yes, I cancelled all my late-night appointments to watch. Even in his younger "ringard" days he was pretty cute. Laurent Delahousse was as bland as ever. But there's a secret there somewhere in Clooney, he must have a wife and 5 kids hidden away somewhere where the press can't find them. Maybe an Italian mamma?

I really have nothing much to say about Carla Bruni, I think her melodies and lyrics seem catchy (sans plus) and her singing talent is insufficient. Maybe she should limit herself to songwriting.

[ameraal]

having the best vocal abilities is not the only thing that makes an artist good or music great

there are many examples of amazing vocalists who end up making terrible music and vice versa

carla's music is intimate and i can't imagine a voice better suited for it

[Judith]

Lots of clever and funny comments. My only question is "What have Nicolas Sarkozy's wives got against the G8?" First Cecilia stalks off after a few hours to arrange the birthday party of one of her adult children and now Carla stays away just to publicise her new album. I would have thought that a meeting of some of the most powerful people in the world would be a bit of a drawcard. And from the menu the official dinner looks to have been worth the trip.

[Mary Fernandez]

Dot:

If you liked Colonel Angus (and what woman doesn't like Colonel Angus), you'll love Annuale (also by Tina Fey, SNL):

http://video.aol.com/partner/hulu/saturday-night-live-annuale/ezdbcaONyiv41js1Z2VXNeb0P0VewzpB

[Michael]

I always thought THAT kind of orgy was une partouze... and here she is saying " t'es mon orgie,
tu es mon carême"
I would be tempted to translate that by "you're my feast, you're my fast"
any frenchies wanna chime in?

orgie [CYFi] nom féminin
a Histoire= repas orgy
= beuverie drinking orgy
faire une orgie :to have an orgy
faire des orgies de gâteaux :to gorge o.s. on cakes
b emploi figuré
orgie de :profusion of
orgie de fleurs :profusion of flowers
orgie de couleurs :riot of colour

[Romain]

Extra, extra ! read all about it : speculations around Carla's belly

http://tempsreel.nouvelobs.com/actualites/people/20080710.OBS2282/carla_bruni_nest_pas_enceinte_mais_aimerait_bien.html

She wish she was pregnant, but she's not.

[Romain]

Michael,

Carême is Lent, I guess she means weaning and yearning. Insatiable Carla !

[marc millier]

oh Charles I'm sorry FRANCOISE HARDY is a true singer!!!!!!!!!
A great writer of songs since a long time.
CARLITA is a poor copy!!!
bad copy

[dot king]

MARY, Tragedy strikes! Not only is Carla not pregnant ("It's just my beer belly" First Lady's startling admission), but the video clip you link has been savagely censored!

"cannot be viewed in your region" - where do they think I am I wonder :)

[Mary Fernandez]

Romain -

I followed your link. Carla says she looks pregnant because she drinks beer! LOL!!! (BTW, the comments are priceless.)

Now, if she says she drinks beer while fishing and can burp the alphabet, she'd be a regular Helen of Troy.

At any rate, Nico and the entire Republican Guard aren't getting the job done. Maybe Raphael can help out again.

Here's the opinion of another gagging siren/jealous Amazon/discouraged chrysanthemum: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2008/07/09/do0908.xml

[Mary Fernandez]

Dot -

You beat me to the beer belly comment! I can't believe it. She's a regular Homer Simpson.

As for the clip, here's the link to it on the NBC website:

http://www.nbc.com/Saturday_Night_Live/video/play.shtml?mea=221774

(This should work since the other NBC/SNL clips did for you.)

[Doremi ( still not Dot)]

Dot,
"she might be exposed as a beard". (?????)
From wikipedia a beard is "a person mislead others about the status of a relationships".
From my circles it's a woman who is " the girlfriend " or "wife" of a gay man so he can pass as straight. It has its advantages. You have to be careful because when the truth comes out, your previous effusions of love for your great man are going to make you look like a dunce. ( you have to be even extra careful when you start to believe your own crap)

Here are some of the lyrics:

"You are mah droopy-eyed Frenchman
You have zee high forehead
Ah weel give mah love to your very beeg nose
You are mah freeky looking man, and you are all mine"

So romantic!

[christopher muir]

Of course I don't know of the Palace's office layout, but I've read that the president's wife has plenty of corners set aside for her poetry and composition. I've seen photos of her sitting next to many folders and her guitar. That's fine. But the problem may arise one day at an important official moment. She, like all great artists, cries "I've got it!. I've got it! Bali hash, Bali hash..." Whereupon she departs the ceremonial podium reaching for a note pad to scribble her latest inspiration. How long can bohemia and conservatism live side by side?

[Romain]

Mary Fernandez,

Isn't it what you call a burp in the oven ?

[Scarlet Pimpernel]

Brassens was never coarse and 'bander' for the French does not have the same connotations as 'to have a hard' on for the English. The latter has only one meaning and a very precise one whereas 'bander' can mean 'to stretch', 'to tense' (muscles, for instance) or 'to bend' ('bander un arc') thus the force of the word is diminished.

[dot king]

"From wikipedia a beard is "a person mislead others about the status of a relationships".
From my circles it's a woman who is " the girlfriend " or "wife" of a gay man so he can pass as straight. It has its advantages."
(DOREMI not Dot ever)

Thank you, but it must be a new addition to English usage - ie since 1991 - I've never heard the expression before. I usually try to drop new expressions learned into general conversation, but it'l be some time before I'm at ease with that one!
BTW when you referred earlier to Juliette, I took you to mean Juliette and not Juliette Greco, I suppose that was right?

MARY "Annuale" has taken off around my friends already - great clip!

[PAUL]

It would be interesting to know what people who claim Carla "Can't sing" mean by this. Is it just an emotional reaction because they have a visceral dislike of her or her husband? When someone says Jane Birkin has/had no voice, that is true, though she still managed to communicate a form of charm. Carla can vary her voice from a sexy huskiness or, in the case of "Fernande", she is able to bring out the sauciness of the song in quite a subtle manner.She doesn't in any way dishonour Brassens's memory. Her pitch is very good almost thoughout. It is true that she needs a microphone and is no Jessye Norman - but Jessye Norman's 'crossover' discs were not very successful as she was trained to sing in opera houses holding 2,000 people.

[It's a fairly common view of Carla's voice, Paul. Le Monde's music critic says this today: "She has taken from Italy the way of... making exist a voice which has no existence." [De l'Italie, elle a pris le déploiement et cette façon de faire exister une voix qui n'existe pas." CB]

[RW]

It makes little sense to criticize the lyrics based on an atrocious, overly literal translation. It is like something one would get from Babelfish.

[No it's not, RW. It was intended as literal. I don't get time on the blog to polish poetry and I wanted to convey a feel for images that are just about as strange in French. Listen to all the jokes today about what she means by chrysanthemum. CB]

[Doremi ( still not Dot)]

Liz Lemon rules.

[azloon]

MF

re: annuale

funniest SNL faux advert i've ever seen. it has been relayed to everyone in my address book.

the second funniest phony advert was from by a brokerage co which was spoofing drug ads with a disclaimer line which said the allergy drug might produce a side-effect known as 'hot dog finger' -- one of many hilarious supposed possible complications which i can't recall.

[Marguerite.]

Je preferais Francoise Hardy. Elle avait plus de voix et des textes plus intelligents.
Mais j'aime bien ce que vous ecrivez, vous, Charles Bremner. Vos textes sont droles ( ironiques ,of course), bien ecrits et nous donnent de bonnes informations sur la France, aussi bien politiques que culturelles.
C'est tres interessant pour une francaise comme moi de connaitre le point de vue d'un journaliste anglais.

[RW]

I have attempted a transation truer in spirit to the original:

Your Own

there are those who devour
there are those who succumb
some rush headlong
some feel their way
some come running
while others are led
and some go astray
me, I am your own
I am your own,
I am your own....
no, it's not the french way
but it feels good just the same

and i give you my body
my soul, my flower
for I am your own,
and so do I long to be your own,
that I put an end
to my conquests
to my life as an Amazon
to my unfettered freedom
I am your own,
I am your own,
I am your own....
no, it isn't right
but it feels good just the same

though they damn me or condemn me
I will be my own judge
and I'll take all the blame
you must know, you must understand
that you are my knight, you're my darling,
you are my feast
you're my fast
you're my madness, my witches brew
my communion bread
my charming prince
I am your own,
I am your own,
I am your own....

but be on your guard--for I am Italian
I will demoralize the women
I will stifle the comely sirens
I, who sought always the flame,
burn like a pagan for you
I, who put men through their paces,
give myself completely to you
I am your own,
I am your own,
oh yes, I am your own...

it is not said, I know
but it feels good just the same
and I will repeat it, like a refrain
if you want me, I am yours

[dot king]

Michael - I think by "orgie" Carla means (as we might say) "overdoing things" - that seems to cover most angles of meaning (smirk)

[Sheilah]

she's nothing but a 2bit lounge lizard trying to make a dime.
Her poor husband Nikki....
somethings are better left unsung !!

[dot king]

"Laurent Delahousse was as bland as ever." QWERTY

Oh, I thought you'd said you liked him, but come to think of it, it might be Sandrine.

[dot king]

SCARLET PIMPERNEL - it will be VERY hard to convince anyone here that "bander" as used by Brassens in that song (after all it was banned) has anything to do with tension in an arc (quoique . . .). Like anything else it's defined also by its context.
In the song: "je pense à Fernande, je bande" - "je pense à Léonore et je bande encore", even if we said "when I think of Fernande I tense/bend my arc" it would still mean what we take it to mean - and what Brassens intended. The song was banned - by the French for what the French understood it to mean.
I offer Larrousse: "raidir en tendant" "to stiffen while stretching".

RW your translation is laudable indeed - but the song is OTT all the same - and she wrote a love song for Rapaël Enthoven too. I expect it's a habit you get into.

If anyone's interested, compare her version of "Nobody knows you when you're down and out" - somewhere in the clips variously indicated yesterday - to Eric clapton's version on his "Unplugged" album - identical arrangement. Then try Bessie Smith's version - same site - just type in the song-title. Eric Clapton did a completely different arrangement from the original, Carla copied his note for note.

[dot king]

Liz Lemon rules.

Posted by: Doremi ( still not Dot)

Huh??

[Allen]

Infidelity. Lust. Love. Carla and the French president have 2 of the 3.

[azloon]

MF

here's a link to Nozulla commercial, for the allergy drug that potentially results in a side-effect known as 'hot dog finger' (as well as 'full-body hair loss,' and 'projectile vomiting').

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nMkpMvvgY4

(at least carlita can get us onto things that were intended to be amusing, as opposed to her inadvertency)

[Michael]

Yeah, I just like how the links from the drudge report act like it is such a scandalous line:

'You are my orgy' - shock at Bruni's new album tribute to Sarkozy...

But then again we had a multi-million dollar prosecutorial jaunt that ended with a soiled dress so I guess that's to be expected.

The right seems to have a knack for sniffing out seed.

[Donna - Phoenix]

Why are you wasting our news web pages with her. First of all, she is not that attractive.

Seondly, the sex part - BORING. What you think the rest of us don't know anything about it. PLEASE.

[boozy]

gotta be a homo..no real man would say this...

[Francois D]

I suppose that euro deputy Watson likes to read CB blog.. (in english and french)

http://www.dailymotion.com/search/sarkozy%2Bparlement%2Beurop%25C3%25A9en/video/x62y0r_carla-bruni-les-eurodeputes-connais_news

Interesting also, Dany Cohn Bendit about NS travel to Pekin for Olympic game ceremony (in french);

http://www.dailymotion.com/search/sarkozy%2Bparlement%2Beurop%25C3%25A9en/video/x62xeq_cohnbendit-contre-la-presence-de-sa_news

[Janice]

Forget Carla why no more PPA?

[Romain]

I must say Carla's marketing campaign is quite professional :
Media plan,PR ,direct marketing, viral marketing, she wont have to spend fortunes on advertising. Many "singers" could take example. Of course she has a few trumps up her sleeve.

[Doremi ( still not Dot)]

Dot,
Liz Lemon is the character from 30 rock, played by Tina Fey who also created the show. She was head writer on SNL and is in the spoof that Mary Fernandez posted. She would have a funny take on Carla.
Beard is a us slang word, the studio system used beards to protect their gay stars from public scrutiny. The pressure is still there as papers are still keen on outing. Few years back my friend introduced me to some of his friends in a bar, all gay and working in theatre, one of them waved a man to come over, mentioning that " his beard was driving him crazy". The man looked straight to my untrained eye and was very friendly towards me, trying to be friendly back and noticing his bare chin I said " you shaved your beard", I got a very funny look and a "sorry?", digging myself further I said " because your friend said your beard was driving you crazy". He kept smiling at me until someone from the party shouted " she is talking about your girlfriend", my friend put me out of my misery by explaining the term.

Juliette is Juliette Noureddine, I first heard of her from my father, who is a fan, when he put cd on with the words " you've got to listen to this woman, elle est grosse, grosse, mais sa voix, divine". My father likes fat on his magret but not on women. The woman can't get into a size 0, hasn't sold her soul but she is supremely talented and can sing.

[dot king]

François D: Well Euro-deputy Watson is another Brit who speaks perfect French (ref a previous thread when we were listing them).

Doremi, you do get around don't you? Did you spend some time in the States before England?
This has been my introduction to SNL and I l-e-r-v-e it. I didn't know who Liz Lemon was.
I'd never come across "beard" before in that context, even amongst gay friends - is the French equivalent "barbe"? Sa barbe le rend fou?
The nearest I've come to such a situation was one day (on parle de l'Angleterre) I opened my door and found a pack of pale green toilet rolls on the doorstep. Puzzling. Later my gay neighbour told me his boyfriend had bought them, but they didn't match the bathroom, so he thought I might like them! (They didn't match lmy bathroom either, but never look a gift-horse etc . . .)

[dot king]

Now, let's just get sensible about Carla's song.
Rhyming is very important, as you will see from the clip, even if you do have to use "chrysanthemum" you have adhered to poetic rules : )

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QF_cB9AfNKA

[Scarlet Pimpernel]

DOT,

You have missed my point: I didn't mean that people wouldn't understand what Brassens meant but that the word itself wasn't 'coarse' in the sense that 'to have a hard on' is.The English four-letter 'taboo' words are virtually all restricted to one particular meaning. American English is particularly sensitive to double meanings, hence 'ass'(donkey) for 'arse'; 'rooster' for 'cock'.

[Pauline M]

I'm curious about the "chrysanthemum". Isn't it the flower of choice to be put on tombs a la Toussaint? A bit macabre in my opinion. What could Carla be meaning by this?