succesful translations

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been listening to klee quite a lot recently and especially the two songs - gold and für alle die/for everyone - that have been translated into english. and I think they're terrible. even though I love the german originals and, apart from the lyrics, they're *exactly* the same. it's like the new lyrics don't fit the song, as if the songs were written to accompany german lyrics. i'm not entirely sure if it's the 'sound' of the english language that doesn't seem to fit the song. even though both english and german aren't my first languages (second and third, although at song-lyric level I don't think that makes a big difference), the english version sounds too 'direct' or something. the german sounds more 'poetic', even though, as far as I can tell, the lyrics are the same.

anyway, are there any examples of previously non-english songs that have been succesfully translated into english. what makes this work? what doesn't?

only example I can think of is swedish band kent and especially their song om du var här/if you where here. here the english version, imho, didn't sound contrived in any way. maybe because swedish and english are pretty close 'soundwise', closer than german and english?

― (jg) ((jg)), Friday, 4 August 2006 10:07 (eighteen years ago)

I think Mick Harvey managed this successfully on his Serge Gainsbourg cover albums. They sound perfectly natural in English, weirdly.

― Ruairi Wirewool (Ruairi Wirewool), Friday, 4 August 2006 10:13 (eighteen years ago)

I think its important that you can make the rythyms fit - like if in german it goes

Was war das! Ich habe das!

WHat was that! I have that!

except "habe" is two sylables, so it would be a quarter note, not eight notes, which might mess things up, unless you sing have in a weir dway

― Mr Jones (Mr Jones), Friday, 4 August 2006 11:35 (eighteen years ago)

German cheesepoppers Münchener Freiheit released an album in English which works quite well. Also, Tocotronic, a German indie-rock band, have some English versions of their songs which adds to the quirky and sometimes awkward feel of the lyrics.

― Herr Fahrstuhl (Herr Fahrstuhl), Friday, 4 August 2006 11:36 (eighteen years ago)

Of course, often terrible translations are delightful, as is awkward singing like in "HOmbre Religioso" by Mr. Loco (Nacho LIbre soundtrak)

― Mr Jones (Mr Jones), Friday, 4 August 2006 11:41 (eighteen years ago)

Leonard Cohen's version of The Partisan
Although it's not his translation, it works very well, and the effect of having the original French lyrics sung by a female voice is especially eerie. especially
When They poured across the border
I was cautioned to surrender
This I could not do
I took my gun and vanished
I have changed my name so often
i have lost my wife and children
But I have many friends
And some of them are with me
An old woman gave us shelter
Kept us hidden in the attic
The the soldiers came
She died without a whisper
There we three of us this morning
I'm the only one this evening
But I must go on
The frontiers are my prison
The wind, the wind is blowing
Through the graves the wind is blowing
Freedom soon will come
Then we'll come from the shadow
Les Allemands etaient chez moi
Ils me disent resigne-toi
Mas je n'ai pas peur
J'ai repris mon ame
J'ai change cent fois de nom
J'ai perdu femme et enfant
Mais j'ai tants d'amis
Ja'i la France entiere
Un vieux homme dans un grenier
Pour la nuit nous a cache
Les Allemands l'ont prisent
Il est port sans surprise

The wind, the wind is blowing
Through the graves the wind is blowing
Freedom soon will come
Then we'll come from the shadow

Although Cohen's version omits the following stanza

No one ever asks me
Who i am or where i'm going
But those of you who know
You cover up my footprints.

Personne ne m'a demandé
D'où je viens et où je vais
Vous qui le savez
Effacez mon passage.

― Ben Dot (1977), Friday, 4 August 2006 15:19 (eighteen years ago)

Kraftwerk, for sure. I didn't hear any English language Kraftwerk until years after i first heard Trans-Europe Express [[14-year old me in cool older kids car: "what is this?" "kraftwerk. they were, um, like, the first german techno band." "oh." "you know that SNL skit 'sprockets? they do that theme song." "oh haha"]] i speak shit german, though, so maybe we lose something..

i think jacques brel has been pretty lucky, but the songs just sound better in french. i think the english translations highlight the theatricality more than I'd like..

wallace shawn did the new translation of "threepenny opera." i haven't heard it, though..

― poortheatre (poortheatre), Friday, 4 August 2006 17:53 (eighteen years ago)

99 Luftballons

― Adam Beales (Pye Poudre), Friday, 4 August 2006 18:13 (eighteen years ago)

Scott Walker's adaptations of those Jaques Brel songs on his first three albums have always been standouts in my mind.

― ryborg3k (Badarts), Saturday, 5 August 2006 16:01 (eighteen years ago)

Nina Hagen released seperate german & english versions of the albums
Angstlos (Fearless) and Nina Hagen in Ekstacy. (One is completely different,
one only differs by a few tracks, if I remember correctly.)

― shieldforyoureyes (shieldforyoureyes), Saturday, 5 August 2006 22:32 (eighteen years ago)

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