I’ve noticed the many different ways that a lot you are learning about Australian culture (apart from real life) – ie from TV, books, forums, websites, literature, news…).but I wonder if any of you have considered another very good source: a particular kind of Oz song lyrics which can tell about life in Australia, or even just provide a good source of new or interesting words.
For many years with French, I’ve made a hobby of discovering nice stories from translating song lyrics, so I’ve decided to do some in English for a change. I hope they might be interesting. I’ll give foot-notes to make them easier to read.

So, I’ve thought of songs which fit the following categories (if anybody else has some they’d like to share, you’re welcome to join in.

• Musique populaire et bon son, bon voix de chanteurs/chanteuses
• son typique d’oz (Oz Rock), normalement beaucoup de guitare.
• mots ou phrases typique d’Oz (also metaphors often used in everyday speech or slang)
• groupes tres connu
• chansons celebre presque partout en Australie (mais pas connu dehors d’Australie peut etre)
• disponible pour essayer un peu sur Kazaa (pour la plupart)

For now, though they do fit into these categories easily, I’ll leave out Oz Super Groups like AC/DC, INXS and Midnight Oil, because it’s easy to find the CDs and song lyrics of them for yourself.

Holy Grail – Hunters & Collectors (annees: early 1990’s)

(K: ok, so it’s not an Oz story, but more King Arthur, but some words are typical of Oz).


Woke up this morning
From the strangest dream
I was in the greatest army
The world had ever seen
We were marching as one
On the road for the Holy Grail.

Started out, seeking fortune and glory
It’s a short song
But it’s a hell of a story
When you spend your lifetime
Trying to get your hands on the Holy Grail

But have you heard about the great Crusaders?
We ran into millions (*1)
And nobody got paid
Yeah we razed (*2) 4 corners of the globe
For the Holy Grail

All the locals scattered
They were hiding in the snow
We were so far from home
So how were we to know?
There’d be nothing left to plunder (*3)
When we stumbled on the Holy Grail

We were full of beans (*4)
But we were dying like flies (*5)
And those big black birds
They were circling the skies
And you know what they say –
Nobody deserves to die

Oh, I’ve been searching for an easy way
To escape the cold light of day
I’ve been high and I’ve been low
But I’ve got nowhere else to go
There’s nowhere else to go.

I followed orders,
God knows where I’ve been (*6)
When I woke up alone,
All my wounds were clean
I’m still here
I’m still full of the Holy Grail.

*1 = in millions of $ debt.
*2 = j’adore ce mot! ‘Razed’ = un peu comme ‘to mow down’ – to go over the top of et detuire tout, mais trop fort – it’s like flattening the entire earth while searching for qqc
*3 = voler
*4 = tres fort, plein d’energie’
*5 = dying very fast (ie comme les mouches d’Oz when sprayed with Mortein bug killer)
* 6 = il a aucune idée ou il etait

This one is one of my very favourites
Kate

une chanson de tina arena, c'est pas possible??? (avec des photos!)

Salut Kate!

Trés trés trés trés grande idée ce sujet à propos des paroles de musiques australiennes. (very great idea!)

Ce sujet pourra toujours nous aider à mieux comprendre, parler ou écrire OZ , et en plus de tout ce sujet est une bonne motivation et un bon encouragement pour ceux qui veulent se perferctionner dans la langue australienne.

Vivement d'autres chansons aussi sympa que celle-ci.

A trés bientôt.

You're a genius!

Merci Ozman, je suis content que tu aimes ce idee.
et Jooky: probleme avec Tina Arena = Tu la connais deja, et autant que je sache, elle ne chante pas les chansons a propos de la vie en Australie, ni utilise les mots typiques d'oz....mais peut etre un jour, apres tout les autres je vais trouver un chanson de Tina

Often I am translating some French text into English for things. When it’s done, c’est fini, you know what it says, and you go on to something else. They are just words.

Mais avec un chanson, once you have translated and you can have a nice story, and sometimes best of all, a song that you can listen to again and again and again and enjoy for even many years. C’est pour ca, que les paroles des chansons sont ma poésie.

Ok, here’s another one by a songwriter/singer who has been very famous in Australia for almost 20 years now.


To her Door - Paul Kelly

They got married early (*1), never had no money
Then when he got ‘laid off’ (*2) they ‘really hit the skids’ (*3)
He started up his drinking, then they started fighting
He took it pretty badly, she took both the kids
She said: "I'm not standing by, to watch you slowly die
So watch me walking, out the door"
She said, "’Shove it’ (*4), Jack, I'm walking out the door"

She went to her brother's, got a little bar work
He went to the Buttery (*5), stayed about a year
Then he wrote a letter, said I want to see you
She thought he sounded better, she sent him up the fare (*6)
He was riding through the cane in the pouring rain
On Olympic to her door

He came in on a Sunday, every muscle aching
Walking in slow motion like he'd just been hit
Did they have a future? Would he know his children?
Could he make a picture and get them all to fit?
He was shaking in his seat riding through the streets
In a silvertop *(7) to her door

1. early as in ‘jeune’
2. = il a perdu son boulot
3. things became very bad. Pas de l’argent.
4. to get lost, go away
5. No idea - but it could be a name of a Rehabilitation clinic for Alcoholics.
6. fare as in air fare, ou billet
7. Taxi


Paul Kelly is one of Australia’s finest and most well known song writers, with a 20 year music career. He is very famous for his passionate song lyrics.
Cette chanson a ete ecrit à environ environ 1988. He has had at least 10 albums and also been song-writer and producer for many Australian artists, including several Aboriginal singers, as he seems to have a strong connection with making songs which tell their stories.
He has worked with famous Aboriginal groups and artists like Yothu Yindi (on the super hit ‘Treaty’), and also with Archie Roach and Kev Carmody.
His career has been a very interesting one. You can see more about it on www.paulkelly.com.au

Now a different subject, une chanson anti-guerre. Which war? Je crois que c'etait le guerre de Vietnam (the last one where it was obligatoire pour les australiens pour etre en combat)

Compulsory Hero (Hero obligatoire)

Remember the time when we were kids
Playing war games in your yard (*1)
Everyone had to be a hero
And ‘get one’ (*2) in the heart
Then night would fall and we’d call a truce
And all go home

Years went by, we were average guys
Playing life by rule of thumb
‘Till a man came on the TV
Talking about a war like we wanted one
He said everybody line up, backs to the wall
Till your number’s called.

You’ve gotta go and be a hero
They’ve got a new game for all you boys
It’s war without a choice
Compulsory Hero....just try and make it home

Your Grandpa heard the call to arms
For the ‘war to end all wars’
Then your Dad went off to do his bit
When they had to go one more
But you, you’ve got no say in it
You’ve got to fight and that’s the law

You’ve gotta go and be a hero
They made a law that you had to go and fight
One more crazy war
Compulsory hero...just try and make it home.

So all the ‘had to be’ heroes went off to do their chores (*3)
None of them really would have known
How far a bloody war goes
They’re dying (*4) to make it home

When I think back on all those times
Playing war games in your yard
Everybody had to be a hero
Back then it wasn’t hard
Then night would fall on the battlezone
And we could all go home

You’ve gotta go and be a hero
They made a law that you had to go and fight
One more crazy war
Compulsory hero...just try and make it home.
Just try and make it home
Oh, but who’s gonna make it home??

1. Jardin
2. get shot
3. ‘chores’ sont normalement duty tasks children do for parents.
4. Double meaning: dying to get home - as in really wanting to be home, and also ‘going home but only as dead’

Taken from the album ‘Ish’ of 1988. 1927 had 2 very famous albums and were one of the biggest Oz groups of the late 1980’s.

J'adore ce chanson - c'est lente, clair, et avec beaucoup de piano.

The Angels etait un group Australien tres populaire avec un succes enorme, depuis environ 1979 (date de ce chanson) - 1999 (not as big a success as AC/DC, but there are some rock similarities, and they were one of Australia’s most famous ever groups (along with other huge Oz bands which began around that 70’s era, like Skyhooks, Split Enz, Cold Chisel, Men at Work, etc but which didn’t last as long)

Les paroles ne sont pas typique d'Australie, cette fois, mais peut etre typique de quoi les Australians comme ces hommes a pense a propos des choses Francais et les francais....


Bought me a box of French cigars
Bought me a black beret
Got my French from the girl next door (*1)
Teachin’ me night and day(*1)
Got me thinkin ‘bout the south of France
Vis-à-vis-a-vous
Pack my suitcase, take a chance
Got nothing to lose

Gimme(2*) the sound of the rolling dice(*3)
Gimme a whiskey, don’t think twice
Deal me the card that takes my blues away
Take me away to Marseilles

Fast train, jet plane, money to burn
Don’t ask the reason why
Drinkin’ champagne, playin’ cool,
Don’t even have to try

Gimme the sound of the rolling dice,
Gimme a whiskey, don’t think twice
Deal me the card that takes my blues away
Take me away to Marseilles

‘Bonsoir Mesdemoiselles, voulez-vous promenade avec moi ce soir?
Eh?
Hmmm
Oooh la la...

(et il y a des autres mots en francais aussi, meme si la foule ne comprends pas tout! Ils aiment toujours la francaise dans la chanson quand meme)

*1. this line we call in English (as well) a 'double entendre' LOL. I think it is the most clever line of the song.

*2. Most of the setting for the song takes place in a casino.
*3 = Donnez-moi


The Marseilles song happened because it was partly inspired by the lead singer’s French teacher, who used to go to France for his holidays and come back with great stories and photos.

A part from being a huge hit in Australia (et particulierement en les Etats Unis aussi!) when it was released, c’est encore tres populaire aujourd’hui, ces jours, et ce soir a Melbourne mon mari va jouer ce chanson avec son groupe (tribute band of the Angels)

Vive Oz Rock!

Kate

Treaty

Well I heard it on the radio
And I saw it on the television
Back in 1988,
All those talking politicians

Words are easy, words are cheap
Much cheaper than our precious land
But promises can disappear
Just like writing in the sand

Treaty, yeah, treaty yeah
...............

This land was never given up
This land was never bought and sold
The planting of the Union Jack (*1)
Never changed our law at all

Now two rivers run their course (*2)
Separated for so long
I’m dreaming of a brighter day
When the waters will be one

Treaty yeah, treaty yeah, treaty now

Promises disappear
.....lost destiny

Treaty.....

*1 = 1ier placement du drapeau Anglais dans le terre
*2 = Aboriginal imagery - 1 river representing the white people, another for the Aborigines, flowing in separate directions, which seems quite an accurate image, as we are certainly still very separate, and a good dream is for both rivers to be 1.

This song was released quelques ans apres le bicentenaire d’australie de 1988, which was also, according to the government, if I remember, supposed to be a turning point year for aborigines, where their conditions would improve, etc, however I can’t remember anything like that so I guess it never happened.
The aborigines certainly didn’t like the Bicentenary and didn’t want to be part of the celebrations, just like many of them see Australia Day each January as ‘invasion day’.
Considering how critical the song lyrics are of the government (and they certainly had every right to be unhappy), it’s almost surprising the hit became one of the biggest Australian songs of all time.
Apres ce chanson, Yothu Yindi a devenu tres celebre - la plus celebre groupe indigenous en Australie.
Les paroles sont tres bon, oui, mais aussi la musique est tres formidable - beaucoup de rock, une partie de la ‘dance musique’ (il y a un version dance aussi) et avec aussi le digeridoo. Un tres bon combination que Yothu Yindi a fait beaucoup des fois pour les autres hits depuis “Treaty” comme “Djapana” et “World Turning” et meme “Jailbreak” (autre version d’un chanson par AC/DC!)

Kate

Time to revive an old post, je pense.
I had a special request for this once, and being such a famous 'good ol' Aussie traditional song, it's time I posted the lyrics....Ozman, c'est pour toi
It was written by Australia's most famous poet Andrew Barton (Banjo) Paterson in 1895. It's known as our 2nd National anthem.
http://www.tac.com.au/~anva/waltzing_matilda.htm (midi version - musique sans paroles)
http://www.abc.net.au/tv/rewind/txt/s1233719.htm (histoire)

Waltzing Matilda

Once a jolly swagman (*1) camped by a billabong (*2),
Under the shade of a coolibah tree,
And he sang as he sat and waited till his billy (*3) boiled
You'll come a 'waltzing matilda' (*4) with me

Waltzing matilda, waltzing matilda
You'll come a waltzing matilda with me
And he sang as he sat and waited till his billy boiled
You'll come a waltzing matilda with me.

Down came a jumbuck (*5) to drink at the billabong
Up jumped the swagman and grabbed him with glee (*6)
And he sang as he shoved (*7) that jumbuck in his tuckerbag (*8
You'll come a waltzing matilda with me

Waltzing matilda, waltzing matilda
You'll come a waltzing matilda with me
And he sang as he sat and waited till his billy boiled
You'll come a waltzing matilda with me.

Down came a stockman, (*9) mounted on his thoroughbred (*10),
Down came the troopers (*11), one, two, three.
They said "What's that jolly jumbuck you've got in your tuckerbag?
You'll come a waltzing matilda with me"

Waltzing matilda, waltzing matilda
You'll come a waltzing matilda with me
And he sang as he sat and waited till his billy boiled
You'll come a waltzing matilda with me.

Up jumped the swagman and sprang (*12) into the billabong,
"You'll never catch me alive," cried he
And his ghost may be heard as you pass by that billabong,
You'll come a waltzing matilda with me.

Il y a plusieurs versions un peu different (the internet has some wrong versions) but this is the one always heard and used when I was young and taught to me par ma grandmere.

Explications:
1: a roaming, travelling man who carried his goods in a 'swag' bag on his back.
2: Billabong is a type of pond or small dam in the outback, where sheep and cattle often come to drink.
3: a billy is a tin can with a handle used for boiling tea over a campfire
4: As some of you may already know, the 'waltzing matilda' isn't actually anything to do with dancing or waltzing but is rumoured to have come from a German word....not exactly sure what the term means.
5: A jumbuck is an old Australian slang word (no longer used) for a sheep
6: Glee - happiness
7: shoved - pushed it firmly into his bag
8. Tuckerbag = food/supplies bag
9 Stockman - farming man (of animals)
10. Purebred horse
11. Troopers = horse mounted police
12. Jumped

Kate

Thank you very very much Kate for this song.

Now I must learn it very well if I want to be ready for the next Aussie rugby match.

I think that my friends (from my favorite pub in Sanary) would kill me for the next rugby match between the French team and the Australian team. They will throw me to the harbour.

Maybe for the next time, we could find the official national anthem of Australia. If I am lucky and if I learn very well this anthem , maybe that Australian authorities could give me my visa to live and to work right there.

And to finish, sing once again with me, all together with your arm in the air :

Waltzing matilda, waltzing matilda
You'll come a waltzing matilda with me
And he sang as he sat and waited till his billy boiled
You'll come a waltzing matilda with me.

HI Kate et les autres
Voir
http://www.anu.edu.au/people/Roger.Clarke/WM/

pour les precisions

Raz00



PS: Billabong - An originally aboriginal word for a section of still water adjacent to a river, cut off by a change in the watercourse, cf. an oxbow lake. In the Australian outback, a billabong generally retains water longer than the watercourse itself, so it may be the only water for miles around.

Et j'ajouterai : Introduire les Français et Francophones d'Australie à la culture Australienne....

Alors MERCI beaucoup Kate !! Je n'avais pas réalisé au debut que le post datait de 2003 !! Et j'avais râté ça ! C'est excellent ! S'il y en a d'autres, je suis preneur !

Que les pages culturelles et même politiques soient les plus pauvres de ce forum, c'est vraiment dommage !

Sisko

There's also that one : Aussie Bar-B-Q...

When the summer sun is shining
On Australia’s happy land
Around countless fires in strange attire
You see solemn bands
Of glum Australians watching
Their lunch go up in flames,
By the smoke and the smell you can plainly tell
That it’s Barbie time again.

When the steaks are burning fiercely
And the smoke gets in your eyes
Your snags all taste of fried toothpaste
And your mouth is full of flies
It’s a national institution
It’s Australian through and through
So come on mate and grab your plate
Let’s have a Bar-B-Q

The Scotch eat lots of haggis
The French eat snails and frogs
The Greeks go crackers over their mousakis
And the Yankees love hot dogs,
The Welshman loves to have a leek
The Irish love their stew
But you just can’t beat the half cooked meat
At an Aussie Bar-B-Q

There’s a fly stuck in the margarine
The bread has gone rock hard
The kids are fighting and the mozzies are biting
Who forgot the Aeroguard?
There’s bull ants in the esky
And the beer is running out
And what you saw in mum’s coldslaw
You just don’t think about.

And when the barbie’s over
And you’re homeward once again
With a queezy tummy in the family dunny
Many lonely hours you’ll spend
You may find yourself reflecting
As many often do
Come rain or shine that’s the very last time
You’ll have a Bar-B-Q.


I really love that one written by Eric Boggle….

Barbie : ce n'est pas la poupée mais un barbecue
Tummy : ventre
Mozzie : moustique
Aeroguard : remède miracle contre les mozzies
Esky : glacière

Sisko, well spotted (yes, I did revive a VERY old post!) Glad you like the idea....in a moment here come some more...
Nice addition to the list of goals.

Agnes, merci pour ton contribution. That's a funny one I'd never heard before.

Kate

And now we'd better have the No 1 National Anthem pour Ozman et des autres....

Australians all let us rejoice
For we are young and free
We've golden soil and wealth for toil,
Our home is girt (*1) by sea:
Our land abounds in nature's gifts
Of beauty rich and rare,
In history's page let every stage
Advance Australia fair,
In joyful strains (*2) then let us sing
Advance Australia fair.

Beneath our radiant Southern Cross,
We'll toil (*3) with hearts and hands,
To make this Commonwealth of ours
Renowned of all the lands,
For those who've come across the seas
We've boundless (*4) plains to share,
With courage let us all combine
To advance Australia fair.
In joyful strains then let us sing,
Advance Australia fair.

Girt = surrounded (word no longer exists in 'normal' english, maybe just 'old english' of some 100s of years ago)
Strains = in this case, I guess it means 'song' or 'sound of song')
Toil = work
Boundless - something like 'lots of' or 'endless' peut etre

Not many people know after the first verse (many don't know it after the first lines hehe - could be some variations in the 2nd verse)

Au debut, notre National Anthem etait le British Anthem "God Save the Queen".
On a decide qu'il a du change, and there was a competion where the general public could vote.... In the end it left a choice between "Advance Australia Fair", "Waltzing Matilda" and "God Save the Queen" (Many people think Waltzing Matilda is a better song & more interesting than Advance Australia Fair....and I think many more people know the words to it).

http://www.imagesaustralia.com/australi ... anthem.htm
(on peut entendre la musique aussi - midi file)

See bottom of page of website for the extended version of Advance Australia Fair....which almost nobody knows and it's never used now (if it ever was!)

Next, it will be back to good ol' Aussie Oz Rock paroles de musique

Kate

Voici les paroles d'une autre chanson qui etait tres populaire en Australie (du deuxieme et dernier album de Savage Garden « Affirmation » 1999. Ils ont eu souvent des paroles tres sympas)

I believe the sun should never set upon an argument
I believe we place our happiness in other people’s hands
I believe that junk food tastes so good because it’s bad for you
I believe your parents did the best job they knew how to do
I believe that beauty magazines promote low self esteem
I believe I’m loved when I’m completely by myself alone

Chorus:
I believe in Karma what you give is what you get returned
I believe you can’t appreciate real love till you’ve been burned (*1)
I believe the grass is no more greener on the other side (*2)
I believe you don’t know what you’ve got until you say goodbye (*3)

I believe you can’t control or choose your sexuality
I believe that trust is more important than monogamy
I believe your most attractive features are your heart and soul
I believe that family is worth more than money or gold

I believe the struggle for financial freedom is unfair
I believe the only ones who disagree are millionaires

Chorus

I believe forgiveness is the key (*4) to your unhappiness
I believe that wedded bliss negates (*5) the need to be undressed
I believe that God does not endorse (6*) TV evangelists
I believe in love surviving death into eternity

Chorus


*1) trahir
*2) "je ne crois pas que l'herbe est toujours plus verte dans le jardin du voisin"
*3) tu n'apprecies pas quelquechose avant que tu le perds
*4) reponse
*5) annuler
*6) sanctionner

Kate