J'avions reçu commandement (Le conscrit) - Yves Montand перевод на английский

J'avions reçu commandement (Le conscrit)

J′avions reçu commandement
De partir pour la guerre
Je ne me soucions point pourtant
D'abandonner notre mère
Pourtant l′a ben fallu
J'ai pris mon sac et je suis venu
Pourtant l'a ben fallu
J′ai pris mon sac et je suis venu
Y m′ont donné un grand fusil
Une sabre, une gibecière
Une grande capote, un grand t'habit
Pendant jusqu′au darrière
Et fallait se tenir drait
Aussi drait qu'un pic un piquet
Et fallait se tenir drait
Aussi drait qu′un pic un piquet
Y'en avait sur leurs chevaux
Qui faisaient bien deux mètres
Avec deux ou trois plus de zoziau
Plantés dessus leur tête
Et des poils d′artillon
Tout alentour de leurs talons
Et des poils d'artillon
Tout alentour de leurs talons
Y m'ont placé en faction
Devant une citadelle
Ceux qui n′connaissions point mon nom
M′appelions "sentinelle! "
A chaque chat qui passait
Fallait crier "quou qu'chi, quou qu′chai"
A chaque chat qui passait
Fallait crier "quou qu'chi, quou qu′chai"
Y m'ont mené dans un grand champ
Qu′appelions champ de bataille
On s'étripait, on s'épiaulait
C′était pis que de la volaille
Ma foi, la peur m′a pris
J'ai pris mon sac et je suis parti.
(Variante) J′ai pris mon sac et me voici!

I Received Orders (The Conscript)

I had received orders
to go to war
But I was not worried
about leaving our mother
Yet that was necessary
I took my knapsack and I arrived
Yet that was necessary
I took my knapsack and I arrived
They gave me a large gun
A sword, a haversack
A great cap, a large coat
Right down to the back
And we had to stand up straight
As straight as a stake of wood
And we had to stand up straight
As straight as a stake of wood
There were some on their horses
Who were a good six feet tall
With two or three more idiots
Perched on their heads
And artillery hairs
All around their heels
And artillery hairs
All around their heels
They placed me on sentry duty
In front of a citadel
Those who did not know my name
Called me "Sentry!"
At each cat that passed
I had to shout "who goes there, who goes there"
At each cat that passed
I had to shout "who goes there, who goes there"
They took me to a large field
Which we called the battlefield
We slaughtered each other, we dismembered each other
It was worse than poultry
My gosh, I got scared
I took my knapsack and I left
(Variant) I took my knapsack and here I am!