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Leonard Cohen: The Stranger Song

GLI EXTRA DELLE CCG / AWS EXTRAS / LES EXTRAS DES CCG
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OriginalL'adattamento francese di Graeme Allwright
LEONARD COHEN: THE STRANGER SONG

It's true that all the men you knew were dealers
who said they were through with dealing
Every time you gave them shelter.
I know that kind of man
It's hard to hold the hand of anyone
who is reaching for the sky just to surrender
who is reaching for the sky just to surrender.

And sweeping up the jokers that he left behind
you find he did not leave you very much, not even laughter.
Like any dealer he was watching for the card
that is so high and wild
he'll never need to deal another.
He was just some Joseph looking for a manger
He was just some Joseph looking for a manger.

And leaning on your window sill
he'll say one day you caused his will
to weaken with your love and warmth and shelter.
And then taking from his wallet
an old schedule of trains, he'll say
I told you when I came I was a stranger
I told you when I came I was a stranger.

But now another stranger seems
to want you to ignore his dreams
as though they were the burden of some other.
O you've seen that man before
his golden arm dispatching cards
but now it's rusted from the elbows to the finger
And he wants to trade the game he plays for shelter
Yes he wants to trade the game he knows for shelter.

Ah you hate to watch another tired man
lay down his hand
like he was giving up the holy game of poker.
And while he talks his dreams to sleep
you notice there's a highway
that is curling up like smoke above his shoulder
And suddenly you feel a little older.

You tell him to come in sit down
but something makes you turn around
The door is open you can't close your shelter.
You try the handle of the road
It opens do not be afraid
It's you my love, you who are the stranger
It's you my love, you who are the stranger.

Well, I've been waiting, I was sure
we'd meet between the trains we're waiting for
I think it's time to board another.
Please understand, I never had a secret chart
To get me to the heart of this or any other matter
When he talks like this, you don't know what he's after
When he speaks like this, you don't know what he's after.

Let's meet tomorrow if you choose
upon the shore, beneath the bridge
that they are building on some endless river.
Then he leaves the platform
for the sleeping car that's warm
You realize, he's only advertising one more shelter
And it comes to you, he never was a stranger
And you say, Ok the bridge or someplace later.

And sweeping up the jokers that he left behind
you find he did not leave you very much, not even laughter.
Like any dealer he was watching for the card
that is so high and wild
he'll never need to deal another.
He was just some Joseph looking for a manger
He was just some Joseph looking for a manger.

And leaning on your window sill
He'll say one day you caused his will
To weaken with your love and warmth and shelter.
And then taking from his wallet
An old schedule of trains, he'll say:
I told you when I came I was a stranger
I told you when I came I was a stranger.
CHANSON DE L'ÉTRANGER

Tous les hommes que tu as connus
Te disaient qu'ils ne voulaient plus
Donner les cartes pris comme dans un piège.
C'est dur de retenir la main d'un
Homme qui cherche plus loin,
Qui veut atteindre le Ciel pour se livrer.
Et qui veut atteindre le Ciel pour se livrer.

Puis, ramassant les cartes
Qui sont restées là sur la table,
Tu sais qu'il t'a laissé très peu, pas même son rire.
Comme tous les joueurs, il cherchait la carte
Qui est si délirante,
Qu'il n'aura plus jamais besoin d'une autre.
Qu'il n'aura plus jamais besoin d'une autre.

Un jour, penché à ta fenêtre,
Il te dira qu'il veut renaître,
Au monde que ta tendresse lui cache.
Puis, sortant de son portefeuille
Un vieil horaire de train,
Il dit "Je t'avais prévenu, je suis étranger".
"Je t'avais prévenu, je suis étranger".

Maintenant, un autre étranger
Semble vouloir que tu ignores ses rêves,
Comme s'ils étaient le fardeau de quelqu'un d'autre.
Tu as vu cet homme déjà
Donner les cartes avec son bras en or,
Et maintenant, tu vois, sa main est figée.
Oui, maintenant, tu vois sa main est figée.

Mais tu n'aimes pas regarder
Un autre homme fatigué
Déposer toutes ses cartes comme une défaite.
Tandis qu'il rêve jusqu'au sommeil,
Dans l'ombre, tu vois comme une fumée,
Une route qui monte derrière sa tête.
Une route qui monte derrière sa tête.

Tu lui dit d'entrer et de s'asseoir,
Mais, en te retournant, tu vois
Que la porte de ta chambre reste ouverte.
Et, quand tu prend sa main,
Il dit "N'ai pas peur, ma tendre amie
Ce n'est plus moi, ô mon amour, l'étranger".
"Ce n'est plus moi, ô mon amour, l'étranger".

J'ai attendu, toujours certain
De te revoir entre les trains.
Bientôt, il va falloir en prendre un autre.
Oh, je n'ai jamais eu, tu sais,
Pas le moindre plan secret,
Ni personne pour me conduire.
Et tu te demandes ce qu'il cherche à dire.
Oui, tu te demandes ce qu'il veut dire.

En bas, au bord du fleuve, demain,
Je t'attendrai, si tu veut bien,
Là, tout prés du pont qu'ils construissent.
Puis, il quitte le quai pou un wagon-lit.
Tu sais qu'il cherche un autre abri,
Qu'il n'avait jamais été un étranger.
Qu'il n'avait jamais été un étranger.
Et tu dis "D'accord, le pont
Ou bien ailleurs, je viendrai".

Un jour, penché à ta fenêtre,
Il te dira qu'il veut renaître,
Au monde que ta tendresse lui cache.
Et, sortant de son portefeuille
Un vieil horaire de train,
Il dit "Je t'avais prévenu, je suis étranger".
"Je t'avais prévenu, je suis étranger".


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