Georges Bizet - Carmen: Teresa Berganza sings Habanera

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oby-hCgZLJc


Quand je vous aimerai? When will I love you?
Ma foi, je ne sais pas, Good lord, I don't know,
Peut-être jamais, peut-être demain. Maybe never, maybe tomorrow.
Mais pas aujourd'hui, c'est certain. But not today, that's certain.


L'amour est un oiseau rebelle Love is a rebellious bird
Que nul ne peut apprivoiser, That nothing can tame,
Et c'est bien en vain qu'on l'appelle, And it is simply in vain to call it
S'il lui convient de refuser. If it is convient for it to refuse.
Rien n'y fait, menace ou prière, Nothing will work, threat or pleading,
L'un parle bien, l'autre se tait; One speaks, the other stays quiet;
Et c'est l'autre que je préfère And it's the other that I prefer
Il n'a rien dit; mais il me plaît. He said nothing; but he pleases me.
L'amour! L'amour! L'amour! L'amour! Love! Love! Love! Love!

L'amour est enfant de Bohême, Love is the child of the Bohemian,
Il n'a jamais, jamais connu de loi, It has never, never known any law,
Si tu ne m'aime pas, je t'aime, If you don't love me, I love you,
Si je t'aime, prend garde à toi! If I love you, keep guard of yourself!
Si tu ne m'aime pas, If you don't love me,
Si tu ne m'aime pas, je t'aime! If you don't love me, I love you!
Mais, si je t'aime, But, if I love you,
Si je t'aime, prend garde à toi! If I love you, keep guard of yourself!
Si tu ne m'aime pas, If you don't love me,
Si tu ne m'aime pas, je t'aime! If you don't love me, I love you!
Mais, si je t'aime, But, if I love you,
Si je t'aime, prend garde à toi! If I love you, keep guard of yourself!

L'oiseau que tu croyais surprendre The bird you thought to surprise
Battit de l'aile et s'envola; Bat its wing and flew away;
L'amour est loin, tu peux l'attendre; Love is far away, you can wait for it;
Tu ne l'attend plus, il est là! If you wait for it no more, it is there!
Tout autour de toi vite, vite, All around you, quickly, quickly,
Il vient, s'en va, puis il revient! It comes, goes, then it comes back!
Tu crois le tenir, il t'évite; You think to hold it, it avoids you;
Tu crois l'éviter, il te tient! You think to avoid it, it holds you!
L'amour, l'amour, l'amour, l'amour! Love, love, love, love!

L'amour est enfant de Bohême, Love is the child of the Bohemian,
Il n'a jamais, jamais connu de loi, It has never, never known any law,
Si tu ne m'aime pas, je t'aime, If you don't love me, I love you,
Si je t'aime, prend garde à toi! If I love you, keep guard of yourself!
Si tu ne m'aime pas, je t'aime, If you don't love me, I love you,
Si je t'aime, prend garde à toi! If I love you, keep guard of yourself!
Si tu ne m'aime pas, If you don't love me,
Si tu ne m'aime pas, je t'aime! If you don't love me, I love you!
Mais, si je t'aime, But, if I love you,
Si je t'aime, prend garde à toi! If I love you, keep guard of yourself!
Si tu ne m'aime pas, If you don't love me,
Si tu ne m'aime pas, je t'aime! If you don't love me, I love you!
Mais, si je t'aime, But, if I love you,
Si je t'aime, prend garde à toi! If I love you, keep guard of yourself!

literal translation by Lea F. Frey

The habanera is a genre of Cuban popular dance music of the 19th century. It is a creolized form which developed from the contradanza. It has a characteristic "Habanera rhythm", and is performed with sung lyrics.