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July 22, 2005 One of the most delightful songs that I know is La Habanera, an aria from the opera Carmen, written in 1875, by the distinguished French composer Georges Bizet (1838-1875). The story of the opera was based on the novel Carmen, by Prosper Merimie. Carmen was a tempestuous young gypsy girl of 19th century Spain. When I read the novel, Carmen, the heroine, reminded me of a teenage Puerto Rican girl in New York, with cigarette dangling from her mouth, a switchblade in her garter, and wearing too much lipstick. So unlike others who have come to the story, I was not overjoyed. But I do love the song. Travelling around as I do, I generally am remote from any opportunity to attend opera or ballet, but at one time I did. Anyway, about once a year till 1998 this melody would come to mind, and then Id forget it completely, remaining unable to recall it. Finally, I made up words, so I wouldnt lose it again, but I still didnt know the name. I went to the library, and looked at opera scores, and got nowhere. Finally, I overheard someone mention it by name, and got the music and played it, but couldnt still fit the words to the music. Now finally I have a score with the words beneath the notes, from a Library of Congress database. So after six or seven years of looking, I have found what I was looking for: http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=mussm&fileName=sm/sm1878/11700/11770/mussm11770.db&recNum=0&itemLink=D?mussm:4:./temp/~ammem_KrtC::@@@mdb=aasm,cwband,afcreed,scsm,molden,mussm,dukesm,amss&linkText=0 Heres an audible version. Just click on the first line under Classical Larger Files: http://www.allbuilders.com/designers/MIDI.htm Here are the original French lyrics, followed by my own translation. When words or lines are repeated, I like to write them out completely. It does make it easier to fit words to melodies. So instead of Lamour!..., for example, I have Lamour! Lamour! Lamour! Lamour!, and I have actually repeated the refrain, in the appropriate place. LA HABANERA (original French Lyrics) Lamour est un oiseau rebelle Que nul ne peut apprivoiser, Et cest bien in vain quon lappelle Sil lui convient de refuser. Rien ny fait, menace ou prihre. Lun parle bien, lautre se tait. Et cest lautre que je prifhre. Il na rien dit mais il me plait. Lamour! Lamour! Lamour! Lamour! Lamour est enfant de Bohjme, Il na jamais jamais connu de loi. Si tou ne maimes pas, je taime. Si je taime, prends garde ` toi! Si tou ne maimes pas, si tou ne maimes pas, je taime, Mais si je taime, si je taime, prends garde ` toi! Loiseau que tu croyais surprendere Battit daile et senvola. Lamour est loin, tu peux lattendre. Tu ne lattends pas, il est l`. Tout atour de toi, vite vite, Il vient, sen va, puis il revient. Tu crois le tenir, il tevite. Tu crois leviter, il te tient. Lamour! Lamour! Lamour! Lamour! Lamour est enfant de Bohjme, Il na jamais jamais connu de loi. Si tou ne maimes pas, je taime. Si je taime, prends garde ` toi! Si tou ne maimes pas, si tou ne maimes pas, je taime, Mais si je taime, si je taime, prends garde ` toi! LA HABANERA (Literal English Translation) Love is a rebellious bird That nothing can tame, And its quite in vain to call it, If its convenient for it to refuse. Threat and prayer do nothing. One speaks well, the other silences, And its the other that I prefer, Its said nothing, but I like it. Love! Love! Love! Love! Love is a child of the Bohemian way. It has never, never known the law. If you dont love me, I love you. If I love you, watch out! If you dont love me, if you dont love me, I love you, But if I love you, if I love you, watch out! The bird you thought youd surprise Beat its wings and flew away. Love is far, you cannot wait for it. Youre not waiting, it is there! All around you, apace, apace, It comes and goes and then returns. You think to hold it, it eludes you. You think to elude it, it holds you. Love! Love! Love! Love! Love is a child of the Bohemian way. It has never, never known the law. If you dont love me, I love you. If I love you, watch out! If you dont love me, if you dont love me, I love you, But if I love you, if I love you, watch out! ------------ About the author Thomas Keyes: I have written two books: A SOJOURN IN ASIA (non-fiction) and A TALE OF UNG (fiction), neither published so far. I have studied languages for years and traveled extensively on five continents. Email: udikeyes@yahoo.com Comment on this article here! 
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