'Complainte de la Butte'
Performed by Rufus
Wainwright
Lyrics by Jean Renoir, Music by Georges Van Parys
Produced by Michel Pepin and Rufus Wainwright
This French song is played briefly in the train station when Christian first arrives in Paris in 1899. When first I heard the full version of this song on the soundtrack, I must admit I was not overly impressed. However, after some helpful translations from my friend Becky, as well as our own trip to La Butte when we visited Paris, I have come to appreciate this song a whole lot more.
It has become apparent to me that Complainte de la Butte could be intended to refer to Christian's perception of Satine with her 'russet red hair' that 'sets a sparkling crown'. To place this song as background music at the train station serves to imply that Christian's destiny awaited him from the very moment he steps off the train. That is, he would soon come across Satine and come to dream about her with all the whimsical ideals that this song embodies in tone and lyrics. The tune even makes direct references to the windmill of the Moulin Rouge, and it is this romantic song that all too briefly sets the scene for all that lays ahead...
Special thanks go to my friend Becky for transcribing the following lyrics, who is fortunate enough to understand French!
Lyrics:
La lune, trop bleme
Pose un diademe sur tes cheveux roux
La lune, trop rousse de Glorie eclabousse
Ton jupon plein de trous
La lune trop pale
Caresse l'opale de tes yeux blases
Princesse de la rue
Soit la bienvenue
Dans mon coeur brise
The stairways up to la butte
Can make the wretched sigh
While windmill wings of the Moulin
Shelter you and I
Petite mandigote je sens ta menotte
Qui cherche ma main
Je sens ta poitrine
Et ta taille fine
J'oublie mon chagrin
Je sens sur tes levres
Une odeur de fievre de gosse mal nourri
Et sous ta caresse je sens une ivresse qui m'aneantit
The stairways up to la butte
Can make the wretched sigh
While windmill wings of the Moulin
Shelter you and I
Et voila qu'elle trotte
La lune qui flotte
La princesse aussi
La da da da da, da da da da
Mes reves epanoui
Les escaliers de la butte sont durs aux
misereux
Les ailes du moulin protogent les amoureux
English Translation:
The moon, all too fair, in your russet-red
hair sets a sparkling crown
The moon, all too red with glory, is spread on your poor tattered gown
The moon, all too white, caresses the light in your world-weary eyes
Princess of the street, do allow me to greet you, my broken heart cries
The stairways up to la butte
Can make the wretched sigh
While windmill wings of the Moulin
Shelter you and I
I feel, beggar-girl, your fetters, they curl
as they seek out my wrists
I feel your young chest, your thin little waist, I lose my regrets
I taste on your mouth the feverish breath of a half-starving waif
And with your caress I sense drunkeness erasing my life
The stairways up to la butte
Can make the wretched sigh
While windmill wings of the Moulin
Shelter you and I
And see how she skips, the moon how she
drifts!
The princess in tow
La da da da da, da da da da
My reveries grow
The steps of la butte, all uphill, are hardest
on the poor
The sails of the windmill, like wings, shelter all paramours