17 ans

Annotation

Jean Ferrat, Chanson artist born 26 December 1930 in Vaucresson, France, and died on 13 March 2010 in Aubenas, France. He released the song "17 ans" (Barclay # 80 413), narrated from the perspective of a Vietnamese fighter: "she was seventeen years old... killed 10 Americans".

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Lyrics

English: I saw her, I saw her, I swear to you, one morning / Arriving by plane from her faraway country / As fresh, as tender, as cheerful as springtime / And time stood still / She had a dusky complexion, crescent-moon eyes / On her swaying back two long brown braids / Gave her youth a triumphant radiance / Under the rising sun / She was both shy and sure of herself / In her voice, her words, her natural grace / Nothing set her apart from the girls of today / She was seventeen years old / No shadow veiled her childlike gaze / No regret made her heart flutter / In combat, with her soft and delicate hand, she had / Killed ten Americans __________ French: Je l'ai vue, je l'ai vue, je vous jure un matin / Arrivant en avion de son pays lointain / Aussi fraîche, aussi tendre, aussi gaie qu'un printemps / Et s'arrêta le temps / Elle avait le teint mat, des yeux croissant de lune / Sur ses reins qui dansaient deux longues tresses brunes / Donnaient à sa jeunesse un éclat triomphant / Sous le soleil levant / Elle était à la fois timide et sûre d'elle / Par sa voix, ses propos, sa grâce naturelle / Rien ne la distinguait des filles de ce temps / Elle avait dix-sept ans / Nulle ombre ne voilait son regard enfantin / Nul regret ne faisait palpiter sa poitrine / Elle avait au combat de sa main douce et fine / Tué dix américains

About the artist

French singer-songwriter, born 26 December 1930 in Vaucresson, France; died 13 March 2010 in Aubenas, France. [Source: Wikipedia]

Themes

Anti-War

In collections

European Songs · Peace, Protest, & Anti-War Songs [War Years]