Songs

Chanson espagnole (Les filles de Cadix)

by Léo Delibes

If you would like to use our texts and translations, please click here for more information.

Text & Translation

View IPA

Chanson espagnole (Les filles de Cadix)
French source: Alfred de Musset

Nous venions de voir le taureau,
Trois garçons, trois fillettes,
Sur la pelouse il faisait beau
Et nous dansions un boléro
Au son des castagnettes.
'Dites-moi, voisin,
Si j'ai bonne mine,
Et si ma basquine
Va bien, ce matin.
Vous me trouvez la taille fine ?...
Ah! ah!
Les filles de Cadix aiment assez cela.'

Et nous dansions un boléro
Un soir, c'était dimanche.
Vers nous s'en vint un hidalgo
Cousu d'or, la plume au chapeau,
Et la poing sur la hanche:
'Si tu veux de moi,
Brune au doux sourire,
Tu n'as qu'a le dire,
Cet or est à toi.
-- Passez votre chemin, beau sire...
Ah! Ah!
Les filles de Cadix n'entendent pas cela.'

Spanish Song (The girls of Cadiz)
English translation © Richard Stokes

We'd just left the bullfight,
Three boys, three girls,
The sun shone on the grass
And we danced a bolero
To the sound of castanets.
'Tell me, neighbour,
Am I looking good,
And does my skirt
Suit me, this morning?
Have I a slender waist?
Ah! Ah!
The girls of Cadiz are rather fond of that.'

And we were dancing a bolero,
One sunday evening.
A hidalgo came towards us,
Glittering in gold, feather in cap,
And hand on hip:
'If you want me,
Dark beauty with the sweet smile,
You've only to say so,
And these riches are yours.'
Go on your way, fine sir.
Ah! ah!
The girls of Cadiz don't take to that.

Translation © Richard Stokes, from A French Song Companion (Oxford, 2000)

Chanson espagnole (Les filles de Cadix)
French source: Alfred de Musset

Spanish Song (The girls of Cadiz)
English source: Richard Stokes

Nous venions de voir le taureau,
We'd just left the bullfight,
Trois garçons, trois fillettes,
Three boys, three girls,
Sur la pelouse il faisait beau
The sun shone on the grass
Et nous dansions un boléro
And we danced a bolero
Au son des castagnettes.
To the sound of castanets.
'Dites-moi, voisin,
'Tell me, neighbour,
Si j'ai bonne mine,
Am I looking good,
Et si ma basquine
And does my skirt
Va bien, ce matin.
Suit me, this morning?
Vous me trouvez la taille fine ?...
Have I a slender waist?
Ah! ah!
Ah! Ah!
Les filles de Cadix aiment assez cela.'
The girls of Cadiz are rather fond of that.'

Et nous dansions un boléro
And we were dancing a bolero,
Un soir, c'était dimanche.
One sunday evening.
Vers nous s'en vint un hidalgo
A hidalgo came towards us,
Cousu d'or, la plume au chapeau,
Glittering in gold, feather in cap,
Et la poing sur la hanche:
And hand on hip:
'Si tu veux de moi,
'If you want me,
Brune au doux sourire,
Dark beauty with the sweet smile,
Tu n'as qu'a le dire,
You've only to say so,
Cet or est à toi.
And these riches are yours.'
-- Passez votre chemin, beau sire...
Go on your way, fine sir.
Ah! Ah!
Ah! ah!
Les filles de Cadix n'entendent pas cela.'
The girls of Cadiz don't take to that.

Composer

Léo Delibes

Clément Philibert Léo Delibes was a French composer of the Romantic era. Read more here.

Performances

Previously performed at:

Help us with a Donation

Enjoying our texts and translations? Help us continue to offer this service to all.

Make a Donation

Select Tickets