Songs

Hôtel

by Francis Poulenc From Banalités (1940) FP 107

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This song was recorded live in The Jacqueline du Pré Music Building, St Hilda’s College as part of the Oxford Lieder Festival in 2006.
Click here to listen to this song performed by Sophie Daneman and Julius Drake.



Text & Translation

View IPA

Hôtel
French source: Guillaume Apollinaire

Ma chambre a la forme d’une cage
Le soleil passe son bras par la fenêtre
Mais moi qui veux fumer pour faire des mirages
J’allume au feu du jour ma cigarette
Je ne veux pas travailler je veux fumer

Hotel
English translation © Richard Stokes

My room is shaped like a cage
The sun slips its arm through the window
But I who want to smoke to make mirages
I light my cigarette on daylight's fire
I do not want to work I want to smoke

Translations by Richard Stokes, from A French Song Companion (Oxford, 2000)

Hôtel
French source: Guillaume Apollinaire

Hotel
English source: Richard Stokes

Ma chambre a la forme d’une cage
My room is shaped like a cage
Le soleil passe son bras par la fenêtre
The sun slips its arm through the window
Mais moi qui veux fumer pour faire des mirages
But I who want to smoke to make mirages
J’allume au feu du jour ma cigarette
I light my cigarette on daylight's fire
Je ne veux pas travailler je veux fumer
I do not want to work I want to smoke

Composer

Francis Poulenc

Francis Jean Marcel Poulenc (F7 January 1899 – 30 January 1963) was a French composer and pianist. His compositions include mélodies, solo piano works, chamber music, choral pieces, operas, ballets, and orchestral concert music. Read the full…

Poet

Guillaume Apollinaire

Guillaume Apollinaire  (26 August 1880 – 9 November 1918) was a French poet, playwright, short story writer, novelist, and art critic of Polish-Belarusian descent. Apollinaire is considered one of the foremost poets of the early 20th century, as…

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