Translating Songs

[Rev. Rye]

A couple years ago, I decided to translate "The Book of Love" into German, which I barely speak.




Alex changed some of the words, and here's what I'm left with:

Das Liebesbuch ist sehr langweilig
Es is zu gross zu heben
Es is voller Fakten und Zahlen
Wie auch Tanzanweisungen

A...ber ich, Ich liebe wenn du mir vorliest
Und Du... kannst mir alles vorlesen

Das Liebesbuch enhaelt Musik,
Tatsaclich, Musik ward so geboren
Mansche Musik ist transzendentale
Mansche Musik ist sehr nuechtern

(Chorus, as before, except "vorliest" is replaced with "Vorsingst")

Das Liebesbuch ist sehr langweilig
und wurd' vor langer Zeit verfasst
Enthaelt Blumen, Herzen, und Sachen
Wir sind viel zu jung, zu wissen.

I changed some of the words and I'm kind of afraid I lost some of the poetry.

By contrast, a bit later, I decided to translate this song:




Some of you might recognise this as "My Way." It turns out that when Paul Anka translated it, he changed EVERYTHING about the lyrics. On a whim, I decided to try and (using a combination of my own writerly ear and Google Translate) gave it new, more faithful lyrics:


I wake
And brush your skin
You stay asleep
The same as always

And then,
I pull the sheets
You won’t get cold
The same as always

My hand
It strokes your hair
Reflexively
The same as always

And then
You turn away
The same as always

So, I
Put on some clothes
I start the day
The same as always

Alone
I drink a cup
I think I’m late
The same as always

Doors close,
I’ve left the house
The world is grey
The same as always

It’s cold
I zip my coat
The same as always

The same as always
It’s every day
I’ll play the game
I’ll make believe
The same as always
I’ll make a smile
The same as always
I’ll even laugh
The same as always
And I’ll go on
The same as always

And then,
The day will end
I’ll come back home
The same as always

And you
You won’t be there
You’ll be there soon
The same as always

Alone
I’ll lie alone
In this big bed
The same as always

My tears
They’ll stay discreet
The same as always

It’s the same as always,
Even each night
I’ll play the game
I’ll make believe
The same as always
You’ll be back soon
The same as always
I’ll wait for you
The same as always
You’ll smile at me
The same as always

The same as always
You’ll drop your clothes
The same as always
You’ll get in bed
Yes, the same as always
We’ll start to kiss
The same as always
The same as always
We’ll make believe
The same as always
We’ll make our love
Yes, the same as always
We’ll make believe
The same as always.