Love Songs

WATCH MOHSEN MAKHMALBAF'S GABBEH APRIL 15TH, 3PM ON ZEE STUDIO

2007-04-13T04:44:00.000-07:00

Have you heard a canary sing near the spring.
A land of beauty and simplicity,
where love is woven in the fabric of Gabbeh.

2007-01-15T03:46:00.000-08:00

Fingerprints

I touched you once too often
Now I don't know who I am
My fingerprints were missing
When I wiped away the jam

Yes I called my fingerprints all night
But they don't seem to care
The last time that I saw them
They were leafing through your hair

Fingerprints, fingerprints
Where are you now my fingerprints?

Yeah I thought I'd leave this morning
So I emptied out your drawer
A hundred thousand fingerprints
They floated to the floor

You know you hardly stopped to pick them up
You don't care what you lose
Ah you don't even seem to know
Whose fingerprints are whose

Fingerprints, fingerprints
Where are you now my fingerprints?

And now you want to marry me
You want to take me down the aisle
You want to throw confetti fingerprints
You know that's not my style

O sure I'd like to marry you
But I can't face the dawn
With any girl who knew me
When my fingerprints were on

Fingerprints, fingerprints
Where are you now my fingerprints?

Paper Thin Hotel

The walls of this hotel are paper-thin
Last night I heard you making love to him
The struggle mouth to mouth and limb to limb
The grunt of unity when he came in

I stood there with my ear against the wall
I was not seized by jealousy at all
In fact a burden lifted from my soul
I heard that love was out of my control
A heavy burden lifted from my soul
I heard that love was out of my control

I listened to your kisses at the door
I never heard the world so clear before
You ran your bath and you began to sing
I felt so good I couldn't feel a thing

I stood there with my ear against the wall
I was not seized by jealousy at all
In fact a burden lifted from my soul
I heard that love was out of my control
A heavy burden lifted from my soul
I heard that love was out of my control

And I can't wait to tell you to your face
And I can't wait for you to take my place
You are The Naked Angel In My Heart
You are The Woman With Her Legs Apart
It's written on the walls of this hotel
You go to heaven once you've been to hell

A heavy burden lifted from my soul
I heard that love was out of my control.

2007-01-02T02:55:00.000-08:00

Movie Name: Khamoshi (1969)

Singer: Hemant Kumar
Music Director: Hemant Kumar
Lyrics: Gulzar
Year: 1969
Producer: Geetanjali Pictures
Director: Asit Sen
Actors: Deven Verma, Nazir Hussain, Rajesh khanna, Snehlata, Waheeda Rehman
Theme: Social

Tum Pukaar Lo, Tumhaaraa Intazaar Hai,
Tum Pukaar Lo
Khwaab Chun Rahii Hai Raat, Beqaraar Hai
Tumhaaraa Intazaar Hai, Tum Pukaar Lo

Hoonth Pe Liye Hue Dil Kii Baat Hum
Jaaga-te Rahe.Nge Aur Kitanii Raat Hum
Muqtasar Sii Baat Hai Tum Se Pyaar Hai
Tumhaaraa Intazaar Hai, Tum Pukaar Lo

Dil Bahal To Jaayegaa Is Kayaal Se
Haal Mil Gayaa Tumhaaraa Apane Haal Se
Raat Ye Qaraar Kii Beqaraar Hai
Tumhaaraa Intazaar Hai, Tum Pukaar Lo

( Listen to it here)

( Intazaar: Wait, Kwaaab: Dream, Hoonth: Lips, Beqarar: Restless, Pukaar lo: Call Out, Bahal :distract, Khayal : Thought , muqtasar : short , precise)

2006-12-28T10:55:00.000-08:00

It's not a very well-known fact that this song, released by Claude FRANCOIS as a single in 1967, provided Paul Anka with the tune for 'My Way' to be made famous soon after by Sinatra. Since then, we've had a version of it in Spanish - 'A mi manera' - most notably by the Gypsy Kings. The later versions are not bad at all (and I guess that goes without saying), but I prefer this version. Moreover, and significantly for this blog, the later versions wouldn't qualify as love songs.

For a history of how the song's been covered, go here.

For parallel translations and a comparison of the 3 lyrics go here.

COMME D'HABITUDE
paroles: Gilles Thibault, Claude François
musique: Jacques Revaux, Claude François

Je m' lève et je te bouscule
Tu ne te réveilles pas comme d'habitude
Sur toi je remonte le drap
J'ai peur que tu aies froid comme d'habitude
Ma main caresse tes cheveux
Presque malgré moi comme d'habitude
Mais toi tu me tournes le dos
Comme d'habitude

Alors je m'habille très vite
Je sors de la chambre comme d'habitude
Tout seul je bois mon café
Je suis en retard comme d'habitude
Sans bruit je quitte la maison
Tout est gris dehors comme d'habitude
J'ai froid, je relève mon col
Comme d'habitude

Comme d'habitude, toute la journée
Je vais jouer à faire semblant
Comme d'habitude je vais sourire
Comme d'habitude je vais même rire
Comme d'habitude, enfin je vais vivre...
Comme d'habitude

Et puis le jour s'en ira
Moi je reviendrai comme d'habitude
Toi, tu seras sortie
Pas encore rentrée comme d'habitude
Tout seul j'irai me coucher
Dans ce grand lit froid comme d'habitude
Mes larmes, je les cacherai
Comme d'habitude

Comme d'habitude, même la nuit
Je vais jouer à faire semblant
Comme d'habitude tu rentreras
Comme d'habitude je t'attendrai
Comme d'habitude tu me souriras...
Comme d'habitude

Comme d'habitude tu te déshabilleras
Comme d'habitude tu te coucheras
Comme d'habitude on s'embrassera
Comme d'habitude

Comme d'habitude on fera semblant
Comme d'habitude on fera l'amour
Comme d'habitude on fera semblant

- from Comme d'habitude (1968).

Les Champs-Elysées

2006-12-28T10:52:00.000-08:00

Je m'baladais sur l'avenue le coeur ouvert à l'inconnu
J'avais envie de dire bonjour à n'importe qui
N'importe qui et ce fut toi, je t'ai dit n'importe quoi
Il suffisait de te parler, pour t'apprivoiser

Aux Champs-Elysées, aux Champs-Elysées
Au soleil, sous la pluie, à midi ou à minuit
Il y a tout ce que vous voulez aux Champs-Elysées

Tu m'as dit "J'ai rendez-vous dans un sous-sol avec des fous
Qui vivent la guitare à la main, du soir au matin"
Alors je t'ai accompagnée, on a chanté, on a dansé
Et l'on n'a même pas pensé à s'embrasser

Aux Champs-Elysées, aux Champs-Elysées
Au soleil, sous la pluie, à midi ou à minuit
Il y a tout ce que vous voulez aux Champs-Elysées

Hier soir deux inconnus et ce matin sur l'avenue
Deux amoureux tout étourdis par la longue nuit
Et de l'Étoile à la Concorde, un orchestre à mille cordes
Tous les oiseaux du point du jour chantent l'amour

Aux Champs-Elysées, aux Champs-Elysées
Au soleil, sous la pluie, à midi ou à minuit
Il y a tout ce que vous voulez aux Champs-Elysées

- Joe Dassin, Les Champs-Elysées

Tum naa Aaye

2006-12-27T01:20:00.000-08:00

Tum naa Aaye
toh har cheez
vahi thi ki jo hai
aasma hadde nazar
raah guzar , raah guzar
sheeshe maye
sheeshe maye
aur ab sheeshe maye , raah guzar
range falak
rang hai dil ka mere khoone jigar hone tak
champai rang kabhi raahte deedar ka rang,
surmai rang hai saahte bezaar ka rang
zard patton ka khaso khaar ka rang
surkh phoolon ka
dehekte hue gulzar ka rang
zeher ka rang lahoo rang
shabe taar ka rang
aasma raah guzar, sheeshe maye sheeshe maye
koi bheega hua daaman
koi dukhti hui rag
koi har lahaza badalta hau aaena hai
ab jo aae ho toh thaharo ki
koi rang , koi rutt, koi shae
ek jagha par thehere
phir se ek baar har chees vahi ho ki jo hai
aasma hadde nazr, raah guzar raah guzar
sheeshe maye , sheeshe maye
- Fiaz Ahmed Faiz
( you can hear it here)
( Photograph : Me)

2006-12-27T00:23:00.000-08:00

Hush a wild violet, hush a band of gold
Hush you're in a story I heard somebody told

Tear the promise from my heart, tear my heart today
You have found another, oh baby I must go away

So hang down your head for sorrow, hang down your head for me
Hang down your head tomorrow, hang down your head Marie

Hush my love the rain now, hush my love was so true
Hush my love a train now well it takes me away from you

So hang down your head for sorrow, hang down your head for me
Hang down your head, hang down your head, hang down your head Marie

So hang down your head for sorrow, hang down your head for me
Hang down your head, hang down your head, hang down your head Marie

- Tom Waits, from Rain Dogs.

2006-12-26T06:58:00.000-08:00

Tonight my bag is packed
Tomorrow I'll walk these tracks
That will lead me across the border

Tomorrow my love and I
Will sleep 'neath auburn skies
Somewhere across the border

We'll leave behind my dear
The pain and sadness we found here
And we'll drink from the Bravo's muddy waters
Where the sky grows grey and white
We'll meet on the other side
There across the border

For you I'll build a house
High up on a grassy hill
Somewhere across the border

Where pain and memory
Pain and memory have been stilled
There across the border

And sweet blossoms fills the air
Pastures of gold and green
Roll down into cool clear waters
And in your arms 'neath the open skies
I'll kiss the sorrow from your eyes
There across the border

Tonight we'll sing the songs
I'll dream of you my corazon
And tomorrow my heart will be strong
And may the saints' blessing and grace
Carry me safely into your arms
There across the border

For what are we
Without hope in our hearts
That someday we'll drink from God's blessed waters
And eat the fruit from the vine
I know love and fortune will be mine
Somewhere across the border

- Bruce Springsteen, from The Ghost of Tom Joad.