Jingtian's Blog

French chanson is really great, true. I like so much Joe Dassin's Salut, L'ete indien, Et si tu n'existais pas (I sang the last one, by the way).

 

Now I found the full version of Подмосковные вечера in English:

 

Not a rustling leaf, not a bird in flight

In the sleepy grove until dawn

How I love these nights, Moscow suburb nights

The caress of the waking sun

 

The calm rilling stream seems to ebb and flow

Like a silver web of moonlight

In my heart I hear singing come and go

On this wonderful summer night

 

Why this downcast look? Does the rising day

Bring us near the hour when we part?

It's as hard to keep as to give away

All that presses upon the heart

 

Dawn is nigh, and pale grow that amber lights

Let me hope, my dear, that you too

will remember these Moscow suburbs nights

And our love that has been so true

Thank you very much, NickGolovko. I have found this version, too, with some other versions. For example:

 

Moscow Nights (Podmoskovnye vechera)

 

Music by V. Solviyev-Sedoy. Lyrics by Mikhail Matusovsky

 

 

English translation by Alexander Boltenko ©2005

 

Orchards sleep tonight, silence reigns afar

Nature lingers on till the dawn

How I wish you knew that I loved the time

When we strolled into Moscow night

 

Sleepy river shines flowing quietly

In the silver light of the moon

Evenings quiet as this bring the melodies

And the songs that are from the heart

 

Darling look at me, let me see your eyes

Let me see your face when I say

It is hard for me to speak out my heart

Even harder that not to speak

 

And the dawn is near light’ning up the skies

I will promise you and I know

We will always keep in our hearts the time

When we strolled into Moscow night

 

I cannot sing any French chanson at the moment, but I will learn to sing a few of them.