Ma Belle

I was listening to this Beatles song and it’s strange how I’ve all but forgotten that I was baptised Michelle. My aunt/godmother chose it because she was a Beatles fan and because the priest who baptised me (Father Martin) was French.

When I was little, family members would randomly sing this song to me. Listening to ‘Michelle’ again really takes me back.

I haven’t been called Michelle for years. I don’t miss it. I’ve never really liked the name, but I do love this song despite its extreme cheesiness and silly lyrics.

Michelle

Michelle, ma belle
These are words that go together well
My Michelle

Michelle, ma belle
Sont des mots qui vont tres bien ensemble
Tres bien ensemble

I love you, I love you, I love you
That’s all I want to say
Until I find a way
I will say the only words I know that
You’ll understand

Michelle, ma belle
Sont des mots qui vont tres bien ensemble
Tres bien ensemble

I need to, I need to, I need to
I need to make you see
Oh, what you mean to me
Until I do I’m hoping you will
Know what I mean

I love you

I want you, I want you, I want you
I think you know by now
I’ll get to you somehow
Until I do I’m telling you so
You’ll understand

Michelle, ma belle
Sont des mots qui vont tres bien ensemble
Tres bien ensemble

I will say the only words I know
That you’ll understand, my Michelle

Songwriters: LENNON JOHN WINSTON / MCCARTNEY PAUL JAMES

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The Summer is in Full Bloom

I’ve just watched this anime called Hotarubi no Mori e (Into the Forest of Fireflies) based on a manga by Yuki Midorikawa.

It is so perfect and beautiful, but I am heartbroken.

This is the song that plays at the end of the film. I’ve included two sets of lyrics, the first is a poetic, freeform translation, used in the subtitles (in the film and also in the YouTube video embedded below); the second is a more literal translation. I think they each have strengths and weaknesses. And I’m sure there are Japanese idioms, metaphors etc that are lost in translation.

 

I Was Watching Summer

~ Written by Makoto Yoshimori

~ Sung by Shizuru Otaka

The cicadas laugh out in song
To the red evening sunset
The way back home is Long
But I promise to come here again tomorrow.
The summer is in full bloom.
Making you look more beautiful than ever.

I thought the tale would never end
But I realise now that something comes after
The crows too took flight
And went somewhere far, far away
The summer flies by
To hide away it’s treasures til next year.

I’ll never ever forget
Those golden summer days
That summer which brought joy
To my boring everyday life.
And look! Summer is here again
To help me keep my promise of that day.
The summer is still in bloom
Making you look more beautiful than ever.

More literal translation:

The laughter of the cicada’s song
The crimson color of sunset
The detour on the way back home
The promise to ‘See you tomorrow’.
I’m only in full bloom in the summer
To brighten up your life.

In this story without end
Before I realised it
The crows all disappeared
And flew off somewhere.
I only run by you in the summer
To keep your treasure.

I am forever nostalgic
For those golden days,
That casual daily life
Which lit up the corners.
Summer is yet to come
So keep your promise.
I’m only in full bloom in the summer
To brighten up your life.

(This translation is from Moonlight Summoner’s Anime Lyrics blog.)

Angel[s] of My Lifetime

While we’re on the subject of boy bands, I can’t believe this was released in 1992. I can’t believe I was twenty-five. I can’t believe I was ever twenty-five.

But Take That was not, to me, what BTS is to my daughter. I am only a ‘greatest hits’ fan of their’s. My BTS was probably Duran Duran or Culture Club (although neither could be described as a boy band), but there wasn’t a Yoonmin equivalent. I can’t imagine shipping any of the members of either band. But I imagine that if Duran Duran were a band today, John Taylor and Nick Rhodes might get shipped — Jick? Or Simon and Nick — Sick? Brilliant, definitely Sick! Or maybe a Taylor three-way — Jorandy!

Favourite BTS Songs

Five years ago, in response to one of my Facebook posts, a friend remarked that I was living in a Korean drama. At that point, I hadn’t watched any of these Korean series, and never imagined that I’d become low-key hooked on them. Or that I’d have a BTS playlist and it’d be on repeat all the time!

Anyway, that’s what this post is about, my favourite BTS songs. Do NOT read if you’re not a fan!

#AtoZChallenge: R

R is for RM.

Not Malaysia’s currency, but a member of the Korean pop group BTS.

Noooo, I am not a fan, but my daughter is, and so, I’ve had a earworm of their latest single Boy With Luv for the last few days.

Well, my Ma used to listen to my favourite bands with me and I’m paying it forward, I guess. I’m trying to memorise the names of all the members of the group. My daughter said: ‘There are only seven names to remember: You’re lucky there aren’t twenty of them!’ Indeed!

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