Born on the 24th August 1916 in Monaco, Ferré mixed lyricism with slang; love with anarchy. He took a central place in the world of French song. He was involved in anarchism, and worked with Radio Libertaire, an anarchist free-radio broadcasting in Paris and around France. He died on the 14th July 1993.
Le Léthé
Léo Ferré Lyrics
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Tigre adoré, monstre aux airs indolents ;
Je veux longtemps plonger mes doigts tremblants
Dans l'épaisseur de ta crinière lourde ;
Dans tes jupons remplis de ton parfum
Ensevelir ma tête endolorie,
Et respirer, comme une fleur flétrie,
Je veux dormir ! dormir plutôt que vivre !
Dans un sommeil aussi doux que la mort,
J'étalerai mes baisers sans remord
Sur ton beau corps poli comme le cuivre.
Pour engloutir mes sanglots apaisés
Rien ne me vaut l'abîme de ta couche ;
L'oubli puissant habite sur ta bouche,
Et le Léthé coule dans tes baisers.
A mon destin, désormais mon délice,
J'obéirai comme un prédestiné ;
Martyr docile, innocent condamné,
Dont la ferveur attise le supplice,
Je sucerai, pour noyer ma rancoeur,
Le népenthès et la bonne ciguë
Aux bouts charmants de cette gorge aiguë
Qui n'a jamais emprisonné de coeur.
The lyrics to Léo Ferré's song Le Léthé are an ode to a cruel and indifferent lover. The singer, who seems to be deeply hurt by this mysterious figure, expresses his desire to be consumed by them completely. He refers to them as a beloved tiger with languid airs and has a clear fascination with their powerful presence. He speaks of running his trembling fingers through their thick mane and burying his head in the perfume-filled folds of their dress. He wants to breathe in the sweet scent of his lost love and sleep forever in their arms, kissing their body without regrets. The singer sees his destiny as a martyr and will obey the whims of his cruel lover, drinking deeply from the cup of forgetfulness to soothe his pain.
The song's title "Le Léthé" refers to the river of forgetfulness in Greek mythology. In the underworld, the dead would drink from its waters to forget their past lives. This symbolizes the singer's desire to forget his pain and drown his sorrows in pleasure with his cruel lover. The lines about the népenthès and the good hemlock are also references to ancient Greece, as these plants were believed to have soothing and calming effects on the human spirit.
Overall, the lyrics to Le Léthé are a hauntingly beautiful expression of desire, pain, and the human longing for oblivion.
Line by Line Meaning
Viens sur mon coeur, âme cruelle et sourde,
Come onto my heart, cruel and deaf soul,
Tigre adoré, monstre aux airs indolents ;
Adored tiger, monster with lazy demeanour;
Je veux longtemps plonger mes doigts tremblants
I want to submerge my trembling fingers for long
Dans l'épaisseur de ta crinière lourde ;
Into the thickness of your heavy mane;
Dans tes jupons remplis de ton parfum
In your skirts filled with your fragrance
Ensevelir ma tête endolorie,
Bury my aching head,
Et respirer, comme une fleur flétrie,
And breathe like a withered flower,
Le doux relent de mon amour défunt.
The sweet smell of my long-dead love.
Je veux dormir ! dormir plutôt que vivre !
I want to sleep! Sleep rather than live!
Dans un sommeil aussi doux que la mort,
In a sleep as sweet as death,
J'étalerai mes baisers sans remord
I will lavish kisses without remorse
Sur ton beau corps poli comme le cuivre.
On your beautiful body as polished as copper.
Pour engloutir mes sanglots apaisés
To engulf my calm tears
Rien ne me vaut l'abîme de ta couche ;
Nothing is as valuable as the abyss of your bed;
L'oubli puissant habite sur ta bouche,
Powerful oblivion lives on your lips,
Et le Léthé coule dans tes baisers.
And Lethe flows in your kisses.
A mon destin, désormais mon délice,
To my destiny, now my delight,
J'obéirai comme un prédestiné ;
I shall obey like the predestined;
Martyr docile, innocent condamné,
Docile martyr, condemned innocent,
Dont la ferveur attise le supplice,
Whose fervour fuels the torment,
Je sucerai, pour noyer ma rancoeur,
I will suck, to drown my bitterness,
Le népenthès et la bonne ciguë
Nepenthe and the good cicuta,
Aux bouts charmants de cette gorge aiguë
At the charming tips of this sharp throat
Qui n'a jamais emprisonné de coeur.
That has never imprisoned a heart.
Contributed by Gianna V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
JoDiGi
poème de Charles Baudelaire