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about

Being a fan of both Jacques Brel and Scott Walker, I was scared to even begin to approach the task of retranslating this 60s classic. However, I have always been slightly dissatisfied with many of the english translations of Brel's work, it was a labour of love to update and reinterpret the references and phrases. I hope I have managed to successfully translate many of Brel's original ideas, as well as placing his more satirical comments in a more modern context.

lyrics

And if, one day, I should become a wedding singer to the young
I'd sing for all the yummy mummies
I'd croon my heart out every night
In fake Las Vegas neon lights, like some 50's Argentinian

My name would be Antonio, a burning torch, the new Tom Jones
'Retro king of the modern age'
Young girls' wet knickers on the stage

I'd have to get drunk every night, viagra pills and fishnet tights
Plastic surgery delights, like decorated Christmas Trees

In the drunken haze of a dressing room,
Pink elephants would sing of doom
A childhood song would come to me
About the time they called me 'Jamie'

If I could be, for only an hour
If I could be, for an hour every day
If I could be, like Andy Warhol said
'The brainless babe of this media age'

And if i joined the social world
The London life, the Geldof girls
Then I could be the new Hugh Hefner

My records would be number one
10 million views on all my songs,
With cover versions on 'X Factor'

My name would then be Simon Cowell
Plucking stars out of my bowels
Import a whiskey entourage of phoney queers and real virgins

Then I would shut down all the banks
So i could buy out Goldman Sachs
And leave the ruling classes ranks WikiLeaking in their own pants

In some crack den in Chinatown
With Amy, Pete and Kurt Cobain
I'd sing the song that gave me fame
About the time they called me 'Jamie'

If I could be, for only an hour
If I could be, for an hour every day
If I could be, in Justin Bieber's place
As 'the brainless babe of this media age'

Then in the glorious afterlife, singing to angels through the night
I would reflect my past transgressions
As they would harmonise with me, I'd look down at my legacy
And teach the world a few more lessons

Then I would be the Holy Ghost
I would become omnipotent
Pronounce my holy manifesto with a beard like Fidel Castro

I would become the Three Wise Monkeys
Give salvation to the junkies
Break my heart to make things right
And know that every single night...

When I return to be redeemed
Angels and Devils sing to me
The childhood song of all those years
About the time they called me 'Jamie'

If I could be, for only an hour
If I could be, for an hour every day
If I could be, at a decent hourly rate
'The brainless babe of this internet age'

credits

from ADVENTURES IN AUSLAND, released November 20, 2014
Original French Version by Jacques Brel.
New English Translation by James Cook.

Written, Produced, Engineered, Recorded by James Cook @ DEEPSEE Studios Berlin/London
Vocals, Guitars, Bass, Programming: James Cook
Drums and drum edits: Tom Marsh
Violins: Anne Marie Kirby
Violin: Ed Bruggemeyer
Viola: Charlie Stock
Cello: Terezie Kovalova
Trumpets: Jake Stoddard
Sax: Tom Leaper

Brass Arrangement: James Cook
String Arrangement: Anne Marie Kirby

Drums recorded by Smity@Soundevice Prague.


Mixed by James Cook, Milan Adamik and Nicola Sannino
Mastered by Milan Adamik@ Masterworks, London

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James Cook London, UK

Mailing list: eepurl.com/BNee5

James Cook made 3 albums between 2004/8 w/London indie electro outfit NEMO. 2010's' The Dollhouse' project preceded 5 solo albums. 'Arts and Sciences' (2012). 'Adventures in Ausland' (2014) 'Anti Love Songs' (2016). 'tHE nEW nORMAL' (2020). Compilations JAMES NEMO (vol one), JAMES COOK (vol one) plus two covers albums lead to a 5th solo studio album proper in 2024 ... more

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