No Coming Back
Tu m’as dit, Cherie, quand t’es partit aujourd’hui tu voudrais pas, mais,
retourner de joindre ton negre un autre fois avant mourir.
J’ai demande’, bebe’, a toi comment ca se fait. Tu m’as dit t’etais lasse
de les promesses et les accroires j’ai pas garde’.
Mais, pour toi, catin, t’avais pas de la peine. T’etais pas amuse’ de tous
les choses que moi, j’t’ai mis, t’as decide’.
Et asteur, pour moi, moi, j’connais pour toi, t’vas pas rejoindre, t’as pas
besoin, et il y’as pas rien moi j’peux faire, ouais, t’avoir.
You told me, Cherie, when you left today you wouldn’t want to come back
and meet your old fellow one more time before I die.
I asked you why, bebe. You told me you were tired of the promises and the
beliefs I didn’t keep.
But, for you, dear, you had no use. You weren’t amused by all the things
that I put you through, you decided.
and now, for me, I know that you won’t come meet me, you have no need,
and there’s nothing I can do, yes, to have you.
Hack a Moreau
C’est le Hack a Moreau qu’a capote’, chere, capote’ les quatre roués l’air dedans le fosse’.
La chere petite blonde, elle s’a fait prend dessus le hack, chere. Ella a perdu son
garde-soleil, la chere petite fille.
C’est nonc Pierre qu’a emprente’ le qu’a Moreau, chere. Il a perdu, ouais, en route a la messe.
La chere petite blonde, elle s’a fait prend dessus le hack, chere. Elle s’a plante’ un
echarde dedans la fesse.
It’s Moreau’s Hack that flipped over, dear, flipped over with four wheels in the air in the ditch.
The dear little blonde girl, she was taken from the hack, dear. She lost her bonnet, the dear
little girl.
It’s uncle Pierre that borrowed it from Moreau, dear. He lost it, yes, on his way to mass.
The dear little blonde girl, she was taken from the hack, dear. She got a splinter in her rear end.
Don't Bury Me
Petite fille, quand j'vas moorir, enterre-moi pas dans le cemetaire.
Enterre-moi pas dans le coin la cour, le coin la cour de ton papa!
Petite fille, comment j'vas faire les miseres que tu m'as fait?
Petite fille, pour t'en aller, t'en aller avec un autre?
Little Girl, when I will die, don't bury me in the cemetary.
Don't bury me in the corner of the yard, in the corner of your dad's yard.
Little Girl, what will I do from the misery you caused me?
Little Girl, with you leaving, you leaving with another one.
Turn Me Loose
Aujourd’hui c’est fin du semaine. Aujourd’hui c’est vendredi.
J’sus partis de s’amuser et de joindre tous mes amis.
Pardonnez-moi, chere Bon Dieu, pour tous je fais mais aujourd’hui
mais lache-allez!
Lache-allez! Lache-allez, moi je dis! Le temps est arrive’ et tous l’ouvrage
est tous finit. J’vas t’voir quand j’vas t’voir. J’souhaitte t’es la pour s’amuser
et lache-allez!
Moi, j’connais, mais, dans le matin quand c’est l’heure de reveiller peut-etre
je vas pas etre capable, peut-etre je vas tous, mais, regretter. Asteur, c’est loin
d’ici. Je vas pas, mais, tracasser et lache-allez!
Today is the end of the week. Today is Friday. I’m gone to have fun and to meet
all my friends. Forgive me, dear Lord, for all I do today, but turn me loose!
Turn me loose! Turn me loose, I say! The time is here and all the work is done.
I’ll see you when I see you. I hope you’re there to have fun and turn me loose!
I know that in the morning when it’s time to wake up maybe I won’t be able to,
maybe I’ll regret it all. Now, that’s far from here. I won’t worry about it and
turn me loose.
Bon Soir
Tous les soir, je prie au Bon Dieu que demain ca sera si mieux. Si c’est pas, ca
sera tous bien, moi j’connais. Moi, je prie pour ma famille, pour ma femme et
mes petites. Moi, j’connais je vas les voir quand je vas rever.
Bon soir, Cherie. Bon soir, petites. Moi, je prie au Bon Dieu, Il vous benit et
vous tiens dedans Ses mains. Je vas vous voir dans le matin. Bon soir, je vas
vous voir dedans mes reves.
Tous que choses que je fait, c’est pour eux sur mon idee. Ouais, c’est fait pour
les enfants et leur mere. C’est pour ca, tous les soir, je remerci le Bon Dieu pour
les avoir. C’est pour ca, moi, je prie cette petite priere.
Every night, I pray to the Good Lord that tomorrow will be better. If it’s not, it’ll
be all right, I know. I pray for my family, for my wife and my little ones. I know
I will see them when I dream.
Good night, dear. Good night, little ones. I pray the Good Lord, He bless you and
hold you in His hands. I’ll see you in the morning. Good night, I’ll see you in my
dreams.
Everything I do, it’s with them on my mind. Yes, it’s done for the children and their
mother. That is why, every night, I thank the Good Lord that I have them. That is why
I pray this little prayer.
Mother’s Day Waltz
Moi, je sus ici a la maison après jongler. Il y a un semaine aujourd’hui depuis t’as quitte’.
Moi, je vois pas, ouais, dans monde quoi moi, je vas faire. Gardez-donc, c’est la journee’
de ma maman.
Ma maman et mon papa a plus d'argent. Moi, j'sus ici, ouais, tous soir dans la prison.
Moi, je vois pas, ouais, dans le monde quoi moi, j'vas faire. Gardez-donc, c'est la journee'
de ma maman.
I'm here at the house thinking. It's been a week today that you left.
I don't see, yes, what in the world I will do. Look, it's mother's day.
My mom and my dad have no more money. I'm here, now, each night in prison.
I don't see, yes, what in the world I will do. Look, it's mother's day.
Pas Tracas
Quand la vie deviens tous embeter
ou ca semble trop dur pour endurer.
Rapelle bien toi la parole je vas te dire
Tu vas trouver a rien tu peux accomplir.
“Pas tracas,” c’est ca, que je dis.
Pas juste les mots; un maniere de la vie.
Tous les place la vie te prend
“Pas tracas” – fait sur a dire a tous le monde.
“Pas tracas,” c’est ca que je dis.
Le premier Francais que moi, j’ai appris.
Toute ma famille, ils m’ont montre’
Tous que je joinde, moi, je vas expiquer.
“Pas tracas” c’est ca me dit.
Je vas tous le temps dire ca tous ma vie.
Tous les place tu vas me trouver
“Pas tracas” sera la sur mon idee.
When life becomes too bothersome
or it seems too hard to go on,
remember well the phrase I’ll tell you.
You’ll find you can accomplish anything.
“No Problem” that’s what I say.
Not just words, but a way of life.
All the places life takes you
“No Problem” – make sure to tell everyone.
“No Problem” that’s what I say.
The first French saying that I learned.
All of my family taught it to me.
All that I meet, I’ll explain it to them.
“No Problem”, that’s what I say.
I’ll always say that all my life.
Every place you will find me.
“No Problem”, will be on my mind.
Big City Waltz
Tous le samedi soirs, on va au village
pour avoir un bon temps et passer la nuit ensemble
pour voir les belle lumieres, pour voir tous le monde,
pour voir les belle maisons dans les beau voisinage.
Il y'a tous tu veux faire. N'importe chose tu peux jongler.
Il y'a tous tu veux manger, pour manger la bonne supper.
Attends la bonne musique? Ouais, c'est la pour ecouter
ou unne bonne tasse d'cafe, mais, pour boire et rechauffir.
Every Saturday night, we go to the city
to have a good time and spend the night together to
see the pretty lights, to see everyone, to see the pretty
houses in the beautiful neighborhoods.
There's everything you want to do. Whatever you can think of.
There's everything you want to eat, to have a nice supper.
Hear good music? Yes, it's there to listen to or a good cup of
coffee to drink and warm yourself up with.
Simon Story
Moi je me rappelle bien le temps quand j’etais petite et je passerai le temps dans l’ete avec la famille. D’apres moi, j’avais sept ou huit ans. Dans ma famille Simon, il y’avais mon grandpere, ma grandmere, et mes deux vielle tantes – les deux soeurs a mon grandpere.
A cause que la maison etais pas trop loin chez mon grandpere, mom et dad nous amenait pour les visiter - mon grandpere, Loland Simon, et ma grandmere, Verna Mae, nee’ Trahan. Mon grandpere etais la plus jeune enfant de defin Numa Simon, de Maurice. Mon grandpere a reste’ a cote de sa soeur, Ostone Simon. On l’applait “Big Nannie”. Elle avait pas enfants, elle-meme mais on etais tous ses enfants. On arrivirai le matin et j’pourrais voir Nannie dans sa bucese après rock. Elle etais après assir avec sa foutte mouche. Elle disait, “Aaaaaaright!!” et “Wack!” Plus de mouches! Elle a jamais manquer! Elle faisait ca a nous-autre aussi quand on a pas bien ecouter. Autrefois, c’etais un chiffon ou un cuillier bois. Elle a eu ca tous le temps dans sa main. Dans l’ete notre cousins etais la, ca fait, on pourrais jouer ensemble. Je me rappelle bien mon grandpere a marche du sa maison le matin avec ma grandmere pour boire du cafe chez Nannie. Il aurait tous le temps avec lui son sac du gazette. Quand il a finit lire la gazette, il a soufflé le sac plein (sound) et puis, “POP!” Il a elcate’ le sac. Des fois, il nous a laisse’ ca faire. Oh ca c’etais drole, j’me rappelle!
Juste avant diner, on s’a tous mis en avant le TV pour geutter les game show. Family Feud et le Price is Right. Nannie a jamais manque’ Bob Barker! “All right,” mon dit “C’est onze heure. Allons manger!” Desfois Mon a cuit et desfois Nannie a cuit. Ils ont tous le temps cuit notre plus favorite manger, ca semble – les macaroni. On s’etais tous mis alentour la grosse table. Ca manderai, “c’est bon?” On disrait, “ouais c’est bon!” Pas betise non plus! Après diner, nous tites enfants faulait de faire dodo. Nannie serais dans sa bersuece avec sa foutte mouche, mais ce fois ici, c’etais pour nous-autre si on a “cut up”. Nannie a dormit aussi mais avec un oeuil overt pour nous geutter. Oooh elle etais canaille! Alentour de deux-heure dans lapres midi, on a monte’ de notre nap et sortis dehors dans la cour d’magasin, qu’ameme ca faisait chaud, pour jouer. Il faulait! C’etais la quand Nannie a propte’ la maison et on pourrais pas etre dans son chemin. Le fin de jour quand on etais tous larg et c’etais l’heure de retourner, mom ou dad serais la pour nous ramasser.
Quand j’m’ai viellit, la famille m’a aide’ de apprendre le francais. Il m’ont tous aider a parler francais mais, c’etais principalment ma veille tante – Alice Simon. Elle etais nee’ en dix-neuf cent seize. Elle etais la huitieme enfant a defin Numa Simon.
La defois, elle disait, “Boys, prend un break et laisse la machine refraichir. Allon dedans pour un bon drink. Elle a eu tous le temps un gros jog de lemonade. Oooh, ca c’etais bon dans les jours chaud dans lete. Elle disait, “Verce pas, parce que ca cole!” Moi, j’ai dit “Aaaaright!! J’vas pas vercer! Pas tracas” Oh, ca c’est la premier parole j’ai appris en francais! Hot dog! Je me rappelled ca bien! Tu vois, je voulais tous le temps a parler en francais pour les comprendre. Ca parlais en francais quand ca voulais pas connaitre quoi c’etais après dire! Aujourdhui, je sera tous le temps remerciant pour eux.
(Translation)
I remember well the time when I was small and I would spend the summer time with my family. I believe I was about seven or eight years old. In my Simon family, there was my grandfather, my grandmother, and my two old aunts – my grandfather’s two sisters.
Because home wasn’t too far from my grandfather’s, mom and dad would bring us to visit them – my grandfather, Loland Simon, and my grandmother, Verna Mae, born Trahan. My grandfather was the youngest child of the late Numa Simon, from Maurice. My grandfather lived next to his sister, Ostone Simon. We called her “Big Nannie”. She didn’t have any children, herself, but we were all her children. We would get there in the mornings and I could see Nannie in her rocking chair rocking. She was sitting with her fly swatter. She would say, “Aaaaaaright!” et “Wack!” No more flies! She never missed! She did that to us too when we didn’t listen. Other times, it was a rag or a wooden spoon. She always had that in her hand. In the summer our cousins were there, so, we could play together. I remember my grandpa would walk from his house in the mornings with my grandma to drink coffee at Nannie’s. He would always have with him his newspaper sack. When he finished reading the newspaper, he blew the sack full (of air) and then, “POP!” He would pop the sac! Sometimes, he let us do it. Oh, that was fun, I remember!
Just before dinner, we got together in front of the TV to watch the game shows. Family Fued and the Price is Right. Nannie never missed Bob Barker! “All right” Mon would say. “It’s 11 o’clock. Let’s eat! Sometimes Mon cooked and sometimes Nannie cooked. They always cooked our favorite food it seems –spaghetti. We all sat around the big table. They would ask, “is it good?” We would say, “Oh, yes it’s good! No kidding either!” After dinner, us children would have to take a nap. Nannie would be in her rocking chair with her fly swatter, but this time, it was for us if we “cut up”. Nannie slept with one eye opened to watch us. Oooh, she was mischevious! Around 2 o’clock in the afternoon after we got up from our nap, we went outside to play in the barnyard. We had to! That was when Nannie cleaned her house and we couldn’t be in her way. At the end of the day when we were all tired, mom and dad would be there to pick us.
When I grew up, the family helped me to learn French. They all help me to speak French but it was mainly my old aunt – Alice Simon. She was born in 1916. She was the eighth child of the late Numa Simon.
My brother and I would go to her house to mow the yard sometimes. More often, it was a Saturday, but sometimes it was a day after school. The school bus didn’t pass at our house, so, Aunt Alice picked us up in her little Ford Temp at “New Generations” in Lafayette and we would go back to her house. When I was on the mowing machine, my brother was weed eating but when he was on the machine, me and Aunt Alice would sit in our lawn chairs in the yard. I would say, “Aunt Alice, how do you say ‘raccoon’ in French?” She said, “Awww, but that’s easy! You call that ‘un chaouis’!” So, I would write that down on my paper. I filled up a whole book full of papers that with words in French that she translated.
Now, sometimes, she would say, “Boys, take a break and let the machine cool down. Come inside for a cool drink.” She always had a big jug of lemonade. Oooh, that was good on the long hot summer days! She would say, “Don’t spill because that sticks!” I said, “All righhht!! I won’t spill! No problem!” Oh, that was the first phrase I learned in French! I remember that well. You see, I always wanted to learn to speak French to understand them. They spoke in French when they didn’t want us to know what they were saying. Today, I will always be thankful for them.
