Rêver

This is one of the options in the poll on the sidebar (as in the songs for next Sunday’s concert) – Mylène Farmer’s “Rêver”, meaning “to dream”. The message of peace is so strong, it’s become so popular, it’s even replaced the French national anthem in terms of popularity and strength (or at least, that’s what I hear from some people, I’m not sure). Even I was taken up by the words and the music that I practically cried when I first heard this song. However, if I do pick this for Sunday, I’ll be at a risk : will people see through the lyrics and find a message of peace, or will people just stand at the surface and dismiss “Rêver” just because it’s a French chant ?

The video above is Mylène Farmer’s performance of “Rêver” in her 2000 concert, Mylenium Tour.

Mylène sings :

D’avoir mis son âme dans tes mains
Tu l’as froissé comme un chagrin
Et d’avoir condamné nos différences
Nous ne marcherons plus ensemble
Sa vie ne bat plus que d’une aile
Dansent les flammes, les bras se lèvent
Là ou il va il fait un froid mortel
Si l’homme ne change de ciel
Pourtant, j’ai rêvé---

REFRAIN :
J’ai rêvé qu’on pouvait s’aimer
Au souffle du vent
S’élevait l’âme, l’humanité
Son manteau de sang
J’irai cracher sur vos tombeaux
N’est pas le vrai, n’est pas le beau
J’ai rêvé qu’on pouvait s’aimer…

À quoi bon abattre des murs
Pour y dresser des sépultures ?
À force d’ignorer la tolérance
Nous ne marcherons plus ensemble
Les anges sont las de nous veiller
Nous laissent comme un monde avorté
Suspendu pour l’éternité
Le monde comme une pendule qui s’est arrêtée
(au refrain)

J’ai rêvé qu’on pouvait s’aimer…
J’avais rêvé du mot « aimer »…

And here’s a rough, somewhat literal translation of the lyrics :

She placed her soul into your hands # You crumpled it like sorrow # And for condemning your differences # We will no longer walk together # Only one wing flutters in her life # The flames dance, hands are raised # (Where it passes, there’s a mortal chill ?) # If Man doesn’t change (I can’t say “sky” in this case, it surely means something else) # But then, I dreamt----

CHORUS : I dreamt that we could love each other # At the puff of wind # Soul and humanity are raised # And its coat of blood # I will spit on your tombstones # Isn’t the right (thing to do) # I dreamt that we could love each other

What good is there in taking down walls # To place sepulchres on them ? # For ignoring tolerance # We will no longer walk together # The angels are lax in watching over us # (They) leave us like a battered world # Suspended for eternity # The world (is) like a pendulum stopped in its tracks (repeat chorus)

I dreamt that we could love each other # I dreamt of the words “to love”


This rendition was just done with synth and bass, and screaming fans singing the chorus. I thought I saw Farmer crying at one instant.

Imagine, on the real day, I could do it with synth, slow strings, perhaps throw in a solo violin. I’ll also have to lower the key because I’ve only just begun training my voice (and then again, I’ve lost my hearing in the left ear due to blockage and I need to get it back !) and I can’t pitch the first note that Mylène sings. I’ll probably bring it back to original pitch during the last chorus. All this will happen, IF “Rêver” gets picked.

I mean, the reason why I put the video and lyrics up here is because I truly love this song, and I’d like to share it with all of you.