Stacy's Theatre Profiles - Theatre-Musical

Everyone knows the importance of the people who create a musical – the composer, the lyricist, the book-writer, the director, the choreographer, and so on. But these days, when a show goes on to play in various countries around the world, another person becomes very important – the translator.

Adapting lyrics is something quite different from translating dialogue. The meaning of the song must be kept while at the same time creating lyrics that fit the cadences of the music, and that rhyme as well! Therefore, the right person for the job must not only be able to translate the words, but to re-create the same sense of poetry and style that was present in the original. This, as one can imagine, is no easy feat.

This is a look at a few of the English translations that have been done over the last 20 years or so. I can’t really make any intelligent commentary on translations in other languages, but if you have something to add about show adaptations in your language, you can submit it at the bottom of the page!

Table of Contents:

Stacy’s favourite translation
Honourable mentions
Trial and Error
Lyrics gone wrong
Your thoughts

Stacy’s pick for Best Translation goes to…

Herbert Kretzmer for Les Misérables

Herbert Kretzmer was born in South Africa in 1925, and lived in Paris for a time after World War II. Working as a journalist, he also wrote songs, including several re-workings of French songs to English. After Cameron Mackintosh got involved in Les Misérables, Kretzmer was asked to work on an an English libretto based on Alain Boublil’s original French lyrics.

Sample lyrics: Fantine’s arrest

French lyrics Dites-moi ce qui ce passe Qui est mort, qui a tué Où je passe, le crime trepasse L’ordre est en sécurité
	Literal translation Tell me what has happened Who is dead, who has killed Where I go, crime is trespassing Order is secure
		English lyrics Tell me quickly what’s the story Who saw what and why and where Let him give a full description Let him answer to Javert

The English lyrics capture exactly the essence of the French ones, while managing to be good lyrics in their own right. They also fit the music perfectly – listen for yourself!

And what makes Les Misérables so exceptional is that all of the lyrics are consistently good. I can’t think of any lines in particular that made me think, “Oh, that wasn’t originally written in English”. It’s a wonderful adaptation.

1. Sune Svanekier and Lasse Aagaard for Atlantis

The original choice to do the English lyrics for this show was Tim Rice, but he was unavailable. So, Sune Svanekier, who also co-wrote the Danish lyrics, took on the task with Lasse Aegaard, and they did a really good job.

Sample lyrics: Prayer to Ba’al-Zebub

Danish lyrics Er jeg værdig til min trone Fluekonge, jeg brød jo min ed Jeg lod mig drage af en kvinde Og jeg ved du er vred Er dette vanvid dine varsler? Hør vulkanerne knurrer Orkanerne truer vor sikkerhed
	Literal translation Am I worthy of my throne? Fly King, I broke my oath I let myself be distracted by a woman And I know you are angry Is that madness your warning? Hear the volcanoes rumbling The hurricanes threaten our safety
		English lyrics Am I worthy of my throne here? Lord of Darkness, I’ve broken my oath I was enchanted by a woman Will it bring down us both? Could all this madness be your omens? Hear the hurricanes blowing The darkness is growing around me now

As you can see, this translation is very close to the original lyrics, but changed just enough that it fits the music and makes sense. Listen to the way it sounds in English. And, in the end, any show that contains lyrics which rhyme “crisis” and “Dionysus” is alright by me! 🙂

2. Tanz der Vampire

This one is a little different from the others, since, for all I know, the English lyrics may have actually been written ahead of the German ones in some cases. But I believe the German lyrics did come first.

At any rate, Jim Steinman wrote the music for this show which featured German lyrics by Michael Kunze. Whichever way the translation was done, it’s well done!

Sample lyrics: Original Sin

German lyrics Was ich rette, geht zugrund Was ich segne, muß verderben Nur mein Gift macht Dich gesund Um zu leben mußt Du sterben
	Literal translation What I save runs aground What I bless must go bad Only my poison makes you healthy To live, you must die
		English lyrics So I bless you with my curse And encourage your endeavour You’ll be better when you’re worse You must die to live forever

In contrast to the lyrics for Atlantis, these ones are quite different from the original, but still have the same meaning. They sound great as well.

If you need any proof that it’s really not that easy to do what the people in the above examples have done so well, let’s take a look at one song that has proven rather difficult to yield an effective translation.

Ich gehör nur mir – Elisabeth

This song has gone through a few different English versions, none of which are perfect, although there has definitely been some progress made.

Sample lyrics:

German lyrics

Und will ich die Sterne
dann finde ich selbst dorthin
Ich wachse und lerne
und bleibe doch wie ich bin
Ich wehr mich bevor ich mich verlier
Denn ich gehör nur mir

Literal translation

And if I want the stars,
then I will find myself a way to them
I will grow and learn
and will still be the person I am
I want it all before I am lost
Because I only belong to me

The first English version of these lyrics was:

I’m freezing, I’m burning
You can’t put me on the shelf
I’m growing, I’m learning
To be even more myself
I know it’s not easy to be free
But I belong to me

More recently, this version was introduced:

I’m freezing, I’m burning
I live without compromise
I’m growing, I’m learning
I’m ready to pay the price
So don’t fence me in, I must be free
‘Cause I belong to me

Well, since nobody can seem to agree, some friends and I came up with our own version. 🙂

I’m freezing and burning
I can’t live a compromise
I must have my freedom
I’m willing to pay the price
I know it’s not easy to be free
But I belong to me

If you’re really brave, you can listen to me singing those lyrics.

I’m still waiting for a definitive translation of this song!

Once in a while you’ll come across a case where the lyrics don’t fit any of those criteria I mentioned off the top. They don’t really follow the original meaning, nor are they particularly intelligent lyrics on their own. Example?

Romeo & Juliet by Don Black

These lyrics were translated from the original French lyrics by Gerard Presgurvic for the London production of the show. I’m quite a fan of the show, but I was so disappointed with the English adaptation.

Sample lyrics:

Kings of the World

French lyrics

Les rois du monde se battent entre eux
C’est qu’y a de la place, mais pour un pas pour deux
Et nous en bas leur guerre on la fera pas
On sait même pas pourquoi tout ça c’est jeux de rois

Literal translation

The kings of the world fight with each other
There’s room for one, but not for two
And us down here don’t fight their wars
We don’t even know why all these games of kings are necessary

Now, although the lyrics really don’t have much in common with the original French ones, it could be argued that at least the overall idea behind them is the same. So I won’t spend too much time on that. But “boring as hell and as dull as can be”? Surely there must be a better line!

Listen to the difference in the way the lyrics sound to the music as well – here is the French version, and here is the English translation.

So, what other translations are there out there that you think are really fantastic or really dreadful? Share them with me! All languages are welcome, but please indicate why you think the lyrics are great or terrible, so that the rest of us can appreciate it!

Read about some of the other translations submitted!

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