Séverac - Ma poupée chérie

Ma poupée chérie

Séverac (1914)

Ma poupée chérie ne veut pas dormir!
Petit ange mien, tu me fais souffrir!
Ferme tes doux yeux, tes yeux de saphir,
Dors poupée, dors, dors! ou je vais mourir!

Il faudrait, je crois, pour te rendre sage,
Un manteau de soie, de riches corsages!
Tu voudrais des roses à ton clair béguin
Des bijoux d'or fin et mille autres choses!

Ma poupée chérie ne veut pas dormir!
Petit ange mien, tu me fais souffrir!
Ferme tes doux yeux, tes yeux de saphir,
Dors poupée, dors, dors! ou je vais mourir!

Quand parrain viendra, sur son âne gris,
Il t'apportera de son grand Paris,
Un petit mari qui dira: "papa"
Et qui dormira quand on le voudra.

Ma poupée chérie vient de s'endormir!
Bercez-la bien doux, ruisseaux et zéphirs!
Et vous chérubins, gardez-la moi bien!
Sa maman jolie, l'aime à la folie!

Déodat de Séverac

My dear doll

My dear doll does not want to sleep!
My little angel, you make me suffer!
Close your sweet eyes, your sapphire eyes,
sleep doll, sleep, sleep, or I shall die!

To make you behave it would take, I believe,
a coat of silk, and fine corsets!
You would like roses upon your bright bonnet
jewels of fine gold and a thousand other things!

My dear doll does not want to sleep!
My little angel, you make me suffer!
close your sweet eyes, your sapphire eyes,
sleep doll, sleep, sleep, or I shall die!

When godfather comes upon his grey donkey
from his great Paris he will bring you
a little husband who will say: "Daddy"
and who will sleep when he should.

My dear doll has just gone to sleep!
Rock her very gently, streams and breezes!
And you cherubin, look after her well for me!
Her pretty mother loves her wildly!

© translated by Christopher Goldsack

This song is included in the Singing in French anthology and a score and accompaniment can be downloaded from the site shop in several keys.

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