This is Momus' translation/rewrite of the Jacques Brel song "Jackie." "Nicky" is the affectionate diminutive of Momus' real name, Nicholas Currie, as "Jackie" is short for "Jacques."
He attempted to convey Brel's sense with references that English audiences might understand, like Cliff Richard & Julio Iglesias. & though he lightly mocks David Bowie, he ends the song with quotes from Ziggy Stardust's "Star."
I don't speak French, but for comparison, he's the English lyrics of Jackie from the 1960's show "Jacques Brel Is Alive & Well & Living In Paris":
& if one day I should become
A singer with a Spanish bum
Who sings for women of great virtue
I'd sing to them with a guitar
I borrowed from coffee bar
Well, what you don't know doesn't hurt you
My name would be Antonio
& all my bridges I would burn
& if I gave them some they'd know
I expect something in return
I'd have to get drunk every night
To talk about virility
With some old grandmother who might
Be decked out like a Christmas tree
& tho' pink elephants I'd see
I'd sing the song they sang to me
About the time they called me Jackie
If I could be for only an hour
If I could be for an hour every day
If I could be for just one little hour
Cute, cute, cute in a stupid-ass way
& if I joined the social whirl
Became procurer of young girls
Then I would have my own bordellos
My record would be number one
& I'd sell records by the ton
All sung by many other fellows
My name would then be Handsome Jack
& I'd sell boats of opium
Whiskey that came from Twickenham
Authentic queers & phony virgins
I'd have a bank on every finger
A finger in every country
& every country ruled by me
I still know where I'd want to be
Locked up inside my opium den
Surrounded by some Chinamen
I'd sing the song that I sang then
About the time they called me Jackie
If I could be for only an hour
If I could be for an hour every day
If I could be for just one little hour
Cute, cute, cute in a stupid-ass way
Now tell me wouldn't it be nice
That if one day in Paradise
I sang for all the ladies up there
& they would sing along with me
We'd be so happy there to be
'Cause down below is really nowhere
My name would then be Jupiter
& I would know where I was going
& then I would become all knowing
With my beard so long & flowing
If I became deaf dumb & blind
Because I pitied all mankind
& broke my heart to make things right
I know that every single night
When my angelic work was through
The angels & the devil too
Would sing my childhood song to me
About the time they called me Jackie
If I could be for only an hour
If I could be for an hour every day
If I could be for just one little hour
Cute, cute, cute in a stupid-ass way
This is Momus' translation/rewrite of the Jacques Brel song "Jackie." "Nicky" is the affectionate diminutive of Momus' real name, Nicholas Currie, as "Jackie" is short for "Jacques."
He attempted to convey Brel's sense with references that English audiences might understand, like Cliff Richard & Julio Iglesias. & though he lightly mocks David Bowie, he ends the song with quotes from Ziggy Stardust's "Star."
I don't speak French, but for comparison, he's the English lyrics of Jackie from the 1960's show "Jacques Brel Is Alive & Well & Living In Paris":
& if one day I should become A singer with a Spanish bum Who sings for women of great virtue
I'd sing to them with a guitar I borrowed from coffee bar Well, what you don't know doesn't hurt you
My name would be Antonio & all my bridges I would burn & if I gave them some they'd know I expect something in return
I'd have to get drunk every night To talk about virility With some old grandmother who might Be decked out like a Christmas tree
& tho' pink elephants I'd see I'd sing the song they sang to me About the time they called me Jackie
If I could be for only an hour If I could be for an hour every day If I could be for just one little hour Cute, cute, cute in a stupid-ass way
& if I joined the social whirl Became procurer of young girls Then I would have my own bordellos My record would be number one & I'd sell records by the ton All sung by many other fellows
My name would then be Handsome Jack & I'd sell boats of opium Whiskey that came from Twickenham Authentic queers & phony virgins
I'd have a bank on every finger A finger in every country & every country ruled by me I still know where I'd want to be
Locked up inside my opium den Surrounded by some Chinamen I'd sing the song that I sang then About the time they called me Jackie
If I could be for only an hour If I could be for an hour every day If I could be for just one little hour Cute, cute, cute in a stupid-ass way
Now tell me wouldn't it be nice That if one day in Paradise I sang for all the ladies up there & they would sing along with me We'd be so happy there to be 'Cause down below is really nowhere
My name would then be Jupiter & I would know where I was going & then I would become all knowing With my beard so long & flowing
If I became deaf dumb & blind Because I pitied all mankind & broke my heart to make things right I know that every single night
When my angelic work was through The angels & the devil too Would sing my childhood song to me About the time they called me Jackie
If I could be for only an hour If I could be for an hour every day If I could be for just one little hour Cute, cute, cute in a stupid-ass way