Original French version, sung by “Florelle” (Odette Rousseau) French singer and actor
Original French version, sung by Madeleine Marie “Mado” Robin, French coloratura soprano
For the definitive rendition of Fascination, look no further. This is it! Unfortunately Robin transposes the key upward five steps, making it impossible for mere mortals to use her rendition as a baseline for learning the song.
Original French version, sung by Lia Origoni, Italian soprano
This is probably the optimal version for most singers, lower key, slower tempo, only one verse, only 4 minutes long instead of 5.
Original French version, sung by Mathé Altéry, French soprano
English version, sung by Richard Tauber, Austrian tenor
Estonian version, sung by Georg Ots, Estonian baritone
Dick Manning’s English version, sung by Jane Morgan, American torch singer
The best English language version, hands down. Morgan studied to be an opera singer at Julliard. She sang torch songs in nightclubs to pay her way. Ironically that became her career!
Fascination (Valse Tzigane) 迷戀 (吉普賽華爾茲) Music by Fermo Dante “F.D.” Marchetti, 1904
(often misattributed to Maurice Ravel) Original French Lyrics by Maurice de Féraudy, 1905 Published in 1932
[ Chorus:
Je t’ai rencontrée simplement,
Et tu n’as rien fait pour chercher à me plaire.
Je t’aime pourtant, d’un amour ardent,
Dont rien, je le sens, ne pourra me défaire.
Tu seras toujours mon amante
Et je crois à toi comme au bonheur suprême.
Je te fuis parfois, mais je reviens quand même.
C’est plus fort que moi: Je t’aime. ]
[ Verse 1:
Lorsque je souffre, il me faut tes yeux
Profonds et joyeux, afin que j’y meure
Et j’ai besoin pour revivre, amour,
De t’avoir un jour, moins qu’un jours, une heure!
De me bercer un peu dans tes bras,
Quand mon coeur est las, quand parfois je pleure.
Ah! Crois-le bien, ma chérie, mon aimée, (mon roi/ma reine),
Je n’ai de bonheur qu’avec toi. ]
[ Chorus ]
[ Verse 2:
C’est toi l’amie quand est mort l’espoir,
Dont on rêve un soir, et que l’âme implore,
L’amie fidèle et jamais constante,
Et la seule pourtant et (qu’une femme/qu’un homme) adore!
Sous tes baisers les chagrins passés
Sont vite effacés, et l’on s’aime encore!
Ah! Crois-le bien, ma chérie, mon aimée, (mon roi/ma reine),
Je n’ai de bonheur qu’avec toi. ]
[ Chorus:
I only just met you,
And you did nothing to seek to please me.
I love you nonetheless, with an ardent love
From which nothing, I feel, will deliver me.
You will always be my lover
And I regard you as my supreme happiness.
I may flee from you at times but will return all the same.
It’s stronger than I: I love you! ]
[ Verse 1:
When I suffer, I need your eyes,
Deep and joyous, so that I may die in them,
And I need to live again, my love,
To have you for one day, less than one day, one hour!
To rock myself a little in your arms,
When my heart is weary, when sometimes I weep.
Ah! Believe it truly, my dear, my beloved, (my king/my queen),
There is no happiness without you. ]
[Chorus]
[ Verse 2:
You were a friend when hope was dead,
The one I dream of in the evening, and for whom my soul begs,
A faithful friend who is never constant,
The only one a (woman/man) can adore!
With your kisses, the old griefs
Are soon effaced, and I fall in love again.
Ah! Believe it truly, my dear, my beloved, (my king/my queen),
There is no happiness without you. ]
Return to me!
Return to me!
[ Chorus ]
Fascination Phrasing, both verses, as sung by Mado Robin
[ Instrumental: Je te fuis par-fois mais je re-viens / quand mê-me / Je te fuis par-fois mais je re-viens / quand mê-me / Je t’ai ren-con-trée / Je t’ai ren-con-trée / ]
[ Chorus:
Je t’ai ren-con-trée / sim-ple-ment /
Et tu n’as rien fait pour cher-cher à / me plaire /
Je t’ai-me pour-tant / d’un a-mour ar-dent /
Dont rien je le sens ne pour-ra me / dé-fai-re /
Tu se-ras tou-jours / mon a-mante /
Et je crois à toi comme au bon-heur / su-prê-me /
Je te fuis par-fois mais je re-viens / quand mê-me / C’est plus fort que moi / Je t’ai-me / ]
[ Verse 1:
Lor-sque je souf-fre il me faut / tes yeux /
Pro-fonds et / joy-eux / afin que j’y meu-re /
Et j’ai be-soin pour re-vivre / a-mour /
De t’a-voir / un jour / moins qu’un jours une heu-re /
De me ber-cer un peu dans / tes bras /
Quand mon coeur / est las / quand par-fois je pleure /
Ah! Crois-le bien ma ché-rie mon ai-mée / (mon roi/ma reine) /
Je n’ai de bon-heur qu’a-a-vec toi / ]
[ Chorus ]
[ Verse 2: C’est toi l’amie quand est mort / l’e-spoir /
Dont on rêve / un soir / et que l’âme im-plore / L’amie fi-dèle et ja-mais / con-stante /
Et la seule / pour-tant / et (qu’une femme/qu’un homme) a-dore /
Sous tes bai-sers les cha-grins / pas-sés /
Sont vi-te e / ffa-cés / et l’ons’aime en-core! /
Ah! Crois-le bien ma ché-rie mon ai-mée / (mon roi/ma reine) /
Je n’ai de bon-heur qu’a-a-vec toi / ]
[ Je t’ai ren-con-trée / ]
Re-viens-moi! / [ Je t’ai ren-con-trée / ]
Re-viens-moi! /
[ Chorus ]
Fascination Phrasing, second verse only, for male vocalist
[ Instrumental: ]
[ Chorus:
Je t’ai ren-con-trée / sim-ple-ment /
Et tu n’as rien fait pour cher-cher à / me plaire /
Je t’ai-me pour-tant / d’un a-mour ar-dent /
Dont rien je le sens ne pour-ra me / dé-fai-re /
Tu se-ras tou-jours / mon a-mante /
Et je crois à toi comme au bon-heur / su-prê-me /
Je te fuis par-fois mais je re-viens / quand mê-me / C’est plus fort que moi / Je t’ai-me / ]
[ Verse 2: C’est toi l’amie quand est mort / l’e-spoir /
Dont on rêve / un soir / et que l’âme im-plore / L’amie fi-dèle et ja-mais / con-stante /
Et la seule / pour-tant / et qu’un homme a-dore /
Sous tes bai-sers les cha-grins / pas-sés /
Sont vi-te e / ffa-cés / et l’ons’aime en-core! /
Ah! Crois-le bien ma ché-rie mon ai-mée / ma reine /
Je n’ai de bon-heur qu’a-a-vec toi / ]
[ Je t’ai ren-con-trée / ]
Re-viens-moi! / [ Je t’ai ren-con-trée / ]
Re-viens-moi! /
[ Chorus ]
French Lyrics matched against English Lyrics on Score
[ Instrumental prelude: ]
[ Chorus:
Je t’ai ren-con-trée / sim-ple-ment / On that sum-mer night / when we met /
Et tu n’as rien fait pour cher-cher à / me plaire / Just a pas-sing glance that was a-all you / gave me /
Je t’ai-me pour-tant / d’un a-mour ar-dent / There and then I fell /‘neath your ma-gic spell /
Dont rien je le sens ne pour-ra me / dé-fai-re / And your fas-cin-a-tion for ev-er / en-slaved me /
Tu se-ras tou-jours / mon a-mante / I know I was yours / yours a-lone /
Et je crois à toi comme au bon-heur / su-prê-me / From the ve-ry mo-ment you first / smiled at me /
Je te fuis par-fois mais je re-viens / quand mê-me / With my lov-ing heart to you I now / sur-ren-der / C’est plus fort que moi / Je t’ai-me / ] And for ev-er I / love you ]
[ Verse 1:
Lor-sque je souf-fre il me faut / tes yeux / All I need is your dear eyes / to shine /
Pro-fonds et / joy-eux / afin que j’y meu-re / Your lips / to be mine /my sweet fas-cin-a-tion /
Et j’ai be-soin pour re-vivre / a-mour / Just to love me each hour of / the day /
De t’a-voir / un jour / moins qu’un jours une heu-re / And let come / what may / you’re my fas-ci-na-tion /
De me ber-cer un peu dans / tes bras / As the price for those kiss-es / I stole /
Quand mon coeur / est las / quand par-fois je pleure / with bo-dy / and soul /I’ll al-ways adore you /
Ah! Crois-le bien ma ché-rie mon ai-mée / (mon roi/ma reine) / For your love I just live and this life I / would give /
Je n’ai de bon-heur qu’a-a-vec toi / ] For the sweet fas-cin-a-tion of you / ]
[ Chorus ]
[ Verse 2: C’est toi l’amie quand est mort / l’e-spoir / I met you when my heart was / for-lorn /
Dont on rêve / un soir / et que l’âme im-plore / And then came / the dawn /of your fas-cin-a-tion / L’amie fi-dèle et ja-mais / con-stante / I sur-rendered what else could / I do /
Et la seule / pour-tant / et (qu’une femme/qu’un homme) a-dore / Fate has sent / me you / and your fas-cin-a-tion /
Sous tes bai-sers les cha-grins / pas-sés / I’ll be yours till the stars fail / to shine /
Sont vi-te e / ffa-cés / et l’ons’aime en-core! / and you shall / be mine /till end of cre-a-tion /
Ah! Crois-le bien ma ché-rie mon ai-mée / (mon roi/ma reine) / Ev’ ry dream that I knew need I say they / came true /
Je n’ai de bon-heur qu’a-a-vec toi / ] In the sweet fas-cin-a-tion of you / ]
Re-viens-moi! / I want you! /
Re-viens-moi! / on-ly you!
My heartfelt thanks to titaruffo2 for the link. I searched high and low for this original complete version of the score for over a year without success. I was not interested in the abbreviated version without the verses. titaruffo really helped me out!
Fascination Phrasing, as sung by Jane Morgan
English Lyrics by Dick Manning
It was fa-sci-na-tion / I know /
And it might have en-ded right then / at the start /
Just a pass-ing glance / just a brief ro-mance /
And I might have gone on my way / emp-ty-hear-ted /
It was fa-sci-na-tion / I know /
See-ing you a-lone / with the moon-light a-bove /
Then I touched your hand / and next mo-ment / I kiss-ed you /
Fa-sci-na-tion turn-ed / to / love!
La Paloma / The Dove, in original Spanish, with English translation by “Luna”
Music by Sebastián Iradier
1863
Verse 1. Cuando salí de la Habana ¡Valgame Dios! When I left Habana, oh my God!
Nadie me ha visto salir, si no fuí yo. No one saw me leave, it wasn’t me.
Y una linda Guachinanga, s’allá voy yo And a cute/sweet [Mexican girl], there I go.
Que se vino tras de mi, que sí señor. Who followed behind me, oh yes sir.
Chorus:
Si a tu ventana llega una paloma. If at your window a dove arrives.
Tratala con cariño, que es mi persona. Treat it with affection, for it is me.
Cuentale tus amores, bien de mi vida. Tell it about your loves, the good in my life.
Coronala de flores, que es cosa mia. Crown it with flowers, for it’s mine.
Ay! Chinita que sí! Oh! Little girl yes!
Ay! Que dame tu amor! Oh! Give me your love!
Ay! Que ven te conmigo, Chinita. Oh! Come with me, little girl.
Adonde vivo yo!? To where I live!
Verse 2. El dia nos casemos ¡Valgame Dios! The day we get married, oh my God!
En la semana que hay ir, me hace reir. During the week that is, it makes me laugh.
Desde la Iglesia juntitos, que sí señor. From the church close together, oh yes sir.
Nos hiremos à dormir, Allá voy yo. We’ll go to sleep (bed), that’s where I’m going.
[Chorus]
Verse 3. Cuando el curita nos eche la bendicion. When the priest gives us the blessing.
En la iglesia catedral, allá voy yo. In the cathedral, that’s where I’m going.
Yo te daré la manita, con mucho amor. I’ll give you my hand, with so much love.
Y el cura dos hisopazos, que sí señor. And the priest will take two steps, oh yes sir
[Chorus]
Verse 4. Cuando haya pasado tiempo ¡Valgame Dios! When time has passed, oh my God!
De que estemos casaditos, pues sí señor. That we’ve been married, well, yes sir.
Lo menos tendremos siete, y que furor! We’ll have at least seven, oh what a fright!
O quince guachinanguitos, allá voy yo. Or fifteen little [Mexican children], that’s where I’m going.
[Chorus]
La Paloma Phrasing, as sung by Victoria de Los Angeles
Verse 1 + Chorus + Verse 3 + Chorus
[Instrumental:
Cuan-dooo / sa-lí de / la Ha-ba-na / Val-ga-me Di-oos /
Na-di-eee / me ha vis-to sa-li-ir / Si no fuí yooo /
Dum / da dum da dum / da dum da dum / da dum da dum dum dum / da dum da dum / da dum da dum / da dum da dum / da dum]
Cuan-dooo / sa-lí de la Ha-ba-na / Val-ga-me Di-oos /
Na-di-eee / me ha vis-to sa-li-ir / Si no fuí yooo / Y u-naaa / lin-da Gua-chi-nan-ga / S’al-lá voy yooo /
Que seee / vi-no tras de mi-i / Que sí se-ñoor /
[Chorus:
Si a tu ven-ta-na lle-ga / U-na Pa-lo-maaa /
Tra-ta-la con ca-ri-ño / Que es mi per-so-o-naaa /
Cuen-ta-la tus a-mo-res / Bien de mi vi-daaa /
Co-ro-na-la de flo-res / Que es co-sa mi-i-a /
Ay / chi-ni-ta que síi /
Ay / que da-me tu a-mor / aah /
Ay / que ven te con-mi-go / Chi-ni-ta /
a-don-de vi-vo yo /
Ay / chi-ni-ta que síi /
Ay / que da-me tu a-mor / aah /
Ay / que ven te con-mi-go / Chi-ni-ta /
a-don-de vi-vo yo /]
[Instrumental:
Dum / da dum da dum / da dum da dum / da dum da dum dum dum / da dum da dum /
Dum / da dum da dum / da dum da dum / da dum da dum dum dum / da dum da dum /
da dum da dum / da dum]
Cuan-dooo el cu-ri-ta nos e-che / La ben-dic-cioon /
En laaa Igle-sia Ca-te-dra-al / S’al-lá voy yooo /
Yo teee da-ré la ma-ni-ta / Con mu-cho a-mooor / Y el cuuu-ra dos hi-so-pa-a-zos / Que sí se-ñoor /
Ciribiribin
Music by Alberto Pestalozza
Italian Lyrics by Carlos Tiochet
1898
Su finiscila coi baci It ends with kisses
Bel moruccio birichin [from] A handsome dark-haired rascal
E non vedi tu la luna And don’t you see the moon
Che dal ciel fa capolin? That serves to cap the sky?
E se pur la luna spia And if the moon also spies on us
Noi las ciamola guardar the chamberlain looks at us
Anzi il pallido suo raggio Rather its pale rays
Ci consiglia a seguitar! It counsels us to carry on!
Ma poi chissà? Cosa dirà? But then who knows? What will it say?
Eh via dirà. Cosa dira? Dira? Dira? It will say. What will it say? Will say? Will say?
Ciribiribin, Ciribiribin, Ciribiribin Ciribiribin, Ciribiribin, Ciribiribin
Ciribiribin, che bel facin Ciribiribin, such a beautiful face
Che sguardo dolce assassin Such a sweet looking assassin
Ciribiribin, che bel nassin Ciribiribin, such a beautiful little nose
Che bel dentin, che bel bocchin! Such beautiful little teeth, such a beautiful little mouth
Ciribiribin, che bel nassin Ciribiribin, such a beautiful little nose
Che bel dentin, che bel bocchin! Such beautiful little teeth, such a beautiful little mouth
Ciribiribin, Ciribiribin Ciribiribin, Ciribiribin
Ciribiribin, che bel bocchin! Ciribiribin, such a beautiful little mouth!