NowhereMan
Funny, but it seems I always wind up here with you
As I was scrolling through Facebook today, I noticed a post about Richard and Karen signing a writer to their publishing company, Hammer and Nails Music. I was intrigued by this, so I decided to search through the ASCAP catalog entries for Hammer and Nails. One of the entries really intrigued me. It reads as follows:
POUR LA PREMIERE FOIS NOEL
Writers (2)
CARPENTER RICHARD
BETTIS JOHN
Performers (1)
RENEE ANNE
Wondering if a video existed of the song, I turned to YouTube and found this:
As you can hear, this is the melody of "Goodbye to Love" with French lyrics.
I find all this fascinating. Did John write the French lyrics, as he is given credit for? Whose idea was it to make it a holiday song?
Whatever the answers are, this is yet another interesting footnote in the history of the Carpenters.
POUR LA PREMIERE FOIS NOEL
Writers (2)
CARPENTER RICHARD
BETTIS JOHN
Performers (1)
RENEE ANNE
Wondering if a video existed of the song, I turned to YouTube and found this:
As you can hear, this is the melody of "Goodbye to Love" with French lyrics.
French Lyrics | English Translation |
---|---|
Pour la première fois, Noël sera gris, Car tu m'as quittée sans même un adieu L'amour n'est plus entre nous deux Et moi je cherche enfin à tuer le silence, à combler ton absence Je suis si triste en pensant que Noël revient Et moi je pleurerai en regardant le vert sapin Pour la première fois, Noël sera gris et je reste seule avec mes pensées Je vois les enfants s'amuser Et moi je voudrais bien revivre mon enfance, Avoir toujours confiance J'avais rêvé de blancs Noëls à tes côtés, Je serai seule devant le sapin tout illuminé, Car loin de toi mon amour mon Noël devient si lourd Oui, j'avais rêvé de Noël à tes côtés, Je serai seule devant le sapin tout illuminé Reviens-moi mon amour, j'ai tant besoin de tes bras, Sans toi Noël sera gris Pour la première fois Pour la première fois | For the first time, Christmas will be gray, 'Cause you left me without even a farewell Love is no longer between the two of us And I am finally trying to kill the silence, to fill your absence I'm so sad to think that Christmas is coming back And I will cry looking at the pine green For the first time, Christmas will be gray and I'm left alone with my thoughts I see the children having fun And I would like to relive my childhood, Always have confidence I had dreamed of white Christmases by your side, I'll be alone in front of the lighted tree, Because far from you my love my Christmas becomes so heavy Yes, I had dreamed of Christmas by your side, I will be alone in front of the tree all lit up Come back to me my love, I need your arms so much Without you Christmas will be gray For the first time For the first time |
Whatever the answers are, this is yet another interesting footnote in the history of the Carpenters.