Monsieur Disney

Est-ce qu'une vie meilleure
Nous attend, dès demain?
Ne doute pas puisqu'il est l'heure !
Je sais que pourtant
Il faut faire souvent des choix
qui font vraiment peur !
Oh, comme le monde me semble grand,
Quand je voyage -- dans le temps.

Au bout du chemin
On me tendra la main.
Il me semble que ma vie change.
Je serai choyée
Protégée, désirée !
Comme ce rêve me semble étrange.
Oui, et pourtant je l'entreprends,
Ce beau voyage -- dans le temps.

Song, rêve d'une vie
Où j'aurais enfin
Une famille à mon tour
Songe, rêve ! Quell' vie !
J'aurai, moi aussi, droit
A mon rêve d'amour.

Douc'ment, pas à pas,
Marchons vers l'avenir
Sur la route du bonheur.
Est-ce qu'on m'aimera ?
Ai-je raison de partir ?
Tant de questions dans mon coeur
Oui, c'était bien un signe !
Un monde se termine !
Que le chemin du printemps
Soit ma victoire
Sur le temps !

No, I don’t have any intention of making anyone’s noses bleed, nor do I intend to promote some random French singer about a song no one in this country will probably hear of. In fact, this song might get some recall points from us, children on the 1990’s. Of course, we probably know it by its English original --- “Journey to the Past” from the animated feature “Anastasia”.

Why yes, indeed, I have been looking for and listening to Disney songs dans le francais (in French).

Before anything, I must tell you these pieces of background information. First of all, j’aime, non, j’adore le langue francais (I love, no, adore the French language). From the moment I first heard Madeline say “gateau de chocolat” in that cartoon, I fell in love with the language. My stacks of French books and movies, as well as my insistence to insert a French word here and there in conversation, are testaments to how addicted I am to le langue d’amour. It is lovely, after all. Secondly, I grew up with Disney, and much like most people, have a special place in their hearts for those animated gems

That’s why I suppose it wasn’t really a surprise when I started finding random Disney (or animated feature. “Anastasia” isn’t a Disney film) songs in this Romance language I’m obsessed with, a habit I’ve picked up from my friend and fellow Francophile Julie. When she showed me the video of “La Belle et Le Bete” (Beauty and the Beast), I, for some reason, never thought I’d be culling for random Disney songs in French like she did. But well, let’s just say here I am.

The video for “Voyage dans le Temps” (as in the clip from the actual French translation of the film. Not just a still photo with the song. Look for "Voyage dans le Temps"; it's the one timed at 3:05.) happens to be on YouTube. Nonetheless, for some reason, I think it really worked with the animation. Anastasia’s wide-eyed, bubbly personality was punctuated by that sweet French voice singing one of her pieces. Come to think of it, that character has a little ingénue thing about her. I don’t know. Maybe, it’s just I who thinks that way. Nonetheless, I think Anastasia and French are suited for each other.

What was that? You’re questioning my claim that Anastasia in French is very much brilliant? You think if there’s any translated version of the film I should be raving about, it should be the Russian adaptation (since the character is a Romanov princess)? You don’t really like the idea of Anastasia saying “bonjour”?

Well, yes, I believe your claim is valid. After all, Anastasia is a story bound in the context of Russian culture, even Russian history. There is a sphere this story moves in that can not be discounted. At the same time, though, isn’t literature universal? Aren’t the greatest stories in the world translatable and relatable to people of all cultures? Shouldn’t the French have as much right as the Russians to go belt “Journey to the Past” in a language that they can relate to? Yeah, I thought so too.

As I’ve mentioned in a previous blog, literature and the human story are limitless. One of those boundaries it happens to transcend is culture. So yes, I have every right to enjoy a Romanov princess sing how she’ll take un voyage dans le temps.

Plus, hearing Lea Salonga singing in French? That’s always champion.