Edith, Je T'aime

I love Edith Piaf's music. And now that I've seen La Vie en Rose (Called La Mome in France), I love her even more. She came from humble beginings. Not just humble, but destitute. She was raised by her alcoholic street-singing mother for some time while her father was a contortionist in the circus. Then she lived with her Berber grandma Aicha, then in her paternal grandma's brothel, went blind for a few months, had every disease known to man, and died at 47. She found true love once but the guy died in a plane crash on his way to visiting her. Her "Papa LePlee" was killed by a mob member she knew... She was said to have brought bad luck to people. But she, herself, survived numerous car crashes and near-death experiences. Her daughter, Marcelle, died at age 2. She had nobody but her few loyal cohorts at the end. She sang with so much emotion and gusto that it blew people away. If you visit her grave a Pere Lachaise in Paris, you will see people there, even in the rain... Those who saw her perform will never forget her. All this, and she was only 4'8".

But according to a New Yorker article by Judith Thurman, called "French Blues", this movie was not well-recieved in France. Given the time of its release (during elections and national identity issues) it should have done well. BUT the French managed to see their identity lost in the portrayal of Edith... They said the movie had too many American cliches, like the press clips flickering on the screen to denote notable moments. Yes, we've all seen that a hundred times but Marion Cotillard was amazing in this movie. She should get major credit for this, if not an oscar!

In fact I could have almost named this article Marion, Je T'aime if it weren't that I love Edith's music and that is the reason I saw the movie in the first place. She hand-picked her songs and they meant something to her. That is how she conveyed her emotions so well.. she meant what she said. With everything that happened to her, she was an undying optimist though it may not be told that way.

Watch this video and keep these lyrics in mind:

Non ! Rien de rien
No, nothing of nothing

Non ! Je ne regrette rien
No, I regret nothing

Ni le bien qu'on m'a fait
Neither the good, that has been done to me

Ni le mal tout ça m'est bien égal !
Nor the bad, all this is equal to me.


Non ! Rien de rien
Non ! Je ne regrette rien

C'est payé, balayé, oublié
It's been paid, swept and forgotten

Je me fous du passé !
I don't care about the past!

Avec mes souvenirs
With my memories

J'ai allumé le feu
I lit a fire

Mes chagrins, mes plaisirs
My chagrins, my pleasures

Je n'ai plus besoin d'eux !
I no longer need them!

Balayées les amours
wept away the loves

Et tous leurs trémolos
And all their sounds

Balayés pour toujours
Swept away forever

Je repars à zéro
I restart at zero

Non ! Rien de rien
Non ! Je ne regrette rien
Ni le bien, qu'on m'a fait
Ni le mal, tout ça m'est bien égal !

Non ! Rien de rien
Non ! Je ne regrette rien

Car ma vie, car mes joies
Because my life, because my joys

Aujourd'hui, ça commence avec toi !
Today, it starts with you!