Then the man, he sang "La Mer"

sidshovel

https://audius.co/sidshovel/then-the-man-he-sang-la-mer (right click then open link in new tab,) to open song. lyrics SS : music/vocals Ai

A song in the style of the French chanson

Gare du Nord = Northern railway station

Example of chanson, La Mer by Charles Trenet, pronounced "trenay."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXQh9jTwwoA

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[verse 1]

As I leave, the Gare du Nord,

I breathe in, the smell of Paris.

I've been away too long,

Too long, I've missed all this.

[verse 2]

So much has changed here,

different, from what I recall.

Just a child, when we left,

don't remember this at all.

[chorus]

Nothin' looks, or feels like Paris,

sit an' gaze, around the square.

a stranger, in my hometown,

then the man, he sang "La Mer."

[verse 3]

What happened to the smells,

the bakeries on every corner.

Vendors, sellin' hot chestnuts,

made my hands, feel warmer.

[verse 4]

I get this feelin', that I'm lost,

strangers, tourists everywhere.

No longer feel, that I belong,

foreign languages, in the air.

[chorus]

Nothin' looks, or feels like Paris,

sit an' gaze, around the square.

a stranger, in my hometown,

then the man, he sang "La Mer."

[bridge]

The song, came out of nowhere,

all of a sudden, he just appeared.

He looked, like Charles Trenet,

his voice, it carried me away.

[final chorus]

Nothin' looks, or feels like Paris,

sit and look, around the square.

a stranger, in my hometown,

then the man, he sang "La Mer."

[outro]

I closed my eyes, and listened,

all those years, they fell away.

The smells an' sights, came back,

as if, it were yesterday.

bhengen

@sidshovel - that happens to all of us.. when I was in colorado for the military, I went to where I grew up. the park turned into a dump. which pretty much sums up my current situation :) :). .great story telling. You got the music spot on.. made me think for a second I was in paris, then reality hit :)

TammyB

This feels like my hometown. It's sad to see. I love the melody and it's different from your other songs.

My only critique is the name: Maybe name it, "La Mer"

sidshovel

Sometimes I wonder whether in forty years time someone will pine for what replaced the things I am nostalgic for!

sidshovel

Thanks @TammyB, in France, the song La Mer by Charles Trenet is a national treasure, I'd like to keep my head, thank you!😂

RainyDayMan

Definitely has a 50s/60s European feel. I can imagine Charles Aznavour singing this.

Things are never the same when we return.

sidshovel

nostalgia like bricks and mortar is transient