One day or maybe one night
Near a lake, I'd fallen asleep
When suddenly, seeming to burst the sky
And coming out of nowhere suddenly appeared a black eagle
Slowly, wings spread
Slowly, I saw him wheeling
Next to me in a rustle of wings
Like fallen from the sky the bird came to land.
He had ruby-colored eyes
And feathers the color of the night
On its forehead, sparkling with a thousand fires
The crowned bird king was wearing a blue diamond
With his beak he's touched my cheek
Into my hand he's slipped his neck
That's when I recognized him
Suddenly appearing from the past, he'd come back to me
Say bird, oh say, take me
Let's go back to the country of yesteryear
Like before in my childhood dreams
To pick while trembling stars, stars
Like before in my childhood dreams
Like before on a white cloud
Like before to light the sun
To be a rainmaker and make wonders
The black eagle in a rustle of wings
Took flight back to the sky
[Four feathers the color of the night
A tear or maybe a ruby
I was cold, there was nothing left for me
The bird had left me alone with my grief.]1
One day or maybe one night
Near a lake, I'd fallen asleep
When suddenly, seeming to burst the sky
And coming out of nowhere
Suddenly appeared a black eagle
One day or was it one night
Near a lake, I'd fallen asleep
When suddenly, seeming to burst the sky
And coming out of nowhere
Suddenly appeared a black eagle
One day one night
Near a lake, asleep
When suddenly
Suddenly appearing out of nowhere
Suddenly appeared a black eagle
One day one night
Near a lake, asleep
When suddenly
He was coming out of nowhere
He suddenly appeared—the black eagle
One day one night
Near a lake, asleep
He was coming out of nowhere
He suddenly appeared—the black eagle
1. These verses are not part of the song as sung by Barbara. Various websites report that they were self-censored by Barbara, e.g.:
https://leblogdudoigtdansloeil.wordpress.com/2020/11/11/laigle-noir-hist...
https://www.humanite.fr/barbara-les-ombres-incestueuses-de-laigle-noir-6...