Le bal de la Marine [English translation]

I remember very well

A little dance at the Marine

Near Grenelle Bridge

Where I met my little cousin sisters**

Aged 17

There wasn't much money

Everybody paid for themselves

And when it got late

One went on foot towards the dawn

At the end of the week

One returned to the Marine

Then to the Seine bank

To then take our little cousins away

Such was our weekend

In the very heart of Paris

One said "I love you"

And it was for life

And it was for love

Anyway

Then time passed

Over our young years

And everything has drastically changed

Little street dances

Little street dances lost

Nobody meets again

The electric guitar

Has been pouring out Margot***

That's a different music

To a different beat

But it's sure not to be dead

The little dance at the Marine

And there still exists

A pretty redhead,

Another one, of course,

But since it all starts again

Invite her to a dance

She'll tell you: Thank you, Monsieur

But they are still the same

At a little dance at the Marine

They prefer their young boyfriends

They are not in our plans

They are but 17

But with not much money on

They have new hearts

And you will return widowed

But it's always like this

At the Marine

But since there'll always be

Little street dances at the Marine

With young boys

For pretty young redheads

I'll always guard

As a love flower

As a lost flower

Which trails in the streets

But which for ever stays

At the Marine