Wednesday Weekly Weill - Youkali Tango

More 'Marie Galante'
Double click on the image to YouTube to fill your screen with this.

I will constantly return to Youkali, even though there is no Youkali, because a little fairy who lived there, granted me a grand tour...

When my ragged ship ran aground there...

The land of pleasure...
The land of desires...
The land of follies of love...
The land that doesn't exist...
But in my folly,
I return
To Youkali.

(best I can do, mostly lost in translation)

C'est presque au bout du monde
Ma barque vagabonde
Errant au gré de l'onde
M'y conduisit un jour L'île est toute petite
Mais la fée qui l'habite
Gentiment nous invite
A en faire le tour

Youkali, c'est le pays de nos désirs
Youkali, c'est le bonheur, c'est le plaisir
Mais c'est un rêve, une folie
Il n'y a pas de
Youkali
Mais c'est un rêve, une folie
Il n'y a pas de Youkali

My Ute Lemper:


I know my translation leaves much to be desired, but this is what the song means to me.

The consummate Weill songstress / chanteuse, mon Ute.

In have seen her in concert at least six times. Sometimes in the front row... And then I get afraid.