Lyrics of La Plata - Julien Clerc

La Plata (original)

Ni les attraits des plus aimables Argentines
Ni les courses à cheval dans la Pampa
N’ont le pouvoir de distraire de son spleen
Le Consul Général de France à La Plata
N’ont le pouvoir de distraire de son spleen
Le Consul Général de France à La Plata
Il aime à galoper par nos plaines amères
Il jalouse la vie sauvage du Gaucho
Puis il retourne vers son palais consulaire
Et sa tristesse le drape comme un poncho
On raconte tout bas l’histoire du pauvre homme
Sa vi fut traversée d’un fatal amour
Et il prit la funest manie de l’opium
Il occupait alors le poste à Singapour
Et il prit la funeste manie de l’opium
Il occupait alors le poste à Singapour
Il aime à galoper par nos plaines amères
Il jalouse la vie sauvage du Gaucho
Puis il retourne vers son palais consulaire
Et sa tristesse le drape comme un poncho
Il ne s’aperçoit pas je n’en suis que trop sûr
Que Lolita Valdez le regarde en souriant
Malgré sa tempe qui grisonne et sa figure
Ravagée par les fièvres d’Extrême-Orient
Malgré sa tempe qui grisonne et sa figure
Ravagée par les fièvres d’Extrême-Orient
Il aime à galoper par nos plaines amères
Il jalouse la vie sauvage du Gaucho
Puis il retourne vers son palais consulaire
Et sa tristesse le drape comme un poncho
Et sa tristesse le drape comme un poncho

(translation)

Nor the charms of the kindest Argentinians
Nor the horse races in the Pampa
Have the power to distract from his spleen
The Consul General of France in La Plata
Have the power to distract from his spleen
The Consul General of France in La Plata
He likes to gallop through our bitter plains
He is jealous of the Gaucho's wild life
Then he returns to his consular palace
And his sadness drapes him like a poncho
We whisper the story of the poor man
His life was crossed by a fatal love
And he took the fatal opium mania
He then held the position in Singapore
And he took the fatal opium mania
He then held the position in Singapore
He likes to gallop through our bitter plains
He is jealous of the Gaucho's wild life
Then he returns to his consular palace
And his sadness drapes him like a poncho
He doesn't notice I'm only too sure
Let Lolita Valdez look at him smiling
Despite his graying temple and his face
Ravaged by the fevers of the Far East
Despite his graying temple and his face
Ravaged by the fevers of the Far East
He likes to gallop through our bitter plains
He is jealous of the Gaucho's wild life
Then he returns to his consular palace
And his sadness drapes him like a poncho
And his sadness drapes him like a poncho