Lyrics of Clémentine et Léon - Yves Duteil

Clémentine et Léon (original)

Clmentine et Lon Barentin, qui vendaient des pendules Pantin
Se sont connus un jour en prenant leur journal
ct du caf du Canal
Et le jour de la St-Valentin, ils se sont maris sans parents ni parrains
La fanfare avait jou des musiques de Chopin
Clmentine et Lon taient bien.
Pendant qu’elle attendait les clients, Clmentine astiquait les cadrans
Et Lon tout au fond dans son beau tablier
Rparait les horloges du quartier
ct du cahier, des tampons
Il y avait sur la caisse une corbeille de bonbons
Les coucous qui sonnaient du matin jusqu’au soir
Donnaient l’heure, la demie et le quart.
Clmentine eut deux fils de Lon, il fallut agrandir la maison
On reprit pour pas cher sa boutique au voisin
Jusque-l les affaires marchaient bien
Mais la guerre est venue tout dfaire
Clmentine a pleur pour ses fils et leur pre
Les pendules ont cess d’gayer la maison
Quand Lon s’en alla pour le front.
Clmentine a vendu ses bijoux, accroch son alliance son cou
Les enfants qui donnaient du travail foison
Lui faisait oublier les saisons
Les horloges arrtes sur une heure
Attendaient le retour du soldat de son cњur
Quand Lon apparut dans la porte un beau soir
Elle a d se pincer pour y croire.
Clmentine et Lon Barentin, pour le jour de la St-Valentin
Ont rouvert la boutique et l’ont rebaptise
On entendit les bruits des baisers
Il avait fabriqu de ses mains un carillon qui jouait sur un air de Chopin
Ils avaient invit pour l’inauguration les amis, les voisins
Les enfants, les cousins, la fanfare, et mme tout l’orphon
Clmentine et Lon.

(translation)

Clémentine and Lon Barentin, who sold Pantin clocks
Met one day by picking up their diary
next to Café du Canal
And on Valentine's Day they got married without parents or godfathers
The brass band played music by Chopin
Clementine and Lon were fine.
While she waited for customers, Clmentine was polishing the dials
And Lon way back in his beautiful apron
Repaired neighborhood clocks
next to notebook, stamps
There was a basket of sweets on the crate
The cuckoo clocks that sounded from morning until evening
Gave the hour, the half and the quarter.
Clementine had two sons by Lon, the house had to be enlarged
We took over his shop next door for cheap
So far business has been good.
But the war came to undo everything
Clementine cried for her sons and their father
The clocks stopped cheering the house
When Lon went to the front.
Clementine sold her jewelry, hung her wedding ring around her neck
Children who gave plenty of work
Made him forget the seasons
The clocks stopped at one hour
Waited for the return of the soldier of her heart
When Lon appeared in the doorway one fine evening
She had to pinch herself to believe it.
Clémentine and Lon Barentin, for Valentine's Day
Reopened the store and renamed it
We heard the sounds of kisses
He had made a carillon with his own hands that played to a tune by Chopin
They had invited for the inauguration the friends, the neighbors
The children, the cousins, the marching band, and even the whole orphon
Clementine and Lon.