L'accordéoniste [English translation]

The prostitute is beautiful

On the corner over there,

She has a clientele

That fills her purse.

When her work is finished,

It's time to go off

To fulfill a dream and look for romance

At a neighborhood dance.

Her man is a performer,

A funny little guy,

An accordionist

Who can play The Java

She listens to The Java

But she doesn't dance

She doesn't even look at the dance floor

And her loving eyes

Follow the vigorous playing,

And the long lean fingers of the player

Get under her skin

inside and out.

She wants to sing, it's physical.

All of her being is tense,

Her breathing suspended,

The music has wrung her out

The streetwalker is sad,

On the corner over there,

Her accordionist

Has gone to the army.

When he returns from war,

They will have a house

She will be the cashier

He will be the boss.

Life will be wonderful,

They'll live the good life

And every evening

He'll play The Java for her

She listens to The Java;

She hums it softly.

She imagines her accordionist

and her loving eyes

Follow the vigorous playing

And the long lean fingers of the player

Get under her skin

inside and out

She wants to weep, it's physical

All of her being is tense

Her breath suspended

The music has wrung her out

The streetwalker is alone.

On the corner over there,

The other girls are sulking.

Men don't want her

And too bad if she croaks.

Her man will never come back.

Goodbye to beautiful dreams.

Her life is done for.

On legs full of sadness

She enters a cheap dive

Where another performer

plays all night

She listens to The Java

...she hears The Java

...she closed her eyes

...and the lean vigorous fingers

Get under her skin

inside and out.

She wants to scream, it's physical.

And then to forget,

She begins to dance, to turn

to the beat of the music

STOP!

Stop the music...

• Artist:Édith Piaf
• Album:L'accordéoniste