Music and Lyrics, Part 1

I love music mostly because my mom loves music. Many of my childhood memories are based around music for that reason, I think. When you're with Shar, the radio is on. For years I would sing along with her, making myself the master of lyrics for so many songs, including most Whitney Houston hits (pre-crack pipe), the entire soundtrack of Dirty Dancing, which was our theme music of 1987, Christopher Cross (was it he that inspired my desperate need for a ride on a sailboat?!), and Genesis, complete with dance moves that Kelly Haverland and I will take to our grave.

A fan of the Beatles, Mom would usually crank it whenever their songs came on. The songs I best remember singing with her are "Penny Lane," "It's Been a Hard Day's Night," and "Michelle." It wasn't until 2002 that I learned from my friend, Jennifer Allen, that not all of the lyrics of "Michelle" were in English. There are French lyrics in that song!! For all of you who are as baffled as I, here they are:
"Michelle, ma belle,
Sont des mots qui vont très bien ensemble,
Très bien ensemble."

What?! My whole life I was certain that the lyrics were,
"Michelle, my bell,
some day for we won't play piano songs.
Play piano songs."

Personally, I like my version better. It's not such an obvious repetition of the previous stanza's "these are words that go together well." Translating something into another language is a cheat. Instead, mine is a lament for the day when the happy couple can no longer play "Heart and Soul" together. How touching.

Move over Paul McCartney. We all know who the real musical genius is. .... It's me.