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Sensa blaga  
(You’re kidding!)
Official song of the carnival of Nice 1938
Nissart lyrics by Jane Bermond, music by Louis Raspini. Traditional from County of Nice.
The French original lyrics by René Lecourt are not reproduced here. The text given corresponds to the literal translation from the version in Nissart.
The theme for this year 1938 is “King of joke and radio”.
First page of the music sheet for Sensa blaga, illustration by F. Serracchiani, éd. Joubert, Paris, 1938. | | Chorus |
Es Carneval, rei de la blaga,
Ven diretamen de la bragua
Per nen cunta caùqui tartarinada ;
Segur ni a que noun counouissès pas.
Nouta-li bèn dins la cervèla,
Li dirès à Poulichinella.
V’escoutera e vous respouondera :
« Sensa blaga ! » | | It’s Carnival, king of the joke,
He comes directly from the bragua (1)
To tell us some tale (2);
Sure, there are you don’t know.
Well write them down in your brain,
You will tell them to Punchinello.
He will listen to you and will answer:
“You’re kidding!” |
1st verse |
Carneval es invitat
A venì dins la Cità
Emé la siéu suita
En aéronef.
Aquel engènt va troù plan
Aloura qu’un tour de man
Vitou vous transpouorta
Per la TSF. | | Varnival is invited
To come in the City
With his retinue
By aircraft.
This machine goes slowly too much
Whereas a knack
Quickly carry you
By wireless. |
2nd verse |
Carneval, un jou, vouguet
Anà dins lou poulaïé
Per mous’una poula
Qu’oùdìa cantà.
Li digueroun : « Gran fadà,
Ma de lach noun n’a pas !
— Lou lach de poula,
L’avès denembrat ? » | | Carnival, a day, wanted
To go in the henhouse
To milk a hen
He was hearing singing.
They said him: “Great cracked,
But milk, there is not!
— Eggnog (3),,
Do you forget it?” |
3rd verse |
Venès aqui, tour à tour,
Piha part aù gran concours,
Aù concours de blaga
De Sa Majestà.
Aquèu que lou gagnerà,
La plus bella baïerà.
Y’a pas – sensa blaga –,
Faù pas hesità. | | Come here, in turn,
To take part in the contest,
The jokes contest
Of His Majesty.
The one who will win,
The prettiest will kiss.
It’s no good – joking apart –,
You don’t need to think twice about it. |
1. Braga: sling.
2. Tartarinada: tall story, bragging, boasting. According to Les Aventures prodigieuses de Tartarin de Tarascon (The Prodigious Adventures of Tartarin from Tarascon), a novel by Alphonse Daudet (Nîmes, 1840 - Paris, 1897).
3. Lach de poula: eggnog, a culinary preparation yolk-based mixed with sugar and milk. Serve warm. For afterschool snack, it’s delicious!
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© 2001-2025 Jean-Gabriel Maurandi.
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