La Javanaise

An article by nobiwan    No Comments

This is a message from Jane Birkin to my people in Japan. Check out her a capella of La Javanaise. Starting April 4th to the 14th, Jane will be auctioning off one of her Birkin bags for charity on eBay. For those who don’t know what a Birkin bag is, it is the purse of all purses and is named after Jane Birkin made by Hermès. Probably the most iconic bag ever. A message from Jane herself after the break. Thank you Jane……

La Javanaise　

J’avoue j’en ai bave pas vous mon amour
Avant d’avoir eu vent de vous mon amour
Ne vous deplaise
En dansant la Javanaise
Nous nous aimions
Le temps d’une chanson

Helas avril en vain me voue a l’amour
J’avais envie de voir en vous cet amour
Ne vous deplaise
En dansant la Javanaise
Nous nous aimions
Le temps d’une chanson

La vie ne vaut d’etre vecue sans amour
Mais c’est vous qui l’avez voulu mon amour
Ne vous deplaise
En dansant la Javanaise
Nous nous aimions
Le temps d’une chanson

This is for you, this is for the Japanese, this is for you right now when you had the most terrible earthquakes and tsunami and now, the nuclear plant…I don’t know what to say…I’ve been talking to my friends every night typing away on the internet asking how you are, trying to send messages, trying to do what I could from France, writing condolence book in the embassy.

You feel so impuissant, but I think you can’t say what you are thinking about
I’m thinking about you. We are thinking about you. We admire you so very very much

Anyone Ive’ known who’s been in Japan this last week said there’s an extraordinary sense of dignity, something of being so bouddhique of helping other people out when you must be so afraid yourself, not showing it, being so courageous.That’s something we’ve all learned.
　　

Maybe something with about Japanese mentality, maybe, because of living on a crack.
Maybe, you don’t get too nostalgic about yesterday. Maybe one doesn’t think too much about tomorrow. And maybe you’re just trying to stay strong for today. And all that, really you’ve given us great lessons.

So, my love to you, deepest love to you. We’ve been friends for more than 40 years, and I remember you clapping, when I touched them how the girls used to cry, all the presents I got, all the sweetness I got from those crews in Japan.

And now in the North East, all the people that have lost absolutely everything. And for those living in shelters what I can do is trying to raise money, to sell this bag on the internet, to do concerts, to go tonight to Salle Pleyel.　

To be with Japanese people running around towards restaurants and all the people I know asking if their families are all right back in Japan.

So, this is what I could do today, which was La Javanaise, which was from Serge Gainsbourg And Perhaps the most lovely song when I used to finish all my concerts with it. So it’s yours,

It’s Jane Birkin in Paris,
Arigato, Keep yourself safe. Kiotsukete…