"Et Pourtant..."

A Charles Aznavour comic strip

Hello! Or maybe I should say, “bonjour!” This week’s comic is in French!

I still have a few comics about Bob Dylan waiting in the wings, but this week, instead of a Bob Dylan comic, I found something in my old drawing book about a different musician: Charles Aznavour.

I first learned about Aznavour as a small child, since my parents had a record that looked a lot like this one. (I don’t remember the sleeve. I remember the design on the record itself, which looked to me like a splatter of tomato sauce…)

But in my twenties, I rediscovered his music and loved it! So much so, that I drew a comic about a day in my life, with his song lyrics in the background. The song is called Et Pourtant, and you should really listen to it - it’s amazing!!!

In English, “et pourtant” means “and yet…” It’s about a person who’s telling themself that they’ve gotten over somebody… and yet… they really haven’t. I drew this back in 1999 when I was busy getting my heart broken and telling myself I was over somebody… and yet…

Here’s my very imperfect translation (I can’t find a translation online that doesn’t look like it was just AI-generated).

One beautiful morning, I know that I’ll wake up
Differently from all the other days…
And my heart will finally be set free from our love
And yet... and yet...

Without remorse, without regret, I'll leave
Straight ahead, without hoping to return
Far from eyes and heart, I’ll forget forever…

And your heart… and your arms… and your voice…
My love.
And yet, and yet, I love only you!
And yet -

I’ll tear away, without a tear, without a cry
The secret bonds that tear my skin
Freeing myself from you, to find rest
And yet… and yet…

I’ll walk toward other skies, other countries
Forgetting your cruel coldness
My hands full of love, I’ll offer to happiness
And the days and the nights and the life of my heart.

And yet - and yet - I love only you.

And yet -

I really have to I rediscover my reason
My carelessness and my outbursts of joy
That I leave forever to escape you
And yet - and yet
In other arms, when I’ll forget even your name

Where I’ll be able to rethink the future
You’ll become for me just a distant memory
When my pain and my fear and my cries will be over.

And yet - and yet - I love only you!
And yet…

A few years later, I got to see Aznavour perform in Toronto. But when was that? I can’t remember. Charles Aznavour died in 2018 at the age of 94.

By the way, Bob Dylan was a fan of Aznavour, too! Dylan saw Aznavour perform at Carnegie Hall in 1963, and said it was one the greatest performances he’d ever seen. But don’t take Bob’s word for it! Listen to some Aznavour for yourself.