Song Translations - Calling To The Night

Thought of a new little project to do: song translations! (Edit: and by 'project', maybe I'll post one of them before the year is out...) They're mostly going to be Japanese -> English, in an effort to help me learn more Japanese, but this first one is actually English -> French and something I did all the way back in high school for French class.

The song is Calling To The Night, by Natasha Farrow, from the game Metal Gear Solid Portable Ops. (I think I heard it first in Smash Bros.)





I took some minor liberties with some of the words in the name of rhyming/sounding nicer to my ear (like soul -> heart, fighting for what's right -> for life...), so it's not as literal a translation as I usually prefer in a few places, but I still like it. The one part that still bugs me is the "mon esprit", where "mon" is basically stretched out into three syllables...

We were forced to sing (which I'm bad at) but I made a little karaoke program in pygame back then hoping maybe some people might want to sing along (they didn't). Here's its source, written by teenage me, consider it public domain and an example of how not to do a karaoke program:

#!/usr/bin/python

# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-

import pygame

from pygame.locals import *

pygame.init()



pygame.mixer.music.load('Natasha Farrow - Calling To The Night.ogg')

lyrics = [u"Dans la nuit, dans le jour",

"Quand toutes les choses sont parties",

"Emportez ce coeur",

"Des terres fermes",

"Au soleil, on voit",

"Du combat aux lignes",

u"Tous les rêves et les souhaits",

"On fait rentrer pour les garder",

"Luttant pour la vie",

"",

u"Criant à la nuit",

u"Rêver encore les rêves luisants",

"Attendant qu'un orage se produise",

"Et sentant l'isolement fugace",

u"Criant à la nuit",

u"Être ou pas être luttant ici",

"Partant sans vous, laissant mon esprit",

u"Criant à la nuit",

"Les coleurs",

u"de Kodachrome s'éteindent en temps.",

"",

u"Criant à la nuit",

"Pour nous pour chaqu'un et toutes des vies",

"Toutes les cendres des hommes restent",

u"Comme une mémoire parfaite",

u"Criant à la nuit",

"",

"Mais le coeur restera",

"Comme une silhouette de temps",

u"Entendez les échos qui retentissent",

u"À l'horizon mitoyen",

u"Criant à la nuit",

""]



size = 800, 600

screen = pygame.display.set_mode(size)

font = pygame.font.Font('comic.ttf', 38)



pygame.mouse.set_visible(0)



def draw_line(line, chars):

  if line < 0: return

  txt = font.render(lyrics[line], 1, (255,255,255))

  txt2 = font.render(lyrics[line][:chars], 1, (0, 0, 255))

  rect = txt.get_rect()

  rect.center = size[0]/2, size[1]/2

  screen.blit(txt, rect)

  screen.blit(txt2, rect)



clock = pygame.time.Clock()

keep_going = 1

skip = 0

pygame.mixer.music.play(0, skip)

pos = pygame.mixer.music.get_pos() + skip * 1000

while keep_going and pos >= 0:

  clock.tick(30)

  for event in pygame.event.get():

    if event.type == QUIT:

      keep_going = 0

    elif event.type == KEYDOWN:

      if event.key == K_ESCAPE:

        keep_going = 0

  # Decide which line to draw

  line = -1

  chars = -1

  pos = pygame.mixer.music.get_pos() + skip * 1000

  if 20759 < pos: # 1

    line += 1

    words = lyrics[line].split(' ')

    chars = len(words[0])+1 #dans

    if pos > 21100: #la

      chars += len(words[1])+1

    if pos > 21400: # nuit

      chars += len(words[2])+1

    if pos > 23222: # dans

      chars += len(words[3])+1

    if pos > 23422: # le

      chars += len(words[4])+1

    if pos > 23700: # jour

      chars += len(words[5])+1

  if 25200 < pos: # 2

    line += 1

    words = lyrics[line].split(' ')

    chars = len(words[0])+1 # quand

    if pos > 25900: # tous

      chars += len(words[1])+1

    if pos > 26200: # les

      chars += len(words[2])+1

    if pos > 26600: # choses

      chars += len(words[3])+1

    if pos > 27800: # sont

      chars += len(words[4])+1

    if pos > 28200: # parti

      chars += len(words[5])+1

  if 29672 < pos: # 3

    line += 1

    chars = 6 # emport

    if pos > 30700: #ez

      chars += 3

    if pos > 32300: # ce

      chars += 3

    if pos > 32700: # coeur

      chars += 5

  if 33741 < pos: # 4

    line += 1

    words = lyrics[line].split(' ')

    chars = 0

    if pos > 34000:

      chars = len(words[0])+1 # des

    if pos > 35600: # terres

      chars += len(words[1])+1

    if pos > 36600: # fermes

      chars += len(words[2])+1

  if 39398 < pos: # 5

    line += 1

    words = lyrics[line].split(' ')

    chars = len(words[0])+1 # au

    if pos > 40300: # soleil

      chars += 3

      if pos > 40600:

        chars += 5

    if pos > 42000: # on

      chars += len(words[2])+1

    if pos > 42500: # voit

      chars += len(words[3])+1

  if 44674 < pos: # 6

    line += 1

    words = lyrics[line].split(' ')

    chars = len(words[0])+1 # du

    if pos > 45000:

      chars += len(words[1])+1 # combat

    if pos > 47300: # aux

      chars += len(words[2])+1

    if pos > 47700: # lignes

      chars += len(words[3])+1

  if 48982 < pos: # 7

    line += 1

    words = lyrics[line].split(' ')

    chars = len(words[0])+1 # tous

    if pos > 49500: # les

      chars += len(words[1])+1

    if pos > 50000: # reves

      chars += len(words[2])+1

    if pos > 50900: # et

      chars += len(words[3])+1

    if pos > 51300: # les

      chars += len(words[4])+1

    if pos > 52000: # souhaits

      chars += 3

      if pos > 52400:

        chars += 6

  if 53594 < pos: # 8

    line += 1

    words = lyrics[line].split(' ')

    chars = len(words[0])+1 # on

    if pos > 54100: # fait

      chars += len(words[1])+1

    if pos > 54500: # rentrer

      chars += 3

      if pos > 55500:

        chars += 5

    if pos > 56000: # pour

      chars += len(words[3])+1

    if pos > 56500: # les

      chars += len(words[4])+1

    if pos > 57000: # garder

      chars += len(words[5])+1

  if 58000 < pos: # 9

    line += 1

    words = lyrics[line].split(' ')

    chars = 4 # luttant

    if pos > 58400: # ant

      chars += 4

    if pos > 59000: # pour

      chars += len(words[1])+1

    if pos > 59400: # la

      chars += len(words[2])+1

    if pos > 59700: # vie

      chars += len(words[3])+1

  if 63412 < pos: # 10

    line += 1

  if 77200 < pos: # 11

    line += 1

    words = lyrics[line].split(' ')

    chars = 3 # cri

    if pos > 77800: # ant

      chars += 4

    if pos > 78300: # a

      chars += len(words[1])+1

    if pos > 78700: # la

      chars += len(words[2])+1

    if pos > 79000: # nuit

      chars += len(words[3])+1

  if 80997 < pos: # 12

    line += 1

    words = lyrics[line].split(' ')

    chars = len(words[0])+1 # rever

    if pos > 83600: # encore

      chars += len(words[1])+1

    if pos > 84000: # les

      chars += len(words[2])+1

    if pos > 84200: # reves

      chars += len(words[3])+1

    if pos > 85300: # luisants

      chars += 4

      if pos > 85700:

        chars += 5

  if 87315 < pos: # 13

    line += 1

    words = lyrics[line].split(' ')

    chars = 6 # attend

    if pos > 87900: # ant

      chars += 4

    if pos > 88500: # qu'un

      chars += len(words[1])+1

    if pos > 88900: # orage

      chars += 2

      if pos > 89400:

        chars += 4

    if pos > 89850: # se

      chars += len(words[3])+1

    if pos > 90100: # produise

      chars += 3

      if pos > 90600:

        chars += 6

  if 91655 < pos: # 14

    line += 1

    words = lyrics[line].split(' ')

    chars = len(words[0])+1 # et

    if pos > 92000: # sentant

      chars += len(words[1])+1

    if pos > 93000: # l'isol

      chars += 6

      if pos > 93500: #ement

        chars += 6

    if pos > 94900: # fugace

      chars += 3

      if pos > 95200:

        chars += 4

  if 96067 < pos: # 15

    line += 1

    words = lyrics[line].split(' ')

    chars = 3

    if pos > 96667: # criant

      chars += 4

    if pos > 97000: # a

      chars += 2

    if pos > 97300: # la

      chars += 3

    if pos > 97500: # nuit

      chars += len(words[-1])+1

  if 99264 < pos: # 16

    line += 1

    words = lyrics[line].split(' ')

    chars = len(words[0])+1 # etre

    if pos > 101500: # ou

      chars += len(words[1])+1

    if pos > 102000: # pas

      chars += len(words[2])+1

    if pos > 102500: # etre

      chars += len(words[3])+1

    if pos > 103500: # luttant

      chars += len(words[4])+1

    if pos > 104000: # ici

      chars += len(words[5])+1

  if 105624 < pos: # 17

    line += 1

    words = lyrics[line].split(' ')

    chars = len(words[0])+1 # partant

    if pos > 106500: # sans

      chars += len(words[1])+1

    if pos > 107500: # vous

      chars += len(words[2])+1

    if pos > 108300: # laissant

      chars += 4

      if pos > 108900:

        chars += 5

    if pos > 110200: #mon

      chars += 1

      if pos > 111000: #o

        chars += 1

      if pos > 112000: #n

        chars += 1

    if pos > 112800: # esprit

      chars += len(words[5])+1

  if 114200 < pos: # 18

    line += 1

    words = lyrics[line].split(' ')

    chars = 3

    if pos > 114800: #ant

      chars += 4

    if pos > 115200: # a

      chars += 2

    if pos > 115500: # la

      chars += 3

    if pos > 115700: # nuit

      chars += len(words[-1])+1

  if 117425 < pos: # 19

    line += 1

    chars = 4

    if pos > 118000: # coleurs

      chars += 8

  if 119900 < pos: # 19part2

    line += 1

    words = lyrics[line].split(' ')

    chars = len(words[0])+1 # du

    if pos > 120000: # ko

      chars += 2

      if pos > 120500: #da

        chars += 2

      if pos > 121000: #chrome

        chars += 7

    if pos > 122000: # s'eteind

      chars += len(words[2])+1

    if pos > 123000: #en

      chars += len(words[3])+1

    if pos > 123300: #temps

      chars += len(words[4])+1

  if 127231 < pos: # 20

    line += 1

  if 132572 < pos: # 21

    line += 1

    words = lyrics[line].split(' ')

    chars = 3 # cri

    if pos > 133100: # ant

      chars += 4

    if pos > 133500: # a

      chars += 2

    if pos > 133800: # la

      chars += 3

    if pos > 134000: # nuit

      chars += len(words[-1])+1

  if 135756 < pos: # 22

    line += 1

    words = lyrics[line].split(' ')

    chars = len(words[0])+1 # pour

    if pos > 136200: # nous

      chars += len(words[1])+1

    if pos > 138000: # pour

      chars += len(words[2])+1

    if pos > 138500: # chaqu'un

      chars += len(words[3])+1

    if pos > 139000: # et

      chars += len(words[4])+1

    if pos > 139400: # tous

      chars += len(words[5])+1

    if pos > 140500: # des

      chars += len(words[6])+1

    if pos > 141000: # vies

      chars += len(words[7])+1

  if 142280 < pos: # 23

    line += 1

    words = lyrics[line].split(' ')

    chars = len(words[0])+1 # tous

    if pos > 142700: # les

      chars += len(words[1])+1

    if pos > 143000: # cendres

      chars += len(words[2])+1

    if pos > 144000: # des

      chars += len(words[3])+1

    if pos > 144300: # hommes

      chars += len(words[4])+1

    if pos > 145000: # rest

      chars += len(words[5])+1

  if 146484 < pos: # 24

    line += 1

    words = lyrics[line].split(' ')

    chars = len(words[0])+1 # comme

    if pos > 147000: # un

      chars += len(words[1])+1

    if pos > 147500: # mem

      chars += 3

      if pos > 148500: # oire

        chars += 5

    if pos > 149000: # par

      chars += 3

      if pos > 150000: # faite

        chars += 6

  if 150741 < pos: # 25

    line += 1

    words = lyrics[line].split(' ')

    chars = 3 # cri

    if pos > 151300: # ant

      chars += 4

    if pos > 151700: # a

      chars += 2

    if pos > 152000: # la

      chars += 3

    if pos > 152200: # nuit

      chars += len(words[-1])+1

  if 158316 < pos: # 26

    line += 1

  if 161460 < pos: # 27

    line += 1

    words = lyrics[line].split(' ')

    chars = len(words[0])+1 # mais

    if pos > 162000: # le

      chars += len(words[1])+1

    if pos > 162200: # coeur

      chars += len(words[2])+1

    if pos > 164000: # rest

      chars += 4

      if pos > 164300: #era

        chars += 4

  if 166160 < pos: # 28

    line += 1

    words = lyrics[line].split(' ')

    chars = len(words[0])+1 # comme

    if pos > 166500: # un

      chars += len(words[1])+1

    if pos > 167000: # sil

      chars += 3

      if pos > 167500: #hou

        chars += 3

      if pos > 168000: #ette

        chars += 5

    if pos > 169100: # de

      chars += len(words[3])+1

    if pos > 169500: # temps

      chars += len(words[4])+1

  if 171198 < pos: # 29

    line += 1

    words = lyrics[line].split(' ')

    chars = 6 # entend

    if pos > 171600: # ez

      chars += 3

    if pos > 172200: # les

      chars += len(words[1])+1

    if pos > 172650: # echos

      chars += len(words[2])+1

    if pos > 173200: # qui

      chars += len(words[3])+1

    if pos > 173650: # rent

      chars += len(words[4])+1

  if 175850 < pos: # 30

    line += 1

    words = lyrics[line].split(' ')

    chars = len(words[0])+1 # a

    if pos > 176500: #l'hori

      chars += 6

      if pos > 177500: # zon

        chars += 4

    if pos > 178000: # mit

      chars += 3

      if pos > 178500: #oy

        chars += 2

      if pos > 179000: # on

        chars += 3

  if 180305 < pos: # 31

    line += 1

    words = lyrics[line].split(' ')

    chars = 3 # cri

    if pos > 180900: # ant

      chars += 4

    if pos > 181500: # a

      chars += 2

    if pos > 182000: # la

      chars += 3

    if pos > 182600: # nuit

      chars += len(words[-1])+1

  if 189278 < pos: # 32

    line += 1

 

  screen.fill((0,0,0))

  draw_line(line, chars)

  pygame.display.update()

---

Posted on 2022-10-14 by Jach

Tags: french, pygame, song translation

Permalink: https://www.thejach.com/view/id/401

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