Charles Aznavour - On my life

Original title: "Sur ma vie"
Year: 1956

On my life
One day, I've sworn to you
To love you until the last day of my days
And the same word,
Very soon, had to,
Unite us in front of God and men

On my life, I have sworm to you
That this bond will hold until the end of Times
This is how we were living
Drunk with passion
And my heart wanted to offer you my name

Close to the organs which were singing
In front of God who was praying
Happy, I was waiting for you
But the organs went silent
And God disappeared
Because you did not come

On my life....
I've sworm to you that my heart
Will never beat for another heart
And everything is lost
Because it is not beating anymore
But it's crying for my disappointed love

On my life...
One day, I've sworn to you
To love you until the last day of my days
And even now
I'll hold my oath
In spite of the hurt you inflicted me

On my life...
Honey...
I will love you.

Live version:
Version of Les Compagnons de la Chanson:

Edith Piaf - Lovers for a day

Original title: "Les amants d'un jour"
Text: Claude Delécluse and Michèle Senlis
Music: Marguerite Monnot
Year: 1956

Me, I wipe the glasses at the back of the café
I have way too much to do to be able to dream
But in that setting, so banal you could cry
It seems to me that I still see them arrive

They arrived, holding each other by the hand
looking filled with wonder
Like two cherubs
Carrying the sun
They asked
With a tranquil voice
A roof to love one another
In the heart of the city
And I remember
That they looked with a melting look
At the hotel room with the yellowed wallpaper
And when I closed the door on them
There was so much sun in the bottom of their eyes
That it hurt me
That it hurt me

Me, I wipe the glasses at the back of the café
I have way too much to do to be able to dream
But in that setting, so banal you could cry
It's body against body that they have been found
We found them holding hands
Eyes closed up
On other mornings
Filled with sun
They have been laid
Joined and tranquil
In a digged bed
In the heart of the city
And I remember
Having closed in the early morning
The hotel room of the one day lovers
But they planted at the bottom of my heart
A piece of sun and so many colors
That it's hurting me so much
That it's hurting me so much

Me, I wipe the glasses at the back of the café
I have way too much to do to be able to dream
But in that setting, so banal you could cry
There is still outside: the "Room to rent".

It has been sung by other singers, an example below
Daniel Guichard's version:


And most importantly here is Piaf singing the song in an English version:

Georges Brassens - I made myself small

Original Title: "Je me suis fait tout petit"
Year: 1956

I had never taken my hat off
in front of anyone
Now I crawl and curry favour
when she rings for me
I was a rotten dog, she makes me eat
in her hand
I had wolves teeth, I changed them
for toothy-pegs

I made myself all small in front of a doll
Who closes her eyes when she is laid down
I made myself small in front of a doll
Who makes "Mommy" when she is touched

I was an hard nut to crack, she converted me
The gourmet
And I fell all warm, all roasted
Against her mouth
Which has baby teeth when she smiles
When she sings
And wolves teeth when she is termagant
When she is malicious

I made myself all small in front of a doll
Who closes her eyes when she is laid down
I made myself small in front of a doll
Who makes "Mommy" when she is touched

I was subjected to her law, I toe the line
Under her grip
Even though she is jealous far beyong anything
And even worse
A pretty periwinkle who seemed to me
prettier than her
A pretty periwinkle one day died from it
of parasol's blows

I made myself all small in front of a doll
Who closes her eyes when she is laid down
I made myself small in front of a doll
Who makes "Mommy" when she is touched

All the sleepwalkers, all the mages have
told me intending no harm
That between her arms in a cross, I would suffer
my last torture
There are worst ones, there are better ones
But all in all
Be it that we hang ourselves here, that we hang ourselves elsewhere
If one has to hang himself

I made myself all small in front of a doll
Who closes her eyes when she is laid down
I made myself small in front of a doll
Who makes "Mommy" when she is touched

René-Louis Lafforgue - Christmas at sea

Original Title: "Noël en mer"
Year: 1956

Christmas at sea, on a boat
that is being worn out by the wave and the squall of winter
Christmas at sea

They are going away beyond the winds
Those sailors of the end of December
Looking at the bottom of the oceans
for what to fill their vessel
Their hands gnawed by the cold
The faces larded with salt
The fate makes them quite an hard life
And though, tonight it's Christmas

Christmas at sea, on a boat
that is being worn out by the wave and the squall of winter
Christmas at sea

They work while keeping quiet
Dreaming that in this day of December
They always have their white Christmas
Back home where everything waits for them
There Where ground is firm and safe
Over there, at the other end of the sky
They imagine their hovels
Flourished by the Christmas tree

Christmas at sea, on a boat
that is being worn out by the wave and the squall of winter
Christmas at sea

If destiny has some common sense
If it has two ounces of kindness
Let it make sure that for tomorrow
the fishing to be like a leaven
That the wind hits the sails
Bringing back like a rainbow
Those sailors to the port, without wounds
So they may taste Christmas

Christmas at sea, on a boat
that is being worn out by the wave and the squall of winter
Christmas at sea

Jacques Brel - When all you have is love

Original Title: "Quand on a que l'amour"

Year: 1956

When all one have is love
to offer as sharing
at the day of the great journey
that is our big love

When all you have is love
My love you and me
To burst with joy
Every hour and every day

When all you have is love
To live our promisses
With no other wealth
Than to always believe in it

When all you have is love
To furnish with marvels
And cover with sun
The ugliness of the suburbs

When all you have is love
as only reason
as only song
And as only help

When all you have is love
To dress at daybreak
Poors and brigands
With velvet coats

When all you have is love
To offer as prayer
For the evils of the earth
As a simple troubadour

When all you have is love
To offer to those
whose sole battle
Is to look for the day

When all you have is love
To trace a path
And force destiny
At every crossroad

When all you have is love
To talk to the canons
And convince a drum
Then without having anything
else but the strength to love
We will have in ours hands,
Friends, the whole world

Studio version:

Léo Ferré - Rutebeuf - Poor Rutebeuf

Original Title: "Pauvre Rutebeuf"
Text: adapted from several poems by Rutebeuf (XIIIth century)
Year: 1956

What has become of my friends
whom I held so close
And loved so much
They have been too scarce
I believe the wind took them off
Love is dead
Those are friends that wind takes away
And the wind was blowing in front of my door
And took them away

With weather that defoliates the trees
when there are in branches no more leaves left
which do not fall down to the ground
With poverty that appals me
that, from everywhere, wages war against me
At the time of winter
It's not suitable for me to tell you
How I shamed myself
In which way

What has become of my friends
whom I held so close
And loved so much?
They have been too scarce
I believe the wind took them off
Love is dead
The evil can not come alone
All that had to come to me
happened to me

Poor sense and poor memory
has God given to me, the King of glory
and poor income
And straight to the ass when north wind blows
the wind comes to me, the wind airs me
Love, she is dead
Those are friends that wind takes away
And the wind was blowing in front of my door
Took them away

Hope of tomorrows are my feasts

Jacques Douai's version:

Cora Vaucaire's version:

Cora Vaucaire "Que sont mes amis devenus ?" par ina