The big pop tune of the mid 1300’s, this is a monodic Virelai written by star court composer Guillaume de Machaut. So you’ll have that one ready for your next pub quiz, right?
Anyway, I probably shouldn’t tell to preserve the image of depth and mystery, but this arrangement was pulled together in the Alice, Shirley and Richard in the studio in15 minutes or so it took me to fuss around with my electric guitar sound.
lyrics
Douce dame jolie,
Pour dieu ne pensés mie
Que nulle ait signorie
Seur moy fors vous seulement.
Qu'adès sans tricherie
Chierie
Vous ay et humblement
Tous les jours de ma vie
Servie
Sans villain pensement.
Helas! et je mendie
D'esperance et d'aïe;
Dont ma joie est fenie,
Se pité ne vous en prent.
Douce dame jolie.
Mais vo douce maistrie
Maistrie
Mon cuer si durement
Qu'elle le contralie
Et lie
En amour tellement
Qu'il n'a de riens envie
Fors d'estre en vo baillie;
Et se ne li ottrie
Vos cuers nul aligement.
Douce dame jolie.
Et quant ma maladie
Garie
Ne sera nullement
Sans vous, douce anemie,
Qui lie
Estes de mon tourment,
A jointes mains deprie
Vo cuer, puis qu'il m'oublie,
Que temprement m'ocie,
Car trop langui longuement.
Douce dame jolie,
Pour dieu ne pensés mie
Que nulle ait signorie
Seur moy fors vous seulement.
English:
Sweet and pretty lady,
For God’s sake do not think
That anyone has power
Over me except you alone.
For always without trickery
My dear
I have humbly
All the days of my life
Served you
Without any base thought.
Alas! I am without
Hope and help;
So my joy is ended
Unless pity seizes you.
Sweet and pretty lady…
But your sweet rule
Rules
My heart so harshly
That it fights with [my heart]
And binds
It so in love
That [my heart] desires nothing
Other than being under your power;
And yet your heart gives it
No relief.
Sweet and pretty lady…
And since my illness
Will be
Cured in no way
Without you, sweet enemy,
Who are happy
At my troubles,
With joined hands I beg
Your heart, since it forgets me,
To kill me quickly,
For I have languished too long.
Sweet and pretty lady,
For God’s sake do not think
That anyone has power
Over me except you alone.
A collection of jazz standards from this Chicago artist recalls the genre’s swing era, with waltzing rhythms and skipping guitars. Bandcamp New & Notable Jul 12, 2021
The Arkadia Jazz All-Stars deliver a low-lit, elegant take on Duke Ellington classics, each note delivered with tenderness and grace. Bandcamp New & Notable Sep 19, 2022
