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Sea Green Singers - Lily - by Isabelle Mambour - Score and lyrics - Score on one page: |
Lilly byPierre Perret - Translated
from French: Mike Cox |
parole Lily - Pierre Perret lyrics Elle croyait qu'on était égaux, Lily Elle aimait tant la liberté, Lily Elle a déchargé des cageots, Lily Et quand on l'appelait Blanche-Neige, Lily Elle aima un beau blond frisé, Lily Elle a essayé l'Amérique, Lily Mais, dans un meeting à Memphis, Lily Et c'est pour conjurer sa peur, Lily Mais, dans ton combat quotidien, Lily On la trouvait plutôt jolie, Lily
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Lilly byPierre Perret - Translated from French: Mike
Cox
. C--------------Dm---C----------G7
1. Some said she was really pretty- Lily
C-------Dm-----C--------------G7
She came by boat from Somalie, Lilly
G-----F--------Em
In a ship full of refugees,
------Dm-------C
they all came voluntarily,
-----------G7------C--Riff
To empty dustbins in Pareeh.
C-----------Dn----G7
2. She thought equality the norm, Lily
C-----------Dm------C-------------G7
Where Voltaire and Hugo were born, Lily
G----------F------Em
In contrast Debussy writes
------------Dm-----------------C
Two black notes for one that is white,
-------------G7---C-----------G
That's quite a difference to the norm.
C----------------Am--------G7----C
3. The thing she loved was liberty, Lilly
E7------------------Am------Am
She dreamed about fraternity, Lilly
--------G7------------C
A hotel keeper put her right,
--------Dm----------Am
On the day that she'd just arrived
--------B7------------E-----E7
hat they would only take on whites.
C--------Dm-----------------C----------------G7
3. She stacked shelves and cleaned out the loo, Lilly
C ---------Dm-----C---------G7
jobs noone else wanted to do, Lilly
G-------Dm----------C------G7
She sold veg standing on her feet,
----------Dm ------------------C
and her black brothers kept the beat,
--------G7-----------C----G
With pneumatic drills in the street.
C-----------------Dm----------C-----------------G7
4. And when they laughed and called Snow White, Lilly
C------------Dm--------C-------G7
She didn't show she was up tight, Lilly
-G-----------------F-----------------Em
She laughed a smile so wide, with gritted teeth,
-------Dm--------C
Took it in her stride,
------------G7----------C------G
So they'd not see her when she cried
--C-------------Am-------G-----C
5. A blond guy courted her a while, Lilly,
E---------E------------Am----Am
ready to take her up the aisle Lilly,
Am---------G---------------C
But his folks made it all quite clear,
------------Dm-----------Am--
Though we're not racist never fear,
--------B7---------E-------E7
But its not what we want just here.
C----------Dm-----C------G7
6. America took her fancy,Lilly
C----------Dm-------C------G7
The great land of democracy, Lilly
G-----------F--------------Em
She very soon became aware, Lilly
-----------Dm------------C
the colour hopeless over there
----------G7---------C---G
is just as black as over here
C-------Dm-----------C-----G7
But in a meeting in Memphis, Lilly
C-------------Dm-----C-----G7
She there saw Angela Davis, Lilly,
G----------F----------------Em
Who said 'You sre my sister right?
-------Dm-------------C
If we unite, the fear we'll fight,
------------G7-----------C-------G
Of wolves watching the hunters might.
C--------------F-----------G7-----C
6. And then to put her fear to flight, Lilly,
E7 -------------------------Am--------Am
She raised a clenched fist its full heights,Lilly,
F -------------G7---------C
In the middle of all these clowns,
--------------G------------E
who burn the buses in the towns,
------B7---------------E--------E7
buses which kept the black from white.
C----------Dm-------------C----G7
In the grief out there in the street, Lilly
C---------------Dm---------C-----G7
You'll find your-self a guy so sweet,Lilly
G------------------F--------Em
A child to you'll be born one day,
---------Dm---------C
the colour of love people will say,
-----G7-------------------C
And that's one thing none can defeat.
C------------------Dm---C-----G7
Some said she was really pretty, Lilly
C------------Dm---------C------G7
She came by boat from Somalie, Lilly
G--------F--------Em
In a boat full of refugees
--------Dm-----------C
They all came voluntarily
------------G---------C
To empty dust bins in Pareeh
In a boat full of refugees
They all came voluntarily
to empty dustbins in Pareeh