Translation of Ophelia by Natalie Merchant

From:

Ophelia was a bride of god
a novice Carmelite
in sister cells the cloister bells
tolled on her wedding night

Ophelia was the rebel girl
a blue stocking suffragette
who remedied society
between her cigarettes

and Ophelia was a sweetheart
to the nation over night
curvaceous thighs
vivacious eyes
love was at first sight...

Ophelia was a demigoddess
in pre war Babylon
so statuesque a silhouette
in black satin evening gowns

Ophelia was the mistress to a
Vegas gambling man
Signora Ophelia Maraschina
Mafia courtesan

Ophelia was a circus queen
the female cannonball
projected through five flaming hoops
to wild and shocked applause...

Ophelia was a tempest, cyclone,
a god damned hurricane
your common sense
your best defense
lay wasted and in vain

Ophelia'd know your every woe
and pain you'd ever had
she'd sympathize
and dry your eyes
and help you to forget...

Ophelia's mind went wandering
you'd wonder where she'd gone
through secret doors
down corridors
she'd wander them alone
all alone


(voice in german)
"Es kostet mich keine kleine Krise die Verunreinigung und das
Suechtige aus meinem Leben auszuschliessen"
("But it is for me no little effort to exclude the polluting and the addictive
from my life." )
(voice in spanish)
"compondo musica , en un estado de ecstases"
("composing music , in a state of ecstasy")
(Voice in french)
"Ce fut une enfance sans rire, sans larme"
(It was a childhood without laughing, without tears)
(voice in spanish)
"fuerza de vida , de vida"
("strength of life , of life")
(voice in german)
"Mein Vater ist ein Architekt"
("My father is an architect." )
Translate to:

Ophelia was a bride of god
a novice Carmelite
in sister cells the cloister bells
tolled on her wedding night

Ophelia was the rebel girl
a blue stocking suffragette
who remedied society
between her cigarettes

and Ophelia was a sweetheart
to the nation over night
curvaceous thighs
vivacious eyes
love was at first sight...

Ophelia was a demigoddess
in pre war Babylon
so statuesque a silhouette
in black satin evening gowns

Ophelia was the mistress to a
Vegas gambling man
Signora Ophelia Maraschina
Mafia courtesan

Ophelia was a circus queen
the female cannonball
projected through five flaming hoops
to wild and shocked applause...

Ophelia was a tempest, cyclone,
a god damned hurricane
your common sense
your best defense
lay wasted and in vain

Ophelia'd know your every woe
and pain you'd ever had
she'd sympathize
and dry your eyes
and help you to forget...

Ophelia's mind went wandering
you'd wonder where she'd gone
through secret doors
down corridors
she'd wander them alone
all alone


(voice in german)
"Es kostet mich keine kleine Krise die Verunreinigung und das
Suechtige aus meinem Leben auszuschliessen"
("But it is for me no little effort to exclude the polluting and the addictive
from my life." )
(voice in spanish)
"compondo musica , en un estado de ecstases"
("composing music , in a state of ecstasy")
(Voice in french)
"Ce fut une enfance sans rire, sans larme"
(It was a childhood without laughing, without tears)
(voice in spanish)
"fuerza de vida , de vida"
("strength of life , of life")
(voice in german)
"Mein Vater ist ein Architekt"
("My father is an architect." )