Shakespeare / Brassens / Thackray

[richardtobrien]

This is going to touch on a few different people’s areas of expertise, and I’ve emailed a couple of you already so apologies for cross-posting/bombarding, but: I’m working on a paper about Jake (in part) to be presented at an academic conference next month, and I’m trying to fill in some gaps, particularly in terms of biographical detail. The paper is considering the relationship between Hamlet Act 5 Scene 1, the scene with Yorick’s skull and the singing gravediggers, and songs sung by gravedigger characters including Jake’s ‘The Gravedigger’ and Brassens ‘Le Fossoyeur’, which clearly partially inspired it. Partly I want to look at how direct/indirect cultural allusion and translation can be, and I’m hoping some of you might know more about Jake’s relationship with Shakespeare’s work, especially Hamlet, and/or this specific Brassens song from a biographical perspective.

I know Jake studied at Durham (though I understand it was languages, not English?), and that he was a teacher – presumably an English teacher? – so it seems unlikely that he wouldn’t have had some kind of direct engagement with Shakespeare, and probably Hamlet, in his academic training/his own classroom. Has anyone come across any writing by or anecdotes about Jake that suggest any specific knowledge of or interest in Shakespeare/Hamlet (other than a general Jaques-esque attraction to a melancholy tune), or is there anyone here who had first-hand knowledge of Jake, or in touch with anyone who did, who might know if he ever taught or wrote about Shakespeare? I imagine his Intake School students would be particularly useful to speak to here, or former coursemates.

The talk itself is on June 6th at the British Graduate Shakespeare Conference in Stratford-upon-Avon, and I can post more details nearer the time and the text of the paper when it’s all done – it will also feature an original translation of the Brassens song. Any help or suggestions that anyone can offer, however minor, would be very much appreciated!

[Judith]

Hi Richard

I’m very interested in what you are doing here. Back in 2005 there was a group of us here on this website, (or an earlier version of it) who got interested in trying to translate Brassens’ work into English. We called ourselves ‘Brasso’ and had a separate section to ourselves on the website. We had a lot of fun. During one of the rebuilds of the website, when our enthusiasm for translation was running down a bit, our Brasso section went into store. For a time Gordon said he was keeping it safe somewhere, but I don’t know if that is still the case. (Gordon?)

I managed to save a folder of some of our translations in my Documents, and I have just discovered a translation of Le Fossoyeur among them. I shall be interested to see how it compares with what you have made of it, when your work is done.

Can’t help you on the Shakespeare front I am afraid.

Good luck with the project.

[richardtobrien]

Hi Judith, this probably isn’t the right way for me to have gone about things but I actually did the translation already, just because it was fun – here it is, for what it’s worth. Quite a free version in places, but then I like to think Jake would have done the same..

A F#m A D E
Heaven knows that I’m decent deep down
A F#m B7 E
I never wish a body underground
A A7
But if Death hung up his scythe
D C#7
I could barely keep alive
F#m E D E A
It’s a dog’s life digging graves

It’s a living wage, making my bread
And butter off the backs of the dead
Some say it gives me a thrill
But I work against my will
It’s a dog’s life digging graves

If I let myself shed a tear or look sad
It’s a good old laugh for all the lads
They say ‘Hey old boy, chin up,
Sometimes you look like death warmed up’
It’s a dog’s life digging graves

For all I tell myself ‘all things must pass’,
I don’t understand why that’s the case
And I’ll never be someone
Who just takes death as it comes
It’s a dog’s life digging graves

Though we never met, friend, fare thee well
If you meet the Lord halfway to Hell
Tell him how dearly I’ve paid
For a pickaxe and a spade
It’s a dog’s life digging graves
It’s a dog’s life digging graves

(Some of the chords, and chord placements might be a bit off, but if you play then feel free to try it out!)

[richardtobrien]

Looks like the chords just move wherever they want to, so never mind that bit.

[richardshields]

Brasso!!! Wow – I forgot all about that – I did a version of Chanson Pour L’Auvergnat in English – I don’t even have a copy of that.

[Judith]

I have a copy, Richard, but I can’t find out how to attach it here. I browse my documents to find it then double click on it but it doesn’t appear in the box for attachments.

[Michel A]

Apologies for the delay, Richard : I have been travelling these last weeks and have just come home … and across your interesting quest thanks to Pam Archer and Pierre Schuller.
As you may have seen in an article I wrote for Pierre and “AUPRES DE SON ARBRE” under the title « Brassens et la langue de Shakespeare » ( published last Autumn in the French magazine “LES AMIS DE GEORGES” – N° 135 ), « Le Fossoyeur » was first « tradapted » by Andrew Kelly thirty years ago and then by Joe Flood in 2011.
So, with what Judith has just mentioned here and your own very recent piece of work it has now reached the « class » of those songs by GB that can be sung in at least four different English versions !
It is quite certain that Jake knew « Le Fossoyeur » ( published in 1952 ) when he wrote his own « The Gravedigger ». And one may be sure that he knew Shakespeare ‘s « Hamlet » very well too. As for Brassens, although he didn’t speak English, he must have read a number of translations of Shakespeare’s plays as he was a very well-read singer-songwriter.
Now, had he studied « Hamlet » BEFORE writing « Le Fossoyeur » ?
That’s a good question and I’ll see if I can get elements of answer here or there.
Loïc Robinot, who was Colin Evans’s French assistant in the University of Cardiff between 1969 and 1972 and met Brassens on the latter’s first trip to Wales in 1970 ( and several times afterwards ), may have talked it over with him. Do read his excellent little book « Sur ma route, un certain … Georges Brassens » ( published in 2012 ) and get in touch with him.
I am sorry I can’t tell you more for the moment but if I do get hold of something more substantial be sure I’ll be happy to share it with you.
Best wishes,
Michel

[Jonathan Sims]

Interesting snippet from an old (1981) biography of Brassens by Pierre Berruer. (My translation)
“… [through his agent] he received a curious invitation from a Welsh teacher of French, Colin Davis, who used Brassens’s songs for French studies.
He had a lot of invitations of this type. And so as not to upset anyone, Georges felt obliged to refuse them all. But, from the English [sic] – that was unexpected all the same. The matter dragged on a bit and finally in October 1970 he turned up in Cardiff where he was completely surprised to discover his ‘little songs’ were up there with the great classics. This was an aspect of his work which he couldn’t – or wouldn’t – accept”

No mention of Jake, however.

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