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| EponineBarker |
On My Own vs. L'Un Vers L'AutreWhich do you...Like better? Think is more in character? Any miscellaneous things you wish to add about the song? L'Un Vers L'Autre (From the OFC) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcOg87I_b9s (I apologize if the English translation is not entirely correct. I got it off another site.) Two angels which are discovered has nothing to explain two hearts which are found said all without speech I often dreamed in the arms of Marius to be in his place in front of this happiness of another world the jealousy is erased They went without knowing one towards the other as the chance when she seeks the chance two children put at the world one by the other to play the heroes of a history They go down from the clouds radiant of mystery to make a long voyage of love on this ground Hardly they were seen that they were recognized before knowing Happiness suits them well one to the other a blind man in his c_ur could see it the happiness that made badly at the others when one does not have a role in the history But in a part has two the others do not have counterpart they are in the public They went without knowing one towards the other and the chance found the chance one cannot any more like them one without the other without betraying the morals of the history. On My Own (Currently in the show) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efQDIe-ZFdc&feature=related And now I'm all alone again Nowhere to turn, no one to go to. Without a home, without a friend without a face to say hello to But now the night is near And I can make-believe he's here Sometimes I walk alone at night When everybody else is sleeping I think of him and then I'm happy With the company I'm keeping The city goes to bed And I can live inside my head On my own Pretending he's beside me All alone I walk with him 'til morning Without him, I feel his arms around me And when I lose my way, I close my eyes and he has found me In the rain The pavement shines like silver All the lights are misty in the river In the darkness, the trees are full of starlight And all I see is him and me forever and forever And I know it's only in my mind That I'm talking to myself and not to him And although I know that he is blind Still I say there's a way for us I love him But when the night is over He is gone The river's just a river Without him, the world around me changes The trees are bare and everywhere the streets are full of strangers I love him But every day I'm lonely All my life I've only been pretending Without me, his world will go on turning The world is full of happiness that I have never known I love him I love him I love him... But only on my own... |
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| Disney-Bway27 |
Wow. The lyrics for L'Un Vers L'Autre are beautiful. | ||||||
| lesmisloony |
L'Un Vers L'Autre hands down. | ||||||
| Vanessa20 |
I can't choose. I like them both. I'll just express my thoughts on L'Un Vers L'Autre and how I think it compares to OMO.
Pros: It's less whiny and self-pitying than OMO arguably is (note: I said arguably; I don't necessarily think of OMO that way), since it's more of a reflection than a lament. It's truer to Hugo's Eponine in that Hugo never gave her any angsty inner monologues; its more true to the spirit of her line "None of that, Lisette" at the corresponding point in the Brick. Cons: It's less dramatic and cathartic than OMO; a part of me prefers the big belty songs. It's too selfless and resigned to be totally true to Hugo's "None shall have him" Eponine. OMO's (arguably) more self-pitying tone may be truer to the essence of her character. |
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| Fantine |
L'un vers l'autre is a nice song and has a fine ring to it, but I think it would be too dull to put it back into the musical.
Let's face it, OMO is one of the reasons that Les Mis is popular. That translation isn't very good 
This one from Mme Bahorel is a lot better. The translation you posted is a bit too literal and sometimes just wrong with s/he's and all that: Two angels who discover each other Have nothing to explain. Two souls who find each other again Have said everything without speaking. I often dreamed in Marius� arms to be in her place. Before this happiness from another world, Jealousy disappears They walked without knowing one after the other Like luck when she looks for the chance. Two children put into the world one for the other In order to play the leads in a story They descend from the clouds, Radiating mystery, In order to make a long voyage Of love on this earth. With trouble they saw each other That they recognised each other Before knowing each other Happiness suits them well, one to the other, A blind man in his heart could see it Happiness creates misery for others When they don�t have a role in the story. But in a two-man play The others have no counterpart They are in the audience. They walked without knowing one after the other And luck has found the chance One can no longer love them one without the other Without giving away the moral of the story. |
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| Quique |
Lyrically, L'un vers l'autre is superior. Musically and orchestrally, OMO is miles ahead imo. | ||||||
| jackrussell |
On My Own.
I like the opening musical theme of L'Un Vers L'Autre (which is better used elsewhere) but the main theme, while pleasant enough, just doesn't generate the same emotional response as the Air de la Misere tune of On My Own does. As Vanessa said, it depicts a more resigned Eponine, and is just not quite as powerful because of that. On My Own really doesn't deserve the bad press it gets, although it does invite it, with some of the lines. As said in the other discussion thread, it's should never just be about unrequited love, it's about Eponine's general hardship and loneliness, the fact that she fantasised about Marius as a way to escape from that, and thanks to Cosette that fantasy has now come into such conflict with reality that it's in danger of being destroyed, leaving her with nothing. |
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| Gargamel |
This second transaltion is good, but I've spoted one mistakes...
"� peine se sont-ils vus Qu�ils se sont reconnus Avant de se conna�tre" Is translated here: "With trouble they saw each other That they recognised each other Before knowing each other" But I would say: "The moment they saw each other they recognised each other Before knowing each other" But I have to say the whole translation is very good, true to the meaning of the lyrics, but in english, they sound quite bad. The original lyrics flow much better... By the way, I love both songs... The lyrics are more poetic in "L'un vers l'autre", but the song is not as powerfull as OMO! "L'un vers l'autre" is a lovely transitionnal moment, as OMO is a kind of climax for Eponine. The consequence is that in the original musical, Eponine's love for Marius was considered as a sub-plot, as in the actual one, it is often seen as part of the main plot. And by the way, I think the two songs are equaly untrue to the brick. in the novel, Eponine is a musch more complicated character, and then of course much more interesting! 
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| Ulkis |
I agree with jackrussel - the first couple of lines of l'une vers l'autre are good, but the rest of the song is a snooze. On My Own gets my vote. | ||||||
| EponineBarker |
As much as I love both songs, I agree with both points; if L'un vers l'autre was put into the show, I don't think it would be placed where OMO is, I think it would be like right after "A Heart Full of Love" and wouldn't have to same impact as OMO.
Thank you for posting that.  I saw that translation somewhere before, but I couldn't find it again! *hence the sucky one*
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| Orestes Fasting |
Yes, well, verse in translation is like a symphony played on the piano. The real shape and beauty of the original are never going to come through. I've been translating the '91 Paris lyrics of Les Mis into English as a hobby, and when I step back and look at the translations I've produced they sound completely unfamiliar.
There are a couple corrections I'd make too: "one after the other" should be "towards each other" or something similar, the stanza you pointed out might work better as "Barely had they seen each other / when they recognized each other...", and the last line would be much better rendered as "WIthout betraying the moral of the story," which preserves the slightly ambiguous use of 'trahir.' (Either revealing a secret, or betrayal in the sense of disloyalty.) But Mme Bahorel's translations are indeed very useful, and they're now back on the web at www.placedauphine.net. No more sifting through archive.org! |
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| Gargamel |
Orestes, you found better english words than me!
As for "Toward each other": I couldn't figure how to translate that idea into english words... (English os not my first language) I agree with you: Mme Bahorel's translations are very good. Let's come back to OMO: The first version of that song was "la mis�re", and was sung by Fantine. I think I once saw a video where they said they had a very hard time trying to translate that song and couldn't fond anything good enough. That's why they removed that song to fantine and gave it to Eponine... Then the real question would be: "La mis�re or On My Own"? |
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| EponineMNFF |
Took the words right out of my mouth.  I agree with that completely.
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| Colle |
I think I like OMO a little better, L'un vers l'autre, makes Eponine sound a little too nice, sweet IMO. | ||||||
| EponineBarker |
I guess considering they were both songs sung by Eponine (after they gave the La mis�re/OMO melody to her) they seemed more comparable to me 'cause I think they show different aspects of her character. |
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| Mistress |
I third this....L'un Vers Autre has some of thr most beautiful lyrics I've ever heard, but OMO is musically better. |
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| Ulkis |
I wish we could actually kick out both of these songs or "Little Fall of Rain" (preferably "Rain") and write lyrics to Honegger's "Death of Eponine" from the 1934 movie score. It's bittersweet and sad and faster-paced than "L'un Vers l'autre", perfect for the scene. Sigh. So pretty. | ||||||
| bigR |
L'un vers l'autre is the cheesiest song ever. Cheesy music, cheesy voice and even cheesier lyrics. And it's even less canon than OMO.
OMO wins hands down. |
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| lizavert |
Considering that I have L'un vers l'autre on my mp3 player, and absolutely no versions of OMO...I'm gonna go with L'un vers l'autre.
But that's just my opinion. |