La Mauvaise Réputation / Bad Reputation - George Brassens

What is culture? Is there any universal culture? Dictionaries in any language define "culture" as: a set of lifestyles, habits, knowledge, abilities, experiences, training, beliefs, behaviors, attitudes, values, aims, practices and qualities of humans in certain place, moment and social situation that can be sent to others.
So, a song lyric that depicts a way of life, describes an experience, shows some social values and expounds some human qualities; if also the lyric of that song is translated to more than five languages... I think that qualify as an example of universal culture.
A marvelous thing about a communication tool such as the Internet is the possibility to transmit culture to other places, to people living other daily realities and has other beliefs.
I decided that adding one more translation to this song that is already a perfect example of universal culture, was irrelevant and a waste of the transmission tool that the Internet could be. Instead, I came to a much more "cultural" idea: to compile all the different versions in the many languages that exist.

To start, let's go to the beginning. It's a simple song that last a little more of 2 minutes, wrote by a folk singer, philosopher, interpreter, poet, singer-songwriter, anarchist and "worldlogist" of the universal culture: George Brassens, 60 years ago in November of 1952.
This little song, has 4 verses with assonant rhyme and a chorus that express some humor as black as the tobacco smoked by its author. Enough to deliver a message anti-conformist, anti-fatalist and against the death penalty that can propel the whole world... But also a clear message antimilitarist and anticlerical that can understand the whole world.
A very expressive song that repudiates all the conventions and the tags, and that could be labelled as revolutionary - caused its banning during some governments/times of strong limitations and limited minds - if not such progressive and visceral to enhance our individual qualities that make each one of us different a unique and unrepeatable person... I already said it, it's a very crystal-clear example of Universal Culture.

The song's name portrays it wholly: La Mauvaise Réputation.
Translated to English as: Bad Reputation.

In this task of compilation I found 6 English versions of this song.
First a simple basic translation from the original in French:
In my village, without pretention,
I have a bad reputation,
Whatever I do or what I do not,
I'm taken for -- I don't know what!
Yet I'm not hurting anyone
By going my own way.

But good people don't much like
Those who tread a different path,
No, good people don't much like
Those who take a different path,
Everyone speaks ill of me
Except the mutes, of course.

On the fourteenth of July,
I stay in my cozy bed.
All that marching music
Is nothing to do with me.
But I'm not doing anyone any harm,
By not listening to the sounding bugle.

But good people don't much like
Those who tread a different path,
No, good people don't much like
Those who take a different path,
Everyone points their finger at me
Except the no-armed, of course.

When I see an unlucky thief
Running away from some dirty farmer;
I kick out and, fair enough to say,
The farmer is flat on the ground
But I'm not hurting anyone,
By letting apple scrumpers go.

But good people don't much like
Those who tread a different path,
No, good people don't much like
Those who take a different path,
Everyone chases after me 
Except the no-legged, of course

There's no need to be Jeremiah
To foretell what will happen to me,
If they find a rope they like
They will hang me properly,
Yet I'm not hurting anyone 
By following roads that don't lead to Rome.

But good people don't much like
Those who tread a different path,
No, good people don't much like
Those who take a different path,
Everyone will come and see me hanged
Except the blind, of course!


Then another simple translation, without any metric with the music:
In the village, without pretention
I have a bad reputation
Whether I struggle or I stay quiet
I'm taken for an I-don't-know-what.
Yet, I don't hurt anybody
Following my path of a simple little man.

But the good people don't like that
You follow another path than they.
No, the good people don't like that
You follow another path than they.
Everybody says bad things about me,
except for the mutes, that goes without saying.

The day of July 14 (Bastille Day)
I stay at my cushy bed.
The music which marches in step
it doesn't concern me.
Yet, I don't hurt anybody
by not listening to the bugle that blows.

But the good people don't like that
You follow another path than they.
No, the good people don't like that
You follow another path than they.
Everybody points a finger at me,
except those with no hands, that goes without saying.

When I come across an unlucky thief
pursued by a hillbilly farmer
I kick my foot and why be quiet about it,
the hillbilly falls on the ground.
Yet, I don't hurt anybody
by letting apple thieves run away.

But the good people don't like that
You follow another path than they.
No, the good people don't like that
You follow another path than they.
Everybody pounces on me
Except those with no legs, that goes without saying.

Without need of being Jeremiah
To guess the fate which is promosed me.
If they find a rope they like
they will throw it around my neck.
Yet, I don't hurt anybody
by following the roads which don't lead to Rome.

But the good people don't like that
You follow another path than they.
No, the good people don't like that
You follow another path than they.
Everybody will come to see me hanged
except for the blind, of course.


Other simple translation from David Barfield website that has translated more than 50 Brassens songs:
La mauvaise réputation - Video Lyrics Translation:
In the village, without pretention,
I have a bad reputation.
Whether I make an effort or whether I keep quiet
I am regarded as a I don’t know what.
Yet I don’t do harm to anyone
Going on my own sweet way.

But the good folk don’t like that
You follow another way than them.
No the good folk don’t like that
You follow another way than them.
Every-one speaks ill of me
Except for the dumb, that goes without saying.

On the day of the 14th of July
I keep to my cosy bed.
The marching music
That doesn’t concern me.
Yet I don’t do harm to anyone
By not listening to the bugle that sounds.

But the good folk don’t like that
You follow another way than them.
No the good folk don’t like that
You follow another way than them.
Everyone points at me
Except for those without arms, that goes without saying.

When I run into an unlucky thief
Chased by cultural chap.
I stick out my foot and why keep it quiet,
The cultural chap finds himself on the ground.
Yet I don’t do harm to anyone
By letting apple thieves have a run.

But the good folk don’t like that
You follow another way than them.
No the good folk don’t like that
You follow another way than them.
Everybody pounces on me
Except for those without legs, that goes without saying.

No need to be a Jeremiah
To guess the fate that awaits me.
If they find a rope to their liking,
They will put it around my neck.
Yet I don’t do harm to anyone
By following the paths that don’t lead to Rome.

But the good folk don’t like that
You follow another way than them.
No the good folk don’t like that
You follow another way than them.
Everybody will come to see me hanged
Except for the blind, of course.


The country-folk version of Joe Flood:
You can read the lyrics and listen the whole album, here.
In this small town it's safe to say
My reputation's here to stay
If I do or don't it's all the same
No harm is done to my bad name
I don't do a thing to get people riled
'Cept go along my way like a carefree child

But those good fine folks who never stray
Hate to see you go your own way
Those good fine folks who never stray
Hate to see you go your own way
And everybody curses me
Except the mutes... Obviously

Fourth of July, Memorial Day
At home in bed is where I stay
That music in step, hup, two, three
Has got nothing to do with me
I don't do a thing to hurt one or all
Choosing not to answer the bugle's call

But those good fine folks who never stray
Hate to see you go your own way
Those good fine folks who never stray
Hate to see you go your own way
And everybody points at me
'Cept th' amputees... Obviously

I cross paths with some apple thief
Chased by some clown giving him grief
I stick my foot out just enough
That clown falls down and hushes up
I don't do a thing to hurt anyone
Letting some poor thief and his apples run

But those good fine folks who never stray
Hate to see you go your own way
Those good fine folks who never stray
Hate to see you go your own way
And everybody jumps on me
Except the lame... Obviously

No need to look for prophecies
I know the fate that's promised me
Find them a rope to suit their taste
They'll string me up no time to waste
I don't pose a threat to your house and home
Just because my road doesn't lead to Rome

But those good fine folks who never stray
Hate to see you go your own way
Those good fine folks who never stray
Hate to see you go your own way
They'll all come see me hanged for good
Except the blind... That's understood!


The version of William Hinshaw and Didier Agid: 
'Round here, with no exaggeration
I have a bad reputation.
Stayin’ dum’ or trying my best
They’d just want me under arrest
Ain't doing no harm, not picking a bone
Going round in my own way all alone.

But those folks they sure don’t like me
Follow a different path, you see.
No, those folks they sure don’t like me
Follow a different  path, you see.
They slander me most every day,
Except the mutes needless to say!

When the Fourth Day comes in July,
Inside'n my cosy bed I lie
The music that struts by in time
I disregard, it isn’t mine.
Ain't doing no harm, not picking a bone
With my disrespect towards the clarion sound.

But those folks  they sure don’t like me
Follow a different path, you see.
No, those folks they sure don’t like me
Follow a different path, you see.
Everyone points a finger my way,
Except the handless, needless to say!

When a luckless thief does me pass
With a redneck on his ass,
I stick out a foot. Is it a sin,
The redneck plows the earth with his chin?
Ain't doing no harm, not picking a bone
Givin’ a hand to poor apple thieves on the run.

But those folks they sure don’t like me
Follow a different path, you see.
No, those folks they sure don’t like me
Follow a different  path, you see.
All these types hurl themselves my way
Except the legless, needless to say!

No need to be  Jeremiah
To divine the fate for this pariah
If they find a rope to suit their taste
They’ll pass it ‘round my neck with haste.
Ain't doing no harm, not picking a bone
Wandering on roads far away from old Rome.

But those folks they sure don’t like me
Follow a different path, you see.
No, those folks they sure don’t like me
Follow a different  path, you see.
They’ll see me sway from a dogwood,
Except the blind, well understood!


And finally the partial lyrics of Pierre de Gaillande's jazz version. This is because he doesn't provide the lyrics for free, to get the lyrics you need to buy the entire album... marvelous, isn't it?
You can listen online another part of the song here:
In my corner of the nation
I have a bad reputation
Whether I speak or I shut up
they treat me like a you know what.
Yet, I do no damage to anyone
following the road of the simple son.

But good folks don't appreciate
someone whose path may deviate.
No, good folks don't appreciate
someone whose path may deviate.
Everyone likes to curse at me
except the mutes, obviously.

The morning of Independence day
My cushy bed is where I lay
The music of the marching band
Doesn't impress me not worth a damn
Yet I mean no one any harm at all
When I shut my ears to the bugle call

But good folks don't appreciate
someone whose path may deviate.
No, good folks don't appreciate
someone whose path may deviate.
They point the finger right at me
except, of course, the amputees.


But good folks don't appreciate
someone whose path may deviate.
No, good folks don't appreciate
someone whose path may deviate.
The world will watch my hanging day
except the blind, or so they say.

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Added on Thursday January 17th, 2013:

A verse of The Impossible Dream says: “To right ... the unrightable wrong ...”
Well, in the official Facebook page of BAD REPUTATION - Pierre de Gaillande sings Brassens I asked where could I find the lyrics and get a very kind reply. And also I get the full lyrics.
So, to mend myself for what I said above, here I post everything.

BAD REPUTATION - Pierre de Gaillande sings Brassens BAD REPUTATION / La Mauvaise Reputation
(original lyrics by Georges Brassens, translated by Pierre de Gaillande)
In my corner of the nation
I have a bad reputation
Whether I speak or I shut up
They treat me like a you-know-what.
Yet I do no damage to anyone
Following the road of the simpleton.

But good folks don’t appreciate
Someone whose path may deviate
No good folks don’t appreciate
Someone whose path may deviate
Everyone likes to curse at me...
Except the mutes, obviously.

The morning of Independence Day
My cozy bed is where I lay
The music of the marching bands
Doesn’t impress me worth a damn.
Yet I mean no one any harm at all
When I shut my ears to the bugle call.

But good folks don’t appreciate
Someone whose path may deviate
No good folks don’t appreciate
Someone whose path may deviate.
They point the finger right at me...
Except of course, the amputees

When I cross a thief on the run
Chased by angry Farmer John
I stick my foot out as they pass
And Farmer John lands on his ass.
Yet it’s not my wish to cause any grief
By championing the cause of the petty thief.

But good folks don’t appreciate
Someone whose path may deviate
No good folks don’t appreciate
Someone whose path may deviate.
The mob will chase me with their flames...
Except of course for all the lame

No need to be Jeremy
To see where my story leads
If they find a suitable rope
They will slip it around my throat.
Yet I do no damage to beast or man
When I shun the paths to the Vatican.

But good folks don’t appreciate
Someone whose path may deviate
No good folks don’t appreciate
Someone whose path may deviate.
The world will watch my hanging day...
Except the blind, or so they say

I must say that these lyrics are like a silk glove to the song, it fits perfectly with the spirit of Brassens, with the metric of the music and with the meaning of the words.
Well done Pierre de Gaillande... and bravo to his father too!!

THANKS A LOT!! Now all the versions I found on the web are in equal and everybody can enjoy all the lyrics complete. Like the Opus song says:
“When everyone gives everything
And every Song everybody sings
Then it's life.”

And to complete the great findings, I found this online player to hear almost the entire song in high quality. And then, buy it online in several formats to choose.

--------********~~~~~~~~

• Added on Tuesday February 5th, 2013:

It seems that this search will become in an ongoing project, with regular updates from time to time...
I found another English version!

Made by the hard rock band Slaughter.
Yet, I couldn't find any lyrics, and just one place to hear it online.
Anyone feels like to help by posting the lyrics?