The Sea

Finding words for these images isn’t easy. Fortunately, someone has already provided them: Charles Trénet (1913–2001), the French singer, poet, composer, and painter. Story has it that he composed the famous and moving chanson “La mer” in 1943 during a twenty-minute train ride.

The simple things are often the best. Wolfgang Uhlig, artist and photo designer, born in 1962, has taken this saying to heart and created pictures of enchanting peace and beauty. To hear a recording of the song while enraptured by the large format – almost the same as enjoying an opera. But enough talk: here “La mer” in the original and the English version:


La Mer.

La mer
Qu'on voit danser le long des golfes clairs
A des reflets d'argent
La mer
Des reflets changeants
Sous la pluie

La mer
Au ciel d'été confond
Ses blancs moutons
Avec les anges si purs
La mer bergère d'azur
Infinie

Voyez
Près des étangs
Ces grands roseaux mouillés
Voyez
Ces oiseaux blancs
Et ces maisons rouillées

La mer
Les a bercés
Le long des golfes clairs
Et d'une chanson d'amour
La mer
A bercé mon coeur pour la vie

Charles Trénet, 1943


Beyond the Sea

Somewhere beyond the sea,
Somewhere, waiting for me,
My lover stands on golden sands
And watches the ships that go sailing;

Somewhere beyond the sea,
He's (She's) there watching for me.
If I could fly like birds on high,
Then straight to his (her) arms I'd go sailing.

It's far beyond a star,
It's near beyond the moon,
I know beyond a doubt
My heart will lead me there soon.

We'll meet beyond the shore,
We'll kiss just as before.
Happy we'll be beyond the sea,
And never again I'll go sailing!

Charles Trénet, 1943