Ne T'Enfuis Pas

[Douglas Weiman <WEIMAN@SRI-NIC.ARPA>]

I want to explain my recent statement that I thought "Ne T'Enfuis Pas"
was Kate's (actually *anybody's*) best work.  I still think this is
true - it is the most *complete* song I have ever heard.

The production sounds deceptively simple, but if attention is paid,
all sorts of things are happening musically in the background and
foreground.  The stark percussion, the "shaker sound", the pathos of
the slowly undulating melody, and the "stop on a dime" ending fit
together to form a perfect musical line.

Lyrically, it is equally fantastic.  For those who haven't seen the
translation, here it is:
                               * * * * * 

I am coming like a cat
through the night so black,
You are waiting
and I fall
into your white wings, la la la,
And I sink
and I fly
like a feather

     If the big eyes of my God
     were not watching me
     I would steal you away

Don't fly away -
You have wings,
the power to leave me
You fell from the sky
like an angel, la la la,
And I am afraid
that the sky will take you back

     If the big eyes of my God
     were not watching me
     I would steal you away

I am coming like a cat
through the night so black,
I beg you
I beg you
Don't fly away

                               * * * * 


These are the most mysterious lyrics Kate has ever written.  There are
very few clues as to who is singing, and who they are singing to.  Is
the "narrator" a male or female?  Kate has taken the male perspective
in other songs (Ran Tan Waltz, Hammer Horror, etc.).  There is some
kind of forbidden love relationship in the works, but unlike "The
Infant Kiss", it is not clearly defined.  The narrator is feeling
confusion towards the subject - how can somebody be sinking and flying
at the same time?  Also, it seems that a great part of the
forbiddeness of the relationship is self-imposed by the narrator.  The
image of the "desired" being taken back to the sky can refer to death
or just abandonment.  The narrator also seems to have some fear of the
desired, who has the "power to leave me."  The narrator is portrayed
in images of darkness -- the cat, the night so black; while the
desired is shown to be light -- white wings, an angel.  An age or
perhaps class gap between the two people is implied.  The "big eyes of
my God" reflect not only a societal wrong in the relationship, but
also a more inner turmoil within the narrator.  The lyrics only *seem*
simple on first glance, but I think there are almost endless
possibilities regarding the interpretation of this piece, hence the
fascination.  Also, the vowel strings of the French language allow
Kate's emotion to show the struggle, the emotion, and the desperation
of the song.  The hodge-podge of sounds of the English language would
not have been nearly as effective had the song been done in English.

I stand by my statement - this is the best song Kate has ever done.  I
never hear it where I don't have to stop what I am doing and wait for
the song and the spell to be completely cast before I can continue
whatever I was doing.  I would welcome people's ideas as to their
interpretation of the song.
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