L'aigle noir [English translation]

One day or maybe one night

Near a lake, I'd fallen asleep

When suddenly, seeming to burst the sky

And coming out of nowhere suddenly appeared a black eagle

Slowly, wings spread

Slowly, I saw him wheeling

Next to me in a rustle of wings

Like fallen from the sky the bird came to land.

He had ruby-colored eyes

And feathers the color of the night

On its forehead, sparkling with a thousand fires

The crowned bird king was wearing a blue diamond

With his beak he's touched my cheek

Into my hand he's slipped his neck

That's when I recognized him

Suddenly appearing from the past, he'd come back to me

Say bird, oh say, take me

Let's go back to the country of yesteryear

Like before in my childhood dreams

To pick while trembling stars, stars

Like before in my childhood dreams

Like before on a white cloud

Like before to light the sun

To be a rainmaker and make wonders

The black eagle in a rustle of wings

Took flight back to the sky

[Four feathers the color of the night

A tear or maybe a ruby

I was cold, there was nothing left for me

The bird had left me alone with my grief.]1

One day or maybe one night

Near a lake, I'd fallen asleep

When suddenly, seeming to burst the sky

And coming out of nowhere

Suddenly appeared a black eagle

One day or was it one night

Near a lake, I'd fallen asleep

When suddenly, seeming to burst the sky

And coming out of nowhere

Suddenly appeared a black eagle

One day one night

Near a lake, asleep

When suddenly

Suddenly appearing out of nowhere

Suddenly appeared a black eagle

One day one night

Near a lake, asleep

When suddenly

He was coming out of nowhere

He suddenly appeared—the black eagle

One day one night

Near a lake, asleep

He was coming out of nowhere

He suddenly appeared—the black eagle

1. These verses are not part of the song as sung by Barbara. Various websites report that they were self-censored by Barbara, e.g.:

https://leblogdudoigtdansloeil.wordpress.com/2020/11/11/laigle-noir-hist...

https://www.humanite.fr/barbara-les-ombres-incestueuses-de-laigle-noir-6...