Martin L. Gore: Lays (English-French Bilingual Edition) (English and French Edition) (Paperback)

~ Martin L. Gore (Author), Jugurtha Harchaoui (Editor), Klaus Voormann (Illustrator)

Editorial Reviews

Review

I think of Martin as part of that lineage that started with Roxy Music and T.Rex. Glamour and romance wrapped up in great tunes. Some of his records stand up alongside the great British singles. --Johnny Marr (The Smiths, Modest Mouse, The Cribs)

When I wait for the lights to go down, carnal desire strikes; the devil sits on my shoulder and I stare over the edge. Martin Gore shows that words often offer nothing but complications and that the answers lie within… Martin becomes my friend when everyone's gone to bed.---Stefan Olsdal (Placebo, Hotel Persona)

Martin Gore's lyrics are cool. --Nick Cave

Product Description

This is a de-luxe edition featuring for the first time ever in the form of a book the virtually complete lyrics written between 1981 and 2005 by MARTIN GORE for British band DEPECHE MODE. The 87 songs -- picked from DM's past 11 studio albums and myriad B sides -- span two and a half decades, and are gathered together in one volume along with their translation in French. The translation, which appears opposite each original lyric, has been painstakingly prepared by French DM aficionado JUGURTHA HARCHAOUI. The latter put the whole thing together over a several-year period with Martin Gore's blessing. Legendary German artist KLAUS VOORMANN contributed half-a-dozen original illustrations made specifically for the book. The editor also received help from world-renowned Dutch photographer ANTON CORBIJN, who provided the rare black-and-white portrait adorning the cover. ~ The band's greatest classics enjoyed such massive commercial success over the decades, it is easy to forget the masterful language, the timelessness and, quite often, the dry wit that characterize them. The translator annotated the French version with an unstinting eye for detail and rock history, allowing us to connect Gore's unique voice as a British songsmith with the American blues-and-rock tradition that informs those songs. ~ The 87-song retrospective is compiled into one lavish volume, more akin to a fine vintage poetry book than a typical rock coffee-table tome. Foreword by rock journalist Gerard Bar-David (Rolling Stone France, Best) who de facto acted as France's DM expert ever since their debut back in 1981. Translation by Jugurtha Harchaoui. ~ This rare, limited-edition item is a must-own for not only DM fans around the world but also any book lovers.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 216 pages
• Publisher: Editions Normant; First Ever edition (April 13, 2009)
• Language: English, French
• ISBN-10: 291568541X
• ISBN-13: 978-2915685411
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 5.9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #391,905 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book, and my high school French teacher would be proud!, April 20, 2009

By	Jeffrey Rathgeber (Garden City, NY USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I got this book as a gift the other day. I haven't listened to Depeche Mode (DM) in years... but this is a great book. I took AP French in high school 20 years ago, which is to say I don't speak a word of French today, but it's funny how it comes back to you. The facing-page lyric translations to Anglais had me covering the English-only side to see if I could make it thru an entire song and nail the translation. I now see why my Rapid Spanish tapes are set to music: Once the song is in your head IT'S IN YOUR HEAD. Armed only with a 20 year old memory of DM lyrics I made it thru just fine.

I forgot how socially-conscious DM was with their lyrics. In that regard they were way ahead of their time. As you go thru the book you'll be constantly reminded of newer acts that have almost repackaged DM lyrics in a different genre. I see in the newspapers that DM is back out on tour and after cruising thru this book which really "brings it all back" it may be time to break out the sleeping bag and camp out for tickets (do people still do that? It's been 20 years since my last concert and I hear that this thing called the "inter-net" has since been created and people don't camp out for tickets anymore ... shame.)

Every once in a while a book you would never select for yourself invades your space and knocks you on your butt. That's how I enjoyed this book: a completely unexpected and terrific surprise. I believe my teacher would have said "Quelle suprise!" Okay, I'll stop now. Great book though.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very well done presentation, August 14, 2009

By	Rachel Heller - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Wonderful to have Martin's lyrics in the form of a poetry book. Something I'll go back to again and again.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Addition for Any Depeche Mode Fan, April 19, 2009

By	Zeckendorff (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

I'm happy to write the first review of this book. I had this book on pre-order as soon as I found it on amazon, and just got my copy this week. As a child of the 80s, DM was always in my most recent playlist. Reading through Martin Gore's lyrics in book format, you get a real sense of his progression as a writer. From "Tora Tora Tora" all the way to "Dream On", Gore matured over the years, and this collection captures that very well. Though my French is somewhat limited, Jugurtha Harchaoui has obviously taken the time to painstakingly translate the essence of Gore's lyrics into French. I'm sure native French speakers will appreciate the effort. In short, a great addition to a collection for any DM fan.