Accept Yourself translation issue

[headmusic]

Hi

I am working on translating The Smiths lyrics into spanish. I am publishing a little book to give to my friends. I am having some problems translating some lines:

What does " to kick with the fray" means, as sung in "Accept Yourself? I have some ideas but I wanted to make sure with some english spoken fans here. I hope is not a problem to post my doubs about lyrics here

Thanks a lot in advance.


Alex

 

[PregnantForTheLastTime]

That's a really good question. It's not a common idiom. I think it's unique here. I read it as, "run with the dogs," which is also idiomatic, but means, "run out and play/party with everybody else/the Ordinary Boys."

The fact that he chose "kick" ties in with the line about shoes.

Good luck with your translations. That's an ambitious project. Do you know about this site? http://www.worldofmorrissey.com/ He's translated them all into Italian.

 

[Dave]

Every day you must say
Oh, how do I feel about my shoes ?
They make me awkward and plain
How dearly I would love to kick with the fray ...
But I once had a dream (and it never came true)

fray 1 (fr)
n.
1. A scuffle; a brawl.
2. A heated dispute or contest.

If you contrast it with this

Every day you must say
Oh, how do I feel about the past ?
Others conquered love - but I ran
I sat in my room and I drew up a plan

I think he is talking about someone that does not participate in life. The whole thing suggests that everyday life is somewhat violent. I don't think that they avoid it because it is violent though. They would love to participate in the violence of life but feel inadequate.

I don't think that "kick with the fray" is a common term. As pointed out, shoes and kick are related, but fray, I think, just happens to rhyme with say and is a near rhyme with plain.

This is a very good question you have asked.

 

[headmusic]

That's a really good question. It's not a common idiom. I think it's unique here. I read it as, "run with the dogs," which is also idiomatic, but means, "run out and play/party with everybody else/the Ordinary Boys."

The fact that he chose "kick" ties in with the line about shoes.

Good luck with your translations. That's an ambitious project. Do you know about this site? http://www.worldofmorrissey.com/ He's translated them all into Italian.

Thank you guys for the reply¡¡¡ I think I will make a post on the general board too, as you say it might be interesting for other people too.

I know the www.worldofmorrissey.com site, but its in Italian, and in spite of having the same roots, Italian is quite different from spanish.

I had a book once, of Smiths lirycs translated into spanish and it was awful, where "to kick with the fray" was translated as "to give a damn about everything" which I dont think was accurate. So I want to do one that is more carefully put together, when it comes to rhyme and meanings. And you are the ones who can help me a lot.

Thanks a lot again, I will be asking some other questions, if its not a problem.


Alejandro