Written for Thursday Inspiration –
“I Will Follow Him”

For this week’s Thursday Inspiration, Jim Adams asks us to respond to the challenge in any number of ways, including using the prompt word away, by means of the song ‘I Will Follow Him’ by Peggy March, or a foreign language song which later became a hit in English. I’ve chosen the last option in response to Jim’s challenge.
My song selection this week is “La Mer”, known in English as “Beyond the Sea”. I chose this song, not only because of the foreign language theme but because it also deals with lovers who have been separated through no fault of their own and would fly to the stars or swim the seas to the ends of the earth to be reunited. That’s amore!
Written and performed in French by Charles Trenet, “La Mer” became a classic shortly after its release in 1946 (though there was one earlier version in 1945 performed by Roland Gerbeau). The song, originally about the changing of the sea, became a love song as it was translated into English as “Beyond the Sea.” The most famous version is Bobby Darin’s 1959 recording, and has been covered many times since then. English versions alone, were recorded by Django Reinhardt, Rod Stewart, Ray Conniff, and Barry Manilow, just to name a few. The song was also translated into other languages, including Italian (“Il Mare”), German (“Das Meer”) and Russian (“Волна”). Let’s listen to the original French followed by the English version.
This is “La Mer” by Charles Trenet
This is “Beyond the Sea” by Bobby Darin
Many thanks to Jim Adams for this week’s inspiration. Thanks to you all for stopping by for a look and a listen.
That’s all she wrote, kids.
See you on the flip side. 😎
NAR©2026
Everything on The Elephant’s Trunk was created by me, unless otherwise indicated, and may not be used without permission. Thanks for your consideration. NAR©2017-present.
Nancy, what a perfect choice. Lovers who would swim the seas and fly to the stars to be reunited, that is amore. The French version carries something the English one doesn’t quite capture that tender desperation. And Bobby Darin understood it too. Thank you for the reminder of what devotion sounds like. 💙
Much love,
Khadija 💕🤗
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Oh, Bobby–he was such a talent. The French version…I’ve not heard that before. Ooh, la la! I like it! Everything sounds good in French, though.
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La Mer is also one of my favourites.
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Wonderful choice, Nancy as I always loved this song. I did figure that you might select ‘My Way’ by Frank Sinatra which Paul Anks heard while he was visiting France and liked it so much that he wrote new lyrics for it.
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a nice song you chose, Nance! I totally enjoyed it!
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I’m so glad you liked it CA. Thanks much!
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