Tatouage

"The tattooist", illustration de Norman Rockwell pour le Saturday Evening Post (1944)

Après avoir rayé les noms des femmes ornant le robuste bras du matelot, le tatoueur y grave celui de sa dernière conquête. (Ne dit-on pas que les marins ont une femme dans chaque port?)

Longtemps considéré comme marginal et jadis réservé aux marins, aux bagnards et autres mauvais garçons sortant de prison, ainsi qu'à certaines peuplades primitives, le tatouage s'est aujourd'hui ancré dans les mœurs, notamment chez certaines dames et demoiselles comme la chanteuse Cœur de pirate.

 

Souvenir d'un séjour à Trinidad en 1967

Now listen to my story boys
I need your sympathy
That big fat tattooed girl in the circus
Fell in love with me
And to prove her love was sweet as sugarcane tadee
She had my picture tattooed on her body

She had the landing of the pilgrims on her shoulder
And on her back she had the sunset of the west
And right beside her dimpled knees
Is the great big apple trees
And the pyramids look lovely on her chest

When she decided that she liked to add my picture
She simply couldn't find a vacant spot you see
So, she tattooed my poor face
In the most peculiar place

Now whenever that girl sits down, she sits down on me
Oho whenever that girl sits down, she sits down on me
Oho ayayee oh yup boy ah ah ono no ayee

 She has a lovely blue gardenian by her elbow
And on her hips she has the lovely queen of Maid
And right beside her shapely spine
 If you see that paramount
You will see the famous road too, men have laid

 She has a rusty hinge that's tattooed on her kneecap
It looks so real, it's quick, see's time she bends her knees
But, she filled me with disgrace when she tattooed my poor face
Now whenever that girl sits down she sits on me
Poor me, whenever that girl sits down she sits down on me
Oh yep ayaya ye aye

Now do you wonder why I look so sad and worried
Do you wonder why I'm feeling mighty low
I would like to take a chance, and give her one kick in the pense
But if I do I only kick myself I know

The only time that anyone can see my picture
Is when that big fat tattooed girl takes a bath oh yeez
I get black and blue of course, anytime she rides a horse
For whenever that girl sits down she sits on me
Oh whenever that girl sits down she sits down on me
Oyo yo me head oyoyo my poor head
Ayayay she heavy like lead

Oh whenever that girl sits down she sits down on me
Whenever that big fat girl sits down is on me
Every minute of the day, she only sitting on me
Oh whenever that girl sit down she sits on me
Ayaye