Singable translation:

Flowers of evil aren’t just found

in the big cities and towns.

Of everyday murders there are a few

here in the country too.

Though all his hair had turned to gray,

his heart was still young and gay.

And once again it started to race

for a young pretty face.

But his desire proved too strong.

He didn’t last for long.

And so he spent his last youthfulness

with just a kiss and a caress.

When she held out her hand for pay

sadly he had to say,

that he was down on his luck and now poor.

She got her clothes from the floor.

And she made off in double time

to round up her partner in crime;

and they returned, the pimp and his bawd,

to the old stingy fraud.

Six times she stabbed him with her knife,

while her friend held him tight.

She stuck her tongue out at him, so they say,

as he was passing away.

Though they turned everything upside down,

nothing of worth they found,

just unpaid bills of various sorts

and some old legal reports.

Then regret took them by surprise,

recalling the old man’s cries,

and by the corpse they fell on their knees,

saying “forgive us, please”.

When the police at last appeared,

they found them both in tears.

Sorry they were, for having given

the old man a trip to heaven.

And it’s said that they flew among

the blessed, once they were hung.

A few pious types were sorely incensed

over this turn of events.

Flowers of evil aren’t just found

in the big cities and towns.

Of everyday murders, there are a few

here in the country too.

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De André is here translating and covering a song by the French singer, Georges Brassens, who was a great influence on him. I have worked from the Italian translation but with an eye on the original French version.