Johnny Mercer (age 100 and counting) wrote the English lyric for "Les Feuilles Mortes." He went with autumn leaves, rather than dead ones. Mark Steyn tells you what you need to know about the song. Yves Montand introduced "The Dead Leaves" in a 1945 French film, Les Portes de la Nuit. I especially enjoy the pianist at the midway point. This is about as far from the intricate Roger Williams version as you can get.
Here we have Edith Piaf doing both the Mercer lyrics and the original Jacques Prévert set.
Here we have Edith Piaf doing both the Mercer lyrics and the original Jacques Prévert set.