Friday, March 7, 2025

Translation of "Pommes, pommes, pommes" by Thomas Fersen

Pommes, pommes, pommes
C'est l'automne
Si monotone
C'est triste, triste, triste
Les feuilles mortes
Les flaques d'eau
Le vent dans la ruelle qui emporte les journaux

Apples, apples, apples 
It's autumn 
So monotone 
It's sad, sad, sad
The dead leaves 
The puddles of water
The wind in the alleyway which blows away the newspapers 

À Boulogne
C'est de saison
Les enfants
Ramassent des marrons
En caressant l'automne
Un balayeur fredonne :
"Pommes, pommes, pommes ...
Oh mon amour
Le jour viendra
Où tu refleuriras."

In Boulogne 
It's the season 
When the children 
Collect chestnuts
In the caress of autumn 
A street sweeper hums: 
Apples, apples, apples.... 
Oh my love 
The day will come again 
Where you will bloom once more. 

La nuit tombe
On s'étonne
Ces feuilles sur le sol ?
Et oui, c'est l'automne
Un homme sans toit
Occupe un banc de bois
On le montre aux enfants qui n'obéissent pas

Night falls 
One is shocked 
These leaves on the ground? 
And yes, it's autumn 
A man without a roof 
Occupies a wooden bench 
People show him to their disobedient children (as a threat)*

C'est l'automne
C'est l'automne
Et de temps en temps
L'hiver montre ses dents
Et la nuit sous les ponts
On gèle jusqu'au trognon
De pomme, pomme, pomme

It's autumn 
It's autumn 
And from time to time 
Winter shows its teeth 
And at night under the bridges
One freezes to the core 
Of apples, apples, apples



*This song is about homelessness. In this line, the homeless man is being shown to naughty children as a threat to say, "If you don't behave, you will grow up to him."  

Translation of "Parapluie Pour Deux" by Thomas Fersen

Translation of "Parapluie Pour Deux" by Thomas Fersen


J'habite au sixième
Une chambre sans vue
À la semaine
La semaine ou la rue
Je laisse mes quatre murs entre eux
Quand le ciel est bleu
Je prends un parapluie pour deux
Quand le ciel est pluvieux

I live on the sixth floor 
In a room without a view 
By the week 
The week or the street
I leave my four walls to themselves
When the sky is blue 
I take an umbrella for two 
When it's raining 


Avec toi, on n'est pas pieds nus
Pour aller dans la rue

With you, we're not barefoot 
To walk in the street 


Je descends sans lumière
À cause du propriétaire
Je paye au lance-pierre
Je laisse mes quatre murs entre eux
Quand le ciel est bleu
Je prends un parapluie pour deux
Quand le ciel est pluvieux

I go down without light 
Because of the landlord
I underpay 
I leave my four walls to themselves 
When the sky is blue 
I take an umbrella for two 
When it's raining


Avec toi, on n'est pas pieds nus
Pour aller dans la rue

With you, we're not barefoot 
To walk in the street 


À tous les étages
On rencontre des gens
Qui vous dévisagent
Sans desserer les dents
Je descends quatre à quatre
Quand le ciel est bleu
Je descends sur la rampe
Quand le ciel est pluvieux

At each floor 
We meet people 
Who stare at you 
Without opening their mouths 
I go down four by four 
When the sky is blue 
I go down on the handrail 
When it's raining


Avec eux, on n'est pas pieds nus
Pour aller dans la rue

With them, we're not barefoot 
To walk in the street 


Ici la brique est rousse
Et les murs en sont noirs
Et les filles sont douces
Sur ces fonds repoussoirs
Je laisse mes quatre murs entre eux
Pour les mauvais trottoirs
Je prends un parapluie pour deux
S'il commence à pleuvoir

Here the brick is red 
And the walls are black 
And the girls are sweet
Compared to these repellilng backgrounds. 
I leave my four walls to themselves 
For the bad sidewalks
I take an umbrella for two 
If it's going to rain 


Allez viens, on n'est pas pieds nus
Pour aller dans la rue

Come on let's go, we're not barefoot 
To walk in the street 

Thursday, March 6, 2025

Translation of "Mon Macabre" by Thomas Fersen

Translation of "Mon Macabre" by Thomas Fersen 
                                    ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ 
Depuis qu'j'me suis cogné la tête
Depuis qu'je suis tombé de l'arbre
J'entends le pas de mon squelette
J'entends son cliquetis de sabre

Ever since I hit my head 
Ever since I fell from the tree 
I hear the steps of my skeleton 
I hear the click of his sword 

"Squelette, mon ami
Veux-tu du salami ?
Squelette, mon garçon
Veux-tu du saucisson ?
Je comprends ton mal-être
Dans l'armure de l'ancêtre
Tes soirées sont mortelles
Dans l'armoire à dentelles."

Skeleton, my friend
Do you want any salami? 
Skeleton, my boy 
Do you want some sausage? 
I understand your unhappiness
In your ancestral armor 
Your nights are deadly
In the lace covered armoir 

Alors il se débine
Par la fenêtre à guillotine
La lune, astre obscène
Eclaire la scène

So he sneaks away 
Through the sash window
The moon, an obscene star
Illuminates the scene 

Je le retrouve dans mon lit
En proie à la mélancolie
Je le surprends dans mon fauteuil
En train d'fumer des clous d'cercueil

I find him again in my bed 
Preyed by his melancholy 
I catch him up in my armchair 
Smoking coffin nails*

"Squelette, mon petit
Veux-tu des spaghettis ?
Squelette, mon cousin
Veux-tu du jus d'raisin ?
L'ordinaire est ingrat
Dans le vieux débarras
L'ordinaire est chagrin
Dans l'armoire à sapin."

Skeleton, my dear 
Do you want spaghetti? 
Skeleton, my cousin 
Do you want grape juice? 
The mess is ingrateful
In the old storeroom
The mess is disappointing
In the pine cupboard

Alors il se débine
Par la fenêtre à guillotine
La lune, astre obscène
Eclaire la scène

So he sneaks away 
Through the sash window
The lune, obscene star 
Illuminates the scene

Mon squelette est un tendre
Caché sous la cuirasse
Il ne veut plus attendre
Il veut qu'on l'embrasse

My skeleton is a tender 
Hidden under his armor
He doesn't want to wait 
He only wants to embrace 

"Squelette, mon chéri
Tu es logé, tu es nourri
Squelette, tu es blanchi
Oui mais le lit n'est pas garni
Trouve-toi une amoureuse
Mais pas trop chatouilleuse
Pour jouer aux osselets
Dans le placard à balais."

Skeleton, my dear 
You are housed, you are fed 
Skeleton, you are bleached
Yes but the bed is not furnished
To find yourself a lover 
But not too ticklish
To play jacks 
In the broom cupboard 

Alors il se débine
Par la fenêtre à guillotine
La lune, astre obscène
Eclaire la scène

So he sneaks away 
Through the sash window
The lune, obscene star 
Illuminates the scene

Et sur l'épave d'une mobylette
Le voilà parti dans la nuit
Il roule comme un poulet sans tête
Et tout fini dans un grand bruit

And on the wreck of a motorbike 
He's off into the night 
He drives like a chicken without its head 
And ends in a loud boom

"Squelette, mon macabre
T'es rentré dans un arbre
Tu conduis comme un manche
Moi j'suis tombé d'ma branche."
Mes soirées sont chagrines
Dans la maison en ruine
Le puits me désespère
Dans son manteau de lierre

Skeleton, my macabre 
You've crashed into a tree 
You drive like a clumsy person
While I just fell from a branch 
My nights are depressing 
In my house in ruin 
The well fills me with despair 
In its coat of ivy

Alors il se débine
Par la fenêtre à guillotine
La lune, astre obscène
Eclaire la scène

So he sneaks away 
Through the sash window
The lune, obscene star 
Illuminates the scene



                            ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ 
*This is a reference to cigarrettes, kind of like calling them "cancer sticks" in English. 

Tuesday, March 4, 2025

Translation of Monsieur by Thomas Fersen to English


Translation of Monsieur by Thomas Fersen to English

♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ 

Les passants sur son chemin
Soulèvent leur galure
Le chien lui lèche les mains
Sa présence rassure...
Voyez cet enfant qui beugle, par lui secouru
Et comme il aide l'aveugle à traverser la rue...

The passerbys on his route 
Lift their hats 
The dog licks his hand 
His presence reassuring... 
See this child who bawls, rescued by him 
And how he helps the blind cross the street 


Dans la paix de son jardin
Il cultive ses roses
Monsieur est un assassin
Quand il est morose

In the peace of his garden
He cultivates his roses 
Monsieur is a murderer
When he is morose 

Il étrangle son semblable dans le Bois de Meudon
Quand il est inconsolable, quand il a le bourdon...
A la barbe des voisins
Qui le trouvent sympathique
Monsieur est un assassin, je suis son domestique
Et je classe le dossier sous les églantines
Je suis un peu jardinier
Et je fais la cuisine

He strangles his fellow man in the Bois de Meudon (Woods of Meudon) 
When he is inconsolable, when he is feeling down 
In front of his neighbors 
Who find him pleasant 
Monsieur is a murderer, I am his servant 
And I file the dossier under the sweetbriars 
I am a bit of a gardener 
And I do the cooking

Il étrangle son prochain
Quand il a le cafard
Allez hop dans le bassin sous les nénuphars
Et je donne un coup de balai
Sur le lieu du crime
Où il ne revient jamais
Même pas pour la frime

He strangles his neighbor
When he's feeling depressed 
Off you go, into the pond below the water lilies 
And sweep everything away 
From the scene of the crime 
Where he'll never return 
Not even to show off

Sans éveiller les soupçons
Aux petites heures
Nous rentrons à la maison
Je suis son chauffeur

Without arousing any suspicion 
In the early hours 
We return home 
I am his chauffeur 

La la la la la...

Car sous son air anodin
C'est un lunatique
Monsieur est un assassin
Chez lui c'est chronique
Il étrangle son semblable
Lorsque minuit sonne
Et moi je pousse le diable
Dans le Bois de Boulogne

Because beneath his harmless appearance 
He's a lunatic 
Monsieur is a murderer 
For him, it's chronic 
He strangles his fellow man 
As soon as midnight hits 
And me, I urge the devil 
In the Bois de Boulogne 

Le client dans une valise
Avec son chapeau
Prendra le train pour Venise
Et un peu de repos

The client in a suitcase 
With his hat 
He'll take the train to Venice 
And then rest a bit 

Il étrangle son semblable
Dans le Bois de Meudon
Quand il est inconsolable
Quand il a le bourdon
A la barbe des voisins
Qui le trouvent sympathique
Monsieur est un assassin
Je suis son domestique

He strangles his fellow man 
In the Bois de Meudon 
When he is inconsolable 
When he is feeling down
In front of his neighbors 
Who find him pleasant 
Monsieur is a murderer 
I am his servant 


Vous allez pendre Monsieur
Je vais perdre ma place;
Vous allez pendre Monsieur
Hélas! trois fois hélas!

You are going to hang, Monsieur 
I am going to lose my room 
You are going to hang, Monsieur 
Alas! Three times, alas! 

Mais il fallait s'y attendre
Et je prie votre honneur
Humblement de me reprendre
Comme serviteur...
Et je classerai ce dossier
Sous les églantines
Je suis un peu jardinier
Et je fais la cuisine...

But it was to be expected 
And I beg you, your honor 
Humbly take me back 
As your servant... 
And I file this case 
Under the sweetbriars 
I am a bit of  a gardener 
And I do the cooking

♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ 


Monday, March 3, 2025

Translation of "Louise" by Thomas Fersen in English

 

Translation of "Louise" by Thomas Fersen in English 

                                    ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ 

Tes lèvres, Louise

Sont des portes d'église

Où j'entre le matin

Le chapeau à la main

Tes lèvres, Louise

Penses-tu ce qu'elles me disent ?

Ou c'est du caraco

Le rubis d'un mégot


Your lips, Louise 

Are church doors 

That I enter in the morning 

With my hat in my hand 

Your lips, Louise 

Are you thinking what they're telling me? 

Or is it like a caraco, 

The ruby of a cigarette butt. 


Après tout peu importe

Où j'allume ma clope

Aux premiers feux du jour

Ou aux foudres de l'amour

Si les miennes se grisent

À tes lèvres Louise


After all, it's of little importance 

Where I light my cigarette 

At the first light of day 

Or when being struck by love

If mine get intoxicated

By your lips Louise 


Sur tes lèvres, Louise

Les miennes sont assises

Je ne décolle plus les fesses

De ce banc de messe

Tes lèvres, Louise

Crois-tu ce qu'elles me disent ?

Ou cette basilique

Est un kiosque à musique ?


On your lips, Louise 

Mine are seated 

I no tear myself

From this church pew 

Your lips, Louise 

Do you believe what they're telling me? 

Or is this basilica 

A bandstand? 


Après tout peu importe

Où j'allume ma clope

Si ce n'est pas l'amour

Ce sont les alentours

Si les miennes se grisent

À tes lèvres Louise


After all it's of little importance 

Where I light my cigarette 

If this isn't love 

It's something close to it 

If mine get intoxicated

By your lips Louise 


Ta lettre, Louise

Est arrivé tantôt

Des tes lèvres cerise

Elles portent le sceau

Tes lèvres, Louises

Me donnent congé

Ma rage s'épuise

Sur mes ongles rongés


Your letter, Louise 

Arrived earlier

From your cherry lips 

They bear the seal 

Your lips, Louise 

Give me leave 

My rage is expended

On my bitten nails


Paris te contient

Et je suis jaloux comme un chien

Je reviens gratter à ta porte

Tes lèvres sont closes

Louise, tu m'envoie sur les roses

Dis-moi quelquechose ...

Rien


Paris contains you 

I am jealous like a dog 

I come back to scratch at your door 

Your lips are closed

Louise, you shoo me away.

Tell me something... 

Nothing. 


Louise je ne veux plus

Que tu passes la nuit

En bas de l'avenue

Sous un parapluie


Louise, I no longer want 

You to spend the night 

Walking down the avenue 

Under an umbrella 

                            ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ 

A note: Louise is a prostitute. 

Thursday, December 7, 2023

English Translation of "Mon Ego" by M (Matthieu Chedid)

 M (Matthieu Chedid) - Mon Ego Lyrics

♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ 

Number one, I hold on, 
Like a dumb icon
With an aluminum look, 
A minimum, a minimum 

Megalomaniac costume 
Without even a melody, 
Satan temps me, but I escape in time, 
Right away… right away 

I’m going to have a few words… 
A few words with my ego!  

I’ve only thought about myself for months, 
Thought only about indulging myself*,
The slightest reflection for me 
The smallest puddle is for my face 

I’m going to have a few words… 
A few words with my ego!  

Right away!

♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ 

*Right, so to “gaze at one’s navel” is indulge oneself or be egocentric or self obosessed. The literal translation of this line is “my navel turns from my eye”. So he’s gazing at his navel so much that his navel is looking away.  



English Translation of "Cuisses nues, bottes de cuir" by Philippe Nicaud

 Philippe Nicaud - Cuisses nues, bottes de cuir
Philippe Nicaud – Naked thighs, leather boots

♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ 

Naked thighs, leather boots 
Mini-dressed, cropped to your pussy 
Hindu necklaces*, cashmere breasts
You walk around 
With nothing on underneath 

Of your belt 
That grips your loins
Eyes wander 
Hands dream

Oh, naked thighs, leather boots
Mini-dressed, cropped to your pussy 
Do you follow fashion… For your own pleasure?
Or are you looking to drive me crazy?
Stop… shortening everything 
For us men, it’s martyrdom 

Naked thighs, leather boots 
Cropped to your pussy, angora breasts 
 You don’t care… about their thighs 
But one fine day, watch yourself 
A middle class man will become a Borgia**
And restrain you in his arms 

Ah, naked thighs, leather boots 
Cloth boots, boots to shine 
Lamé boots, for the evening 
Walking boots, for the morning 
In order to keep you, my erotic 
I would give you the entire boutique

Naked thighs, leather boots 
Naked thighs, leather boots 
Naked thighs, leather boots  

♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ 


*”Colliers hindous” could be translated to hindu necklaces, literally, but it does appear in English as “collier hindus”, referring to a style of necklace made popular by Cartier. It originally debuted in 1936 but the so-called “hindu” style gained a resurgence in the 60’s. 
**Obviously this line is pretty dark, but he’s basically saying because women are dressing so provocatively that they’re going to cause a mild mannered “bourgeousie” to start acting like a member of the house of Borgia, who were known for adultery, murder, incest, and other crimes in order to entertain themselves and stay in power. 

Monday, December 4, 2023

English Translation of "Les Roche Martin - C'est Toi Qui As Gâché Notre Vie" By Les Roche Martin

Les Roche Martin - C'est Toi Qui As Gâché Notre Vie
Les Roche Martin – It’s You who has Ruined our Life

Alone with you two 
I was very happy 
Two women for me 
I was the lord 

Why are you telling me 
It’s you who…?
Why are you telling me 
It’s you who…?
Why are you telling me 
It’s you who…?
It’s you who has ruined our life?

I hope in any case 
That you don’t believe 
That I’m going to marry 
Either one of you, ever

Why are you telling me 
It’s you who…?
Why are you telling me 
It’s you who…?
Why are you telling me 
It’s you who…?
It’s you who has ruined our life?

Why are you telling me 
It’s you who…?
Why are you telling me 
It’s you who…?
Why are you telling me 
It’s you who…?
It’s you who has ruined our life?


Sunday, December 3, 2023

English Translation of "A Tout Berzinge" by Jacques Dutronc

Song: A Tout Berzinge 

Artist: Jacques Dutronc

♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ 

 In 5 seconds 
I drink my “Blanc sec”,*
At full speed
I flatter myself,
At full volume
I sing my hits

You’re rushed, pressurized 
Life goes quick wherever you live 
You have to charge forward in order to survive 
And belong to the elite corps 

Full steam ahead 
I give them flowers, 
At top speed 
I celebrate them, 
At full throttle 
I put back on my clothes 

But don’t think that with girls 
I’m a pressure cooker**
Because in reality, with girls, 
I’m a “coco minute”***

In a cafeteria
I eat a steak, 
In a snack bar 
I drink cognac, 
In the pharmacies****
That’s where I flirt 

But don’t think that with girls 
I’m a pressure cooker**
Because in reality, with girls, 
I’m a “coco minute”***

In less than two 
I tell them, “I want you”, 
In two turns 
I’ve made three moves 
In five seconds 
They’re soaked

I’m in a hurry, hurry, hurry 
My life goes fast, very fast, too fast 
I have to charge forward without hesitation. 


*A type of white wine. 

**In French a pressure cooker is called a “cocotte minute”, or “minute cooker”. Which leads us to the next point…

***So I’m not entirely sure what this means, it seems to be a play on words that I’m going to struggle to explain. Basically from the previous line you’re expecting him to make a joke like he doesn’t last a minute, he last longer. Instead, he says “coco minute”, which is literally “coconut minute”. The play on words is two fold: first, coco is shorter than cocotte, making it seem like it’s even shorter, which is humorous. Second, cocotte is a very female word, both grammatically and in use, and can be used to apply to mistresses and prostitutes. Coco is very masculine, so it can be used to refer to a male lover, or as you would use “guy” in English (as well as coke (the white kind) and commies(the red kind), which we’re not going to expand on here). So it’s like saying “you think I last a minute cause I’m in a rush? No, I last a manly minute”. Something like that. 
Maybe someone smarter than me can correct me. 

****He says "dans les drugs" here, which literally is "in the drugs". Around this time the word "drugstore" was popularly used instead of "pharmacie", so I went with a slang interpretation, but I could be wrong with my interpretation. 

Saturday, December 2, 2023

English Translation of "Le Responsable" by Jacques Dutronc

Song: Le Responsable 

Artist: Jacques Dutronc

♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ 

I’m worried, I’m bored 
I’m in trouble, I’m tormented 
I have no morale, I have no money 
I have no luck, I have no friends 
I’m unlucky, I have taxes
I have hay sickness, I have a toothache
But I don’t want to become someone new
Because I like the hassle 
I am a responsible man 
I don’t hide my head in the sand 
I don’t want to sing like a grandfather 
In life, you shouldn’t worry 
Because if I worry myself today 
It’s because yesterday, he laughed
And tomorrow if I have kids 
I want them to have happy lives 
The more worries I have, the better it is 
I whisk them away like whey 
What I love more than anything is worrying 
I feast on it all the time 
But I also love disasters 
That place my life in an apostrophe 
When things are going well I’m unhappy 
When things are going bad I’m very happy 
I am a responsible man 
I don’t hide my head in the sand 
I don’t want to sing like a grandfather 
In life, you shouldn’t worry 
And I want to sing on the contrary 
In life you have to worry 
In order to always be united 
With people like me who see clearly 
I am a responsible man
I am a responsible man
I am a responsible man
I am a responsible man


♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ ♫♪♫♪ 

*I'm not sure what this means and it doesn't appear to exist on the internet. It's not hay fever, it may be an outdated term that I'm unable to research from 70 years ago. 

x

Translation of "Pommes, pommes, pommes" by Thomas Fersen

Pommes, pommes, pommes C'est l'automne Si monotone C'est triste, triste, triste Les feuilles mortes Les flaques d'eau Le ven...