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It’s May! If you grew up in Europe (or Australia?), you know the best time of year has finally arrived. It has nothing to do with the warm weather or holidays and everything to do with a little friendly competition between countries. More glitzy than “American Idol” and less heartbreaking stories than “The Voice” is Eurovision, the longest-running yearly international TV contest of all time.

Every year, participating countries send a chosen singer or group to represent them in the competition. Once the competition begins, the songs are performed in 2 semi-finals and a final. The winner is chosen via a jury and the viewing public, and the winning country becomes the host the following year. France has won the title 5 times with the last win being in 1977.

As Portugal won last year, this year’s Eurovision Song Contest was held in Lisbon. The finale was broadcast on Saturday, May 12th, and it did not disappoint! We saw a stage entrance from a coffin, brilliant light projections on a dress, a microphone stealing protester from the audience, lyrics about eating spaghetti, upside down singing, optical illusions, a newly-formed relationship, and most importantly, chicken singing.

This year, France’s representation was the electro-pop duo Émilie Satt and Jean-Karl Lucas who go professionally by their group name Madame Monsieur. The incredibly catchy song was released in January as the duo’s lead single from their second studio album Vu d’ici. In the end, the song amassed 173 points, finishing in 13th place. Remember the chicken singing mentioned earlier? That was the winner! People even wore chicken hats in the audience to show their support.

Let’s check out France’s submission!

Je suis née ce matin
I was born this morning
Je m’appelle Mercy
My name is Mercy
Au milieu de la mer
In the middle of the sea
Entre deux pays, Mercy
Between two countries, Mercy

C’était un long chemin et Maman l’a pris
It was a long path, and mom took it
Elle m’avait dans la peau, huit mois et demi
She had me inside her skin eight and a half months
Oh oui, huit mois et demi
Oh yes, eight and a half months

On a quitté la maison, c’était la guerre
We left our home, it was war
Sûr qu’elle avait raison, y’avait rien à perdre
She certainly had a reason, there was nothing to lose
Oh non, excepté la vie

Oh no, nothing but life

Je suis née ce matin
I was born this morning
Je m’appelle Mercy
My name is Mercy
On m’a tendu la main
They offered me a hand
Et je suis en vie
And I’m a live

Je suis tous ces enfants
I’m all those children
Que la mer a pris
Who were taken by the sea
Je vivrai cent mille ans
I’ll live a hundren thousand years
Je m’appelle Mercy
My name is Mercy

Et là devant nos yeux y’avait l’ennemie
And there in front of our eyes was the enemy
Une immensité bleue peut-être infinie
A blue immensity, maybe infinite
Mais oui, on en connaissait le prix
But yes, we knew the price

Surgissant d’une vague, un navire ami
Emerging from a wave, there’s a friendly ship
A redonné sa chance à notre survie
It gave its luck once again for our survival
C’est là, que j’ai poussé mon premier cri
It’s there that I cried for the first time

Je suis née ce matin
I was born this morning
Je m’appelle Mercy
My name is Mercy
On m’a tendu la main
They offered me a hand
Et je suis en vie
And I’m alive
Je suis tous ces enfants
I’m all those children
Que la mer a pris
Who were taken by the sea
Je vivrai cent mille ans
I’ll live a hundren thousand years
Je m’appelle Mercy
My name is Mercy

Je suis née ce matin
I was born this morning
Je m’appelle Mercy
My name is Mercy
Mercy, Mercy, je vais bien merci
Mercy, Mercy, I’m doing well, thank you