French Music – Indochine Posted by Tim Hildreth on Sep 18, 2018 in Culture, Music, Vocabulary
L’été touche à sa fin (Summer is coming to a close). It might seem a bit early to get nostalgic about it, but I find I’m already feeling ‘fallish’.
La rentrée is behind us and les nuits sont plus fraîches (nights are cooler). What better time to review the seasons … and share another great song (one that is not just seasonal, but also will help review the days of the week!). Le clip (the video) also features some amazing shots of la Défense – the Paris financial and business district – and of the Arche de la Défense .
Vocabulaire utile / Useful vocabulary
The seasons (les saisons) in French are all masculine. The seasons are:
| Français | English |
|---|---|
| l'automne | autumn/fall |
| l'hiver | winter |
| le printemps | spring |
| l'été | summer |
La chanson / The song
The song which follows is from the French rock/new wave band Indochine. Around since the early 1980s, the band, which takes its name from the French colonies in Indochina (modern day Vietnam), continues to produce new songs and tour today. J’espère que l’aimez (I hope you like it!)
| Encore | Again |
| Un jour dans ma vie | A day in my life |
| Où je n’ai pas envie | When I don’t want |
| De rester en place | To stay still |
| Encore un lundi sans vie | Another lifeless Monday |
| Où je ne subis que le temps qui passe | When all I do is suffer the passing of time |
| Mardi c’est l’estomac noué | Tuesday it’s the stomach in knots |
| À rester enfermé | From staying shut in |
| Et à marcher au pas | And marching |
| Mercredi je rêve d’une autre vie | Wednesday, I dream of another life |
| Si tout pouvait s’arrêter là | If it could all end there |
| Histoire d’avoir le choix | Just to have a choice |
| Quand je suis cerné | When I’m surrounded |
| Je rêve d’un été français | I dream of a French summer |
| Un été parfait | A perfect summer |
| Où rien ne pourra m’arriver | When nothing can happen to me |
| Pardonne-moi si ici | Forgive me if here |
| Tout devient froid national | It all becomes a cold nation |
| Un pays infernal | An infernal country |
| À nous la petite mort | Here’s to the ‘little death’ |
| Je suis à la mauvaise place | I’m in the wrong place |
| Le jeudi et toutes les promesses que | Thursday and all the promises |
| Tu m’avais faites | You had made me |
| Comme un vendredi noir | Like a black Friday |
| Où j’ai tout oublié | When I forgot all of it |
| Et le rôle de ma vie | And the role of my life |
| Et je me sens un peu solitaire | And I feel a little lonely |
| Un peu trop vieux | A little too old |
| Pour mourir en hiver | To die in winter |
| Je voudrais bien une place au soleil | I would like a place in the sun |
| Mais ici tout le monde a encore | But everyone here still |
| Besoin de moi | Needs me |
| Refrain | Chorus |
| Des nuits sur un toit | Nights on a roof |
| À regarder les orages | Looking at / watching storms |
| Et en courant les dangers | Taking risks |
| Des éclairs sur ton visage | Lightning on your face |
| Et des étoiles près de toi | And stars near you |
| Et nos rêves imparfaits | And our imperfect dreams |
| Le temps d’un été français | The duration of a French summer |
| Où on aurait tout oublié | When we would have forgotten everything |
| Des nuits sur un toit | Nights on a roof |
| À regarder les orages | Looking at / watching storms |
| Et le ciel nous attend | And the sky waits for us |
| Et les poissons volants | And the flying fish |
| Et des étoiles près de toi (Quand je suis cerné) |
And stars near you (When I’m surrounded) |
| Et nos rêves imparfaits (Je rêve d’un été français) |
And our imperfect dreams (I dream of a French summer) |
| Le temps d’un été français (D’un été parfait) |
The time of a French summer (A perfect summer) |
| Et nos rêves imparfaits (Où rien ne pourra m’arriver) |
And our imperfect dreams (When nothing can happen to me) |
See this earlier post for an interesting take on les mois de l’année (the months of the year).
Photo by Studio 7042 from www.Pexels.com [CC0 License]
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About the Author: Tim Hildreth
Since my first trip to France at 16, I have been a passionate francophile. I love the language, food, music, art, people, and more that make France and la Francophonie in general such an amazing part of our global community. Having lived in France and studied the language and culture for over 35 years, it is my great pleasure to be able to share a little bit of my deep love with you through this blog.