{"id":21864,"date":"2015-04-02T22:55:16","date_gmt":"2015-04-02T20:55:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/french\/?p=21864"},"modified":"2017-10-23T15:04:07","modified_gmt":"2017-10-23T13:04:07","slug":"prends-garde-a-toi-carmen-by-stromae","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/french\/prends-garde-a-toi-carmen-by-stromae\/","title":{"rendered":"Prends garde \u00e0 toi! &#8220;Carmen&#8221; by Stromae"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Yesterday, Belgian singer\/songwriter Stromae released <strong>le clip <\/strong>(the music video) to his new single &#8220;<strong>Carmen<\/strong>.&#8221; Stromae (<a title=\"Have You Ever Spoken French\u2026in Reverse?\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/french\/have-you-ever-spoken-frenchin-reverse\/\">verlan <\/a>for maestro) came to major popularity with his song &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=7pKrVB5f2W0\"><strong>Alors on danse<\/strong><\/a>,&#8221; which topped the charts in France and Belgium and peaked at 19 in the USA. A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ORqMkdP8TLo\">remix <\/a>of this song with self-proclaimed music god Kanye West was later released in 2010. Popularity follows Stromae (although in a less pretentious way &#8212; looking at you, Kanye), as &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=S_xH7noaqTA\"><strong>Formidable<\/strong><\/a>&#8221; reached number 1 in France and Belgium and &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=oiKj0Z_Xnjc\"><strong>Papaoutai<\/strong><\/a>&#8221; reaching number 1 in France and Belgium and 25 in the US. Check out Transparent&#8217;s previous <a title=\"Stromae\u2019s \u201cPapaoutai\u201d (Read: \u201cWhere Are You, Dad?\u201d)\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/french\/stromaes-papaoutai-read-where-are-you-dad\/\">post <\/a>on &#8220;<strong>Papaoutai<\/strong>.&#8221; Pentatonix, a popular American a capella group, released a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ScDIkNcqZjE\">cover <\/a>of the song that&#8217;s worth checking out, too.<\/p>\n<p>This time Stromae sings about <strong>les m\u00e9dias sociaux <\/strong>(social media), <strong>et en particulier <\/strong>(and particularly) Twitter. <strong>C&#8217;est possible de devenir accro<\/strong> (Is it possible to become an addict?)? If so, what happens?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ecoutons la chanson <\/strong>(Let&#8217;s listen to the song). Do you recognize the music at the beginning? The music, the opening lines, the refrain, and the song&#8217;s title are all inspired by the aria &#8220;<strong>L&#8217;amour est un oiseau rebelle que nul ne peut approvoiser<\/strong>&#8221; (Love is a rebellious bird that nobody can tame) from Georges Bizet&#8217;s opera &#8220;<a title=\"Si je t\u2019aime, prends garde \u00e0 toi \u2013 Bizet\u2019s French Op\u00e9ra: \u201cCarmen\u201d\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/french\/si-je-t%e2%80%99aime-prends-garde-a-toi-if-i-love-you-beware-bizets-french-opera-carmen\/\">Carmen<\/a>.&#8221; Mezzo sopranos singing the role of Carmen sing of love as a rebellious bird and what could happen if she falls in love with you. Stromae changes the metaphor a bit and sings of a little blue bird we&#8217;re all too familiar with. Love can take you over, but can Twitter? Can <em>this<\/em> bird be tamed?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ce clip a des sous-titres anglais <\/strong>(this video has English subtitles), but below I&#8217;ve put a slightly altered translation.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Stromae - carmen (Official Video)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/UKftOH54iNU?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><strong>L&#8217;amour est comme l&#8217;oiseau de Twitter<\/strong><br \/>\nLove is like the Twitter bird<br \/>\n<strong>On est bleu de lui*, seulement pour 48 heures <\/strong><br \/>\nWe&#8217;re infatuated with him for only 48 hours<br \/>\n<em>[*<strong>\u00eatre bleu de quelqu&#8217;un<\/strong> is a Belgian expression meaning to be infatuated with someone]<\/em><br \/>\n<strong>D&#8217;abord on s&#8217;affilie, ensuite on se follow<\/strong><br \/>\nFirst we meet, then we follow<br \/>\n<strong>On en devient f\u00eal\u00e9, et on finit solo<\/strong><br \/>\nThen we crack, and we end up solo<br \/>\n<strong>Prends garde \u00e0 toi<\/strong><br \/>\nWatch yourself out there<br \/>\n<strong>Et \u00e0 tous ceux qui vous like<\/strong><br \/>\nAnd all those out there who like you<br \/>\n<strong>Les sourires en plastique sont souvent des coups d\u2019hashtag<\/strong><br \/>\nThose fake smiles cut like a hashtag<\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<p><strong>Prends garde \u00e0 toi<\/strong><br \/>\nWatch yourself out there<br \/>\n<strong>Ah les amis, les potes ou les followers<\/strong><br \/>\nAh friends, pals, or followers<br \/>\n<strong>Vous faites erreur, vous avez juste la cote<\/strong><br \/>\nNo, no, you&#8217;re just popular<br \/>\n<strong>Prends garde \u00e0 toi<\/strong><br \/>\nWatch yourself out there<br \/>\n<strong>Si tu t\u2019aimes<\/strong><br \/>\nIf you like yourself<br \/>\n<strong>Garde \u00e0 moi<\/strong><br \/>\nI&#8217;ll watch out<br \/>\n<strong>Si je m\u2019aime<\/strong><br \/>\nIf I like myself<br \/>\n<strong>Garde \u00e0 nous, garde \u00e0 eux, garde \u00e0 vous<\/strong><br \/>\nWatch out for us, for them, for you<br \/>\n<strong>Et puis chacun pour soi<\/strong><br \/>\nAnd then everyone for himself<br \/>\n<strong>Et c\u2019est comme \u00e7a qu\u2019on s\u2019aime, s\u2019aime, s\u2019aime, s\u2019aime<\/strong><br \/>\nAnd that&#8217;s how we love, love, love<br \/>\n<strong>Comme \u00e7a consomme, somme, somme, somme, somme<\/strong><br \/>\nAnd that&#8217;s how we buy, buy, buy<br \/>\n<strong>Et c\u2019est comme \u00e7a qu\u2019on s\u2019aime, s\u2019aime, s\u2019aime, s\u2019aime<\/strong><br \/>\nAnd that&#8217;s how we love, love, love<br \/>\n<strong>Comme \u00e7a consomme, somme, somme, somme, somme<\/strong><br \/>\nAnd that&#8217;s how we buy, buy, buy<br \/>\n<strong>Et c\u2019est comme \u00e7a qu\u2019on s\u2019aime, s\u2019aime, s\u2019aime, s\u2019aime<\/strong><br \/>\nAnd that&#8217;s how we love, love, love<br \/>\n<strong>Comme \u00e7a consomme, somme, somme, somme, somme<\/strong><br \/>\nAnd that&#8217;s how we buy, buy, buy<br \/>\n<strong>Et c\u2019est comme \u00e7a qu\u2019on s\u2019aime, s\u2019aime, s\u2019aime, s\u2019aime<\/strong><br \/>\nAnd that&#8217;s how we love, love, love<br \/>\n<strong>Comme \u00e7a consomme, somme, somme, somme, somme<\/strong><br \/>\nAnd that&#8217;s how we buy, buy, buy<\/p>\n<p><strong>L\u2019amour est enfant de la consommation<\/strong><br \/>\nLove is the child of consumer society<br \/>\n<strong>Il voudra toujours toujours toujours plus de choix<\/strong><br \/>\nHe always wants more and more<br \/>\n<strong>Voulez voulez-vous des sentiments tomb\u00e9s du camion ?<\/strong><br \/>\nDo you really want feelings fallen off the back of a truck?<br \/>\n<strong>L\u2019offre et la demande pour unique et seule loi<\/strong><br \/>\nSupply and demand is the name of the game<br \/>\n<strong>Prends garde \u00e0 toi<\/strong><br \/>\nWatch yourself out there.<br \/>\n<strong>Mais j\u2019en connais d\u00e9j\u00e0 les dangers, moi<\/strong><br \/>\nBut I know the dangers out there<br \/>\n<strong>J\u2019ai gard\u00e9 mon ticket et, s\u2019il le faut, je vais l\u2019\u00e9changer, moi<\/strong><br \/>\nI kept my receipt, and if I need to, I&#8217;ll exchange it.<br \/>\n<strong>Prends garde \u00e0 toi<\/strong><br \/>\nWatch yourself out there.<br \/>\n<strong>Et, s\u2019il le faut, j\u2019irais me venger moi<\/strong><br \/>\nAnd if I have to, I&#8217;ll get my revenge.<br \/>\n<strong>Cet oiseau de malheur, je le mets en cage<\/strong><br \/>\nI&#8217;ll put this cursed bird in a cage<br \/>\n<strong>Je le fais chanter, moi<\/strong><br \/>\nAnd I&#8217;ll make him sing.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Prends garde \u00e0 toi<\/strong><br \/>\nWatch yourself out there<br \/>\n<strong>Si tu t\u2019aimes<\/strong><br \/>\nIf you like yourself<br \/>\n<strong>Garde \u00e0 moi<\/strong><br \/>\nI&#8217;ll watch out<br \/>\n<strong>Si je m\u2019aime<\/strong><br \/>\nIf I like myself<br \/>\n<strong>Garde \u00e0 nous, garde \u00e0 eux, garde \u00e0 vous<\/strong><br \/>\nWatch out for us, for them, for you<br \/>\n<strong>Et puis chacun pour soi<\/strong><br \/>\nAnd then everyone for himself<br \/>\n<strong>Et c\u2019est comme \u00e7a qu\u2019on s\u2019aime, s\u2019aime, s\u2019aime, s\u2019aime<\/strong><br \/>\nAnd that&#8217;s how we love, love, love<br \/>\n<strong>Comme \u00e7a consomme, somme, somme, somme, somme<\/strong><br \/>\nAnd that&#8217;s how we buy, buy, buy<br \/>\n<strong>Et c\u2019est comme \u00e7a qu\u2019on s\u2019aime, s\u2019aime, s\u2019aime, s\u2019aime<\/strong><br \/>\nAnd that&#8217;s how we love, love, love<br \/>\n<strong>Comme \u00e7a consomme, somme, somme, somme, somme<\/strong><br \/>\nAnd that&#8217;s how we buy, buy, buy<br \/>\n<strong>Et c\u2019est comme \u00e7a qu\u2019on s\u2019aime, s\u2019aime, s\u2019aime, s\u2019aime<\/strong><br \/>\nAnd that&#8217;s how we love, love, love<br \/>\n<strong>Comme \u00e7a consomme, somme, somme, somme, somme<\/strong><br \/>\nAnd that&#8217;s how we buy, buy, buy<br \/>\n<strong>Et c\u2019est comme \u00e7a qu\u2019on s\u2019aime, s\u2019aime, s\u2019aime, s\u2019aime<\/strong><br \/>\nAnd that&#8217;s how we love, love, love<br \/>\n<strong>Comme \u00e7a consomme, somme, somme, somme, somme<\/strong><br \/>\nAnd that&#8217;s how we buy, buy, buy<\/p>\n<p><strong>Un jour tu ach\u00e8tes, un jour tu aimes<\/strong><br \/>\nOne day you buy, one day you love<br \/>\n<strong>Un jour tu jettes, mais un jour tu payes<\/strong><br \/>\nOne day you throw it out, but one day you&#8217;ll pay<br \/>\n<strong>Un jour tu verras, on s\u2019aimera<\/strong><br \/>\nOne day you&#8217;ll see, we&#8217;ll all love each other<br \/>\n<strong>Mais avant on cr\u00e8vera tous, comme des rats<\/strong><br \/>\nBut before that, we&#8217;re all going to die like rats.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">******<\/p>\n<p>If you teach an intermediate or advanced class, this could be a wonderful in-class #discussion. Show the students the video and ask some questions. Here are a few you could consider:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>What is your relationship with social media? What do you use it for, and how often do you use it?<\/li>\n<li>Why does the video show the bird eating Stromae&#8217;s food? What is he really feeding on, and what does this mean?<\/li>\n<li>Stromae waves to the little girl at 0:41 seconds into the video, and she waves back. After, the bird looks menacing and the girl is scared. This could be based off the idea that people feel braver speaking behind a keyboard than in person. What do you think? Why are our online personas different? Keep in mind that the bird in the video gets larger and larger.<\/li>\n<li>Stromae meets a girl in the park and goes back to her place. In bed, he takes a selfie before she kicks him out. Does social media destroy relationships? How so?<\/li>\n<li>When Stromae is being carried off by the bird, we see some familiar faces (or in Kim Kardashian&#8217;s case, <strong>ses fesses\u00a0<\/strong>&#8211; her butt) including Lady Gaga, Barack Obama, The Queen of England, and Kim Kardashian. How do these people use social media to their advantage or disadvantage?<\/li>\n<li>After being defecated by the bird, a cell phone emerges, maybe to take a selfie. Why does society feel that social media needs to know everything we&#8217;re doing?<\/li>\n<li>In Bizet&#8217;s score, &#8220;l&#8217;amour est enfant de Boheme.&#8221; In Stromae&#8217;s song, &#8220;l&#8217;amour est enfant de la consommation.&#8221; Compare and contrast this evolution of <em>l&#8217;amour<\/em>.<\/li>\n<li>The little girl Stromae waves to near the beginning is on a scooter. Where do we see her again in the video? Now she no longer has a scooter, but a cellphone.\u00a0When is a good age to give a child a cell phone? How has childhood changed with technology?<\/li>\n<li>Compare Bizet&#8217;s rebellious bird to Twitter&#8217;s blue bird. How are they different? How are they the same?<\/li>\n<li>Stromae first released this video on Buzzfeed, a site which posts trending material. In the YouTube video description, Stromae links to his Twitter account. What do you think of this video release tactic linked with the message in the song?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<img width=\"350\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/french\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2015\/04\/carmen-350x200.jpg\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image tmp-hide-img\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/french\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2015\/04\/carmen-350x200.jpg 350w, https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/french\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2015\/04\/carmen.jpg 630w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 350px) 100vw, 350px\" \/><p>Yesterday, Belgian singer\/songwriter Stromae released le clip (the music video) to his new single &#8220;Carmen.&#8221; Stromae (verlan for maestro) came to major popularity with his song &#8220;Alors on danse,&#8221; which topped the charts in France and Belgium and peaked at 19 in the USA. A remix of this song with self-proclaimed music god Kanye West&hellip;<\/p>\n<p class=\"post-item__readmore\"><a class=\"btn btn--md\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/french\/prends-garde-a-toi-carmen-by-stromae\/\">Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":125,"featured_media":21865,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[3,108,1],"tags":[54928,54929,348561,2525,9142,2603],"class_list":["post-21864","post","type-post","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-culture","category-music","category-uncategorized","tag-bizet","tag-carmen","tag-medias-sociaux","tag-social-media","tag-stromae","tag-twitter"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/french\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21864","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/french\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/french\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/french\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/125"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/french\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21864"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/french\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21864\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":28733,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/french\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21864\/revisions\/28733"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/french\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21865"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/french\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21864"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/french\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21864"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/french\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21864"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}