Jacques Brel
Fernand lyrics with English translation
- Language
- French
- Level
- Intermediate
- Released
- 1965
- Genre
- Ballad, French Pop
- Length
- 5:15
Dire que Fernand est mort
To say that Fernand is dead
Dire qu'il est mort Fernand
To say that he is dead, Fernand
Dire que je suis seul derrière
To say that I am alone behind
Dire qu'il est seul devant
To say that he is alone in front
Lui dans sa dernière bière
Him with his last beer
Moi dans mon brouillard
Me in my fog
Lui dans son corbillard
Him in his hearse
Moi dans mon désert
Me in my desert
Devant y a qu'un cheval blanc
In front there's only a white horse
Derrière y a que moi qui pleure
Behind there's only me crying
Dire qu' a même pas de vent
To say there's not even a breeze
Pour agiter mes fleurs
To stir my flowers
Moi si j'étais l'Bon Dieu
If I were the Good Lord
Je crois qu'j'aurais des remords
I think I'd have regrets
Dire que maintenant il pleut
To say that now it's raining
Dire que Fernand est mort
To say that Fernand is dead
Dire qu'on traverse Paris
To say we're crossing Paris
Dans le tout p'tit matin
In the very early morning
Dire qu'on traverse Paris
To say we're crossing Paris
Et qu'on dirait Berlin
And it feels like Berlin
Toi, toi, toi tu sais pas
You, you, you don't know
Tu dors mais c'est triste à mourir
You're sleeping but it's sad to death
D'être obligé d'partir
To be forced to leave
Quand Paris dort encore
When Paris is still asleep
Moi je crève d'envie
I'm dying of desire
De réveiller des gens
To wake people up
J't'inventerai une famille
I'll invent a family for you
Juste pour ton enterrement
Just for your funeral
Et puis si j'étais l'Bon Dieu
And if I were God
Je crois que je ne serais pas fier
I believe I wouldn't be proud
Je sais on fait ce qu'on peut
I know we do what we can
Mais y a la manière
But there's a way to do it
Tu sais je reviendrai
You know I'll come back
Je reviendrai souvent
I'll come back often
Dans ce putain de champ
In this damn field
Où tu dois te reposer
Where you need to rest
L'été je te ferai de l'ombre
In the summer I'll give you shade
On boira du silence
We'll drink to silence
À la santé d'Constance
To the health of Constance
Qui se fout bien d'ton ombre
Who doesn't care about your shadow
Et puis les adultes sont tellement cons
And then adults are just so dumb
Qu'ils nous feront bien une guerre
That they'll surely start a war with us
Alors je viendrai pour de bon
So I'll come for real this time
Dormir dans ton cimetière
To sleep in your cemetery
Et maintenant bon Dieu
And now, good God
Tu vas bien rigolé
You're going to have a good laugh
Et maintenant bon Dieu
And now, good God
Et maintenant j'vais pleurer
And now I'm going to cry
Lyrics powered by www.musixmatch.com
Key vocabulary
- cheval
- horseA1
- crois
- I believeA1
- dernière
- lastA1
- derrière
- behindA1
- devant
- in front ofA1
- dieu
- GodA1
- obligé
- obligedA2
- partir
- leave
- dort
- sleeps
- crève
- burstB2
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About this song
Jacques Brel was a Belgian singer, songwriter, and actor associated with lyric-driven French-language chanson. He was known for theatrical vocal delivery and character-driven songs, and his work influenced artists such as David Bowie, Scott Walker, and Marc Almond.