Jacques Brel
La Statue lyrics with English translation
- Language
- French
- Level
- Intermediate
- Released
- 1961
- Genre
- Ballad, French Pop
- Length
- 3:00
J'aimerais tenir l'enfant de Marie
I would love to hold the child of Mary
Qui a fait graver sous ma statue
Who had engraved beneath my statue
"Il a vécu toute sa vie
"He lived his whole life
Entre l'honneur et la vertu"
Between honor and virtue"
Moi qui ai trompé mes amis
Me, who deceived my friends
De faux serment en faux serment
From false oath to false oath
Moi qui ai trompé mes amis
Me, who deceived my friends
Du jour de l'An au jour de l'An
From New Year's Day to New Year's Day
Moi qui ai trompé mes maîtresses
Me, who betrayed my lovers
De sentiment en sentiment
From feeling to feeling
Moi qui ai trompé mes maîtresses
I who have cheated on my mistresses
Du printemps jusques au printemps
From springtime to springtime
Cet enfant de Marie je l'aimerais là
This child of Mary, I would love him there
Et j'aimerais que les enfants ne me regardent pas
And I would like the children not to look at me
J'aimerais tenir l'enfant de carême
I would like to hold the Lenten child
Qui a fait graver sous ma statue
Who had engraved beneath my statue
"Les Dieux rappellent ceux qu'ils aiment
"The Gods recall those they love
Et c'était lui qu'ils aimaient le plus"
And he was the one they loved the most"
Moi qui n'ai jamais prié Dieu
I who have never prayed to God
Que lorsque j'avais mal aux dents
Except when I had a toothache
Moi qui n'ai jamais prié Dieu
Me who has never prayed to God
Que quand j'ai eu peur de Satan
Except when I was afraid of Satan
Moi qui n'ai prié Satan
Me who prayed to Satan
Que lorsque j'étais amoureux
Only when I was in love
Moi qui n'ai prié Satan
Me who prayed to Satan
Que quand j'ai eu peur du Bon Dieu
Only when I feared the Good Lord
Cet enfant de carême je l'aimerais là
I would love this lent child right there
Et j'aimerais que les enfants ne me regardent pas
And I would like the children not to look at me
J'aimerais tenir enfant de salaud
I would like to hold the son of a bastard
Qui a fait graver sous ma statue
Who had engraved beneath my statue
"Il est mort comme un héros
He died like a hero
Il est mort comme on ne meurt plus"
He died like we no longer die
Moi qui suis parti faire la guerre
Me who went off to war
Parce que je m'ennuyais tellement
Because I was so bored
Moi qui suis parti faire la guerre
Me who went off to war
Pour voir si les femmes des Allemands
To see if the German women
Moi qui suis mort à la guerre
Me who died in the war
Parce que les femmes des Allemands
Because of the German women
Moi qui suis mort à la guerre
Me who died in the war
De n'avoir pu faire autrement
For not being able to do otherwise
Cet enfant de salaud je l'aimerais là
I'd love that bastard child right here
Et j'aimerais que mes enfants ne me regardent pas
And I'd wish my kids wouldn't look at me
Lyrics powered by www.musixmatch.com
Key vocabulary
- amoureux
- in loveA1
- bon
- goodA1
- dents
- teethA1
- dieu
- GodA1
- enfants
- childrenA1
- faux
- falseA1
- guerre
- warA1
- jamais
- neverA1
- jour
- dayA1
- jusques
- untilA1
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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.