Jacques Brel
Mon enfance lyrics with English translation
- Language
- French
- Level
- Intermediate
- Released
- 1967
- Genre
- Ballad, French Pop
- Length
- 5:37
Mon enfance passa
My childhood passed
De grisailles en silences
From greyness into silence
De fausses révérences
With false bows
En manque de batailles
Craving for battles
L'hiver j'étais au ventre
In winter I was in the belly
De la grande maison
Of the grand house
Qui avait jeté l'ancre
That had thrown anchor
Au nord parmi les joncs
Up north among the reeds
L'été à moitié nu
In summer half-naked
Mais tout à fait modeste
But completely modest
Je devenais indien
I was becoming Indian
Pourtant déjà certain
Yet already certain
Que mes oncles repus
That my full uncles
M'avaient volé le Far West
Had stolen the Wild West from me
Mon enfance passa
My childhood passed
Les femmes aux cuisines
The women in the kitchens
Où je rêvais de Chine
Where I dreamed of China
Vieillissaient en repas
Aging over meals
Les hommes au fromage
The men with cheese
S'enveloppaient de tabac
Wrapped themselves in tobacco
Flamands taiseux et sages
Silent and wise Flemings
Et ne me savaient pas
And did not know me
Moi qui toutes les nuits
Me who every night
Agenouillé pour rien
Kneeling for nothing
Arpégeais mon chagrin
Strumming my sorrow
Au pied du trop grand lit
At the foot of the too big bed
Je voulais prendre un train
I wanted to catch a train
Que je n'ai jamais pris
That I never took
Mon enfance passa
My childhood passed
De servante en servante
From maid to maid
Je m'étonnais déjà
I was already amazed
Qu'elles ne fussent point plantes
That they were not plants
Je m'étonnais encore
I was still astonished
De ces ronds de famille
By these family circles
Flânant de mort en mort
Wandering from death to death
Et que le deuil habille
And that mourning dresses them
Je m'étonnais surtout
I was especially surprised
D'être de ce troupeau
To be part of this herd
Qui m'apprenait à pleurer
That taught me how to weep
Que je connaissais trop
That I knew all too well
J'avais l'œil du berger
I had the shepherd's eye
Mais le cœur de l'agneau
But the heart of a lamb
Mon enfance éclata
My childhood shattered
Ce fut l'adolescence
It was adolescence
Et le mur du silence
And the wall of silence
Un matin se brisa
One morning broke apart
Ce fut la première fleur
It was the first flower
Et la première fille
And the first girl
La première gentille
The first sweet one
Et la première peur
And the first fear
Je volais, je le jure
I was flying, I swear
Je jure que je volais
I swear that I was flying
Mon cœur ouvrait les bras
My heart opened its arms
Je n'étais plus barbare
I was no longer a barbarian
Et la guerre arriva
And the war came
Et nous voilà ce soir
And here we are tonight
Lyrics powered by www.musixmatch.com
Key vocabulary
- ventre
- bellyB1
- enfance
- childhoodA1
- fait
- actA1
- famille
- familyA1
- femmes
- womenA1
- fromage
- cheeseA1
- grand
- bigA1
- grande
- bigA1
- habille
- dressesA1
- hommes
- menA1
Test yourself
How much of Mon enfance did you catch?
A quick quiz on the key words from this song.
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.