Listen to it here #
Intro #
This song came out in 2019 and I can’t believe I wasn’t able to listen to it sooner. Maybe, though, just maybe, I wasn’t ready to hear it back in 2019. :-)
A Wintery Discovery #
Discovering this song feels like a once in a lifetime type of occurrence. Not just because of the song itself being great, but also the way in which I heard it for the first time.
I selected a World Music playlist off Amazon while I was driving through a foggy snow covered mountain in Iceland and it was getting dark. I could see the road ahead but visibility was getting lower and lower. I had two good friends in the passenger seats and things had gotten quieter. The song came on as I was concentrating on the road.
It’s a very moving song. I played it another 3 times, hoping my friends didn’t notice, even though I know they did.
Favorite Lyrics #
[Verse 1 : Slimane]
No picture in sight, no colors to see
No story to tell, my soulmate
The parties were done, my will to live gone
No smile on these lips, my soulmate
I like how the song has both singers compare their lives before and after finding each other. I’m sure there is a lot of hyperbole in this as with any type of poetry or song it’s still nice to hear and not all of it is hyperbole.
I had the lyrics but not the song
It’s so cool of a lyric I can’t even stand it. It’s such a nice way to say that each of them had all parts of their life in order but there was something missing to unify it all into a purposeful whole.
It’s disgustingly romantic.
But that’s how life is huh? We do write it down and even say it. Such is life! C’est la vie!
Heaven won’t be angry with me
For having laid my eyes on you
As it shouldn’t be. Heaven not being mad at them is a way of saying that the celestial realm blesses the union. Maybe that implies a marriage through the church. Maybe not. Who cares? They’re happy.
Lyrics #
As always I try to make the translation lyrically accurate to the original while retaining as much of the meaning as possible. Hopefully this song can be sung in English as well.
One thing that was weird/hard to translate was “âme soeur”. It means soulmate but in French it rhymes with the other words in the song. Maybe if I can think of a better rhyming word I’ll come back later and update it.
[Couplet 1 : Slimane]
Y avait pas d’image, y avait pas d’couleur
Y avait pas d’histoire, mon âme sœur
Y avait pas les fêtes, y avait pas l’cœur
Aucun sourire, mon âme sœur
[Verse 1 : Slimane]
No picture in sight, no colors to see
No story to tell, my soulmate
The parties were done, my will to live gone
No smile on these lips, my soulmate
[Pré-refrain : Vitaa & Slimane]
Tu sais, le monde ne tournait pas rond
J’avais les mots mais pas la chanson
Tu sais l’amour, tu sais la passion
Oui, c’est écrit, c’était dit
Oui, c’est la vie
[Pre-chorus : Vitaa & Slimane]
You know, my life wasn’t going well
I had the lyrics but not the song
You know of love and of passion strong
It’s written down, it’s been said
C’est la vie
[Refrain : Vitaa & Slimane]
Avant toi, je n’avais rien
Avant toi, on n’m’a pas montré le chemin
Je sais, le Ciel ne m’en veut pas
D’avoir posé les yeux sur toi
Avant toi, on n’m’a pas montré le chemin
[Chorus : Vitaa & Slimane]
Before you, I had nothing
Before you, no one showed me which way to go
Heaven won’t be angry with me
For having laid my eyes on you
Before you, no one showed me which way to go
[Couplet 2 : Vitaa]
Y avait pas d’maison, y avait pas l’bonheur
J’avais pas d’raison, mon âme sœur
Y avait pas de rire, mais y avait pas d’pleurs
J’étais seule ici, mon âme sœur
[Verse 2 : Vitaa]
There wasn’t a home, not one drop of cheer
No reason to be, my soulmate
No laughter was heard, not even the cries
I was all alone, my soulmate
[Pré-refrain : Vitaa & Slimane]
Tu sais, le monde ne tournait pas rond
J’avais les mots mais pas la chanson
Tu sais l’amour de toutes les façons
Oui, c’est écrit, c’était dit
Oui, c’est la vie
[Pre-chorus : Vitaa & Slimane]
You know, my life wasn’t going well
I had the lyrics but not the song
You know of love in all of its forms
It’s written down, it’s been said
C’est la vie
[Refrain : Vitaa & Slimane]
Avant toi, je n’avais rien
Avant toi, on n’m’a pas montré le chemin
Je sais, le Ciel ne m’en veut pas
D’avoir posé les yeux sur toi
Avant toi, on n’m’a pas montré le chemin
Ouh ouh, ouh ouh
Ouh ouh, ouh ouh
[Chorus : Vitaa & Slimane]
Before you, I had nothing
Before you, no one showed me which way to go
Heaven won’t be angry with me
For having laid my eyes on you
Before you, no one showed me which way to go
Ooo ooo, ooo ooo
Ooo ooo, ooo ooo
[Pont : Vitaa & Slimane]
Avant toi, je n’avais rien
Avant toi, on n’m’a pas montré le chemin
[Bridge : Vitaa & Slimane]
Before you, I had nothing
Before you, no one showed me which way to go
[Refrain : Vitaa & Slimane]
Avant toi, je n’avais rien
Avant toi, on n’m’a pas montré le chemin
Je sais, le Ciel ne m’en veut pas
D’avoir posé les yeux sur toi
Avant toi, on n’m’a pas montré le chemin
Ouh ouh, ouh ouh
Ouh ouh, ouh ouh
[Chorus : Vitaa & Slimane]
Before you, I had nothing
Before you, no one showed me which way to go
Heaven won’t be angry with me
For having laid my eyes on you
Before you, no one showed me which way to go
Ooo ooo, ooo ooo
Ooo ooo, ooo ooo