October 9, 2011

La Tristitude

I generally stick to original content here, but there are things worth the diversion. Xavier showed me a video today (merci Emmanuel). La Tristitude. I am going to provide a translation to this song below. The song is terribly funny, both in its type of humor and the subtlety of its production. It is so French. So very French. I think we can safely say if you think defining misery similarly is hilarious, you are French/a true francophile.



La tristitude
Misery
C'est quand tu viens juste d'avaler un cure-dent
It is when you've just swallowed a toothpick
Quand tu te rends compte que ton père est Suisse-Allemand
When you learn that your father is Swiss-German
Quand un copain t'appelle pour son déménagement
When a friend calls you to ask for your help with his move
Et ça fait mal
And it hurts

La tristitude
Misery
C'est franchir le tunnel de Fourvière le 15 août
It is going through the Fourviere tunnel August 15 (traffic nightmare in Lyon at the height of holiday season)
Quand tu dois aller vivre à Nogent-Le-Rotrou
When you have to go live in Nogent-Le-Rotrou (a place between Paris and Le Mans in the middle of nowhere)
Quand ton coiffeur t'apprend que t'as des reflets roux
When your hairdresser informs you that you have red highlights
Et ça fait mal
And it hurts

{Refrain:}
La tristitude
Misery
C'est moi, c'est toi
It's me, it's you
C'est nous, c'est quoi ?
It's us, what is it?
C'est un peu de détresse dans le creux de nos voix
It is a bit of distress in the hollow of our voices
La tristitude
Misery
C'est hum, c'est wouh !
It's hmm, it's woo!
C'est eux, c'est vous
It's them, it's you
C'est la vie qui te dit que ça ne va pas du tout
It is life telling you that things are not OK at all

La tristitude
C'est quand t'es choisi pour être gardien au handball
It is when you are chosen to be the goalie in handball
Quand t'es dans la Mercos de la princesse de Galles
When you are in the Princess of Wales' mercedes
Quand sam'di soir c'est ta fille qui joue sur Canal
When Saturday night it is your daughter who is on Canal
Et ça fait chier !
And it sucks!

La tristitude
C'est quand tu marches pieds nus sur un tout p'tit Lego
It is when you walk barefoot on a tiny little lego
C'est quand lors d'un voyage en Inde tu bois de l'eau
It is when you drink the water on a trip to India
Quand ton voisin t'annonce qu'il se met au saxo
When your neighbor tells you he has taken up the saxophone
Et ça fait mal

{au Refrain}

La tristitude
C'est quand ton frère siamois t'apprend qu'il a l'SIDA
When your siamese twin brother lets you know he has AIDS
C'est quand ta femme fait de l'échangisme un peu sans toi
When your wife is into couple swapping a bit without you
Quand des jeunes t'appellent monsieur pour la première fois
When kids call you mister for the first time
Et ça fait mal

La tristitude
C'est devenir styliste mais pour Eddy Mitchell
It is becoming a stylist, but for Eddy Mitchell
C'est conjuguer "bouillir" au subjonctif pluriel
It is conjugating "to boil" into the plural subjunctive tense
C'est faire les courses le samedi d'avant Noël
It is doing your shopping the Saturday before Christmas
Et ça fait mal-mamal-mamal...

{au Refrain}

...
Non non non
La tristitude, la tristitude
La tritri, l'attitude, te donne, la tristitude
La tristitude te donne la triste attitude


La tristitude, c'est un peu de tristesse et de solitude
C'est comme de la tristitude plus... rien
En tout cas c'est ... la tristitude

5 comments:

Jill said...

That is pretty funny, even if you're not French.

D1Warbler said...

Oui!

Anonymous said...

Quand sam'di soir c'est ta fille qui joue sur Canal
When Saturday night it is your daughter who is on Canal
Et ça fait chier !
And it sucks!

This one requires a little bit of explanation: your daughter is on Canal: your daughter stars in the saturday night porn on (the TV channel) Canal +. Oldelaf just about killed me with that one (that and drinking water in India)!

jemis said...

Hi! I'm curious about the Eddy Mitchell reference. I only know that he is an older actor with bad hair...is it that it would be hard to make him look good?
Nice translation! Thanks!

Emilie said...

Yeah - Eddy Mitchell is sort of classically un-stylish for the French...I didn't get the reference at all until Xavier explained/showed some pics. :)

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...