Interpreting (translating) Quebecois songs

[qc-interpretation]

Adieu Minette - Renaud (Translated)

[Verse 1]

Under your overly-blond hair Over-bleached, obviously You had the brain of a pigeon But I found it charming (I found it charming)

And behind your oh-so-big blue eyes with too much makeup, obviously There was something pretentious That I didn't like (that I didn't like)

I had a head of messy hair and worn-out, tired eyes We screwed in the haystack, and you had your fun.

[Chorus]

Farewell, darlin' We just weren't on the same team Farewell, darlin' Give my regards to your family

[Verse 2]

You invited me to Deauville To your second home I had a miserable, annoying time in that hellscape (in that hellscape)

You introduced me to your friends, almost as dumb as army men. They were real old-fashioned republicans, the beer-drinking type (beer-drinking type)

That tall one thought he was real clever when he called me an anarchist. I don't regret having kicked his ass before I left.

[Chorus]

[Verse 3]

And when you came back to down Paris, super proud of your tan. You didn't want to stay for long, isn't that something.

You called me at least a hundred times To come see you in Neuilly, in your estate by the woods and I said yes (and I said yes)

I came by, one evening, to your garden party with 23 of my buddies they accidentally walked all over your sweets with our heavy boots

[Chorus]

[Verse 4]

Don't be too hard on those idiots, they didn't get much of an education. Down in Courneuve, there ain't no schools there's only prisons and concrete.

Plus, they didn't break everything all they stole was the silverware. Your friend that did karate, What'd we do to him? (What'd we do to him?)

Your dad, I called him a shit-for-brains, apologize to him on my behalf. If I had known that it was true, I wouldn't have said it.

[Chorus]

[Verse 5]

Now I'm getting sick of the chit-chat, surely by now you understand that we weren't born on the same side of the bourgeoisie (of the bourgeoisie).

Quit whining for a second, clearly, I haven't forgotten you. I'm calling you via collect-call, from Noumea (from Noumea)

I've been a grunt for about three weeks, the army's one big family. Yours was a little less disgusting, but soon I'll be out.

[Chorus]

[qc-interpretation]

Les maisons toutes pareilles - Les Cowboys Fringants (Translated)

[Verse 1]

I've got my 5000 square feet. The biggest one in the neighborhood, that's flat like the bottom of a bottle where all the houses look the same

The pre-menstrual symptoms of an all-too-personal bankruptcy. Outdooring gear in the living room, "for sale" sign on the front lawn.

I've got an ex-wife who wants me dead, my kids one week out of two, and a psychiatrist really sick who listens to me bitch for a hundred bucks

Sure, i'm not making anyone cry, with my little first-world heartaches. In an era full of distortion, everyone's joy sounds a little warped.

[Chorus]

But as soon as the dawn rises on all the identical houses. Life suddenly reclaims it's turn, and you can forget the countdown, oh.

And like billions of people, I'll make myself believe it's all okay as long as the sun rises over all the identical houses.

[Verse 2]

Like so many of my contemporaries I practice the "all-is-well" I give my tacit agreement to the triumph of a crumbling world.

A fucked-up climate, ecocide, it's so shitty being lucid. I'd rather flip the switch to "off" while I wait for the catastrophe.

[Chorus]

But as soon as the dawn rises on all the identical houses. Life suddenly reclaims it's turn, and you can forget the countdown, oh.

And like billions of people, I'll make myself believe it's all okay as long as the sun rises over all the identical houses.

[Bridge]

When nightfall encroaches on the sun, above the houses that all look the same. I'm by myself in my place, with my generation, face-to-face,

And i hear it, the tolling bell and it's just not true that I can't be fucked. In an era filled with of distortion, everyone's joy sounds a little warped.

[Chorus]

But as soon as the dawn rises on all the identical houses. Life suddenly reclaims it's turn, and you can forget the countdown, oh.

And like billions of people, I'll make myself believe it's all okay as long as the sun rises over all the identical houses.

[qc-interpretation]

Beau Dommage - Le blues d'la métropole (Translated)

(Verse 1)

In '67 things were all good It was the year of love, the year of the expo. Each a nice new passport with a nice new photo. Had flowers in my hair, what idiots we must have been

I had a girl who was real pretty, she lives on some land with 14 of my old friends. 'All left to raise chickens in the countryside; if you woulda told me nature would one day steal my friends!

(Chorus)

But what's a guy to do? When he doesn't wanna drink his beer, when he's sick of playing pretend with his neighbor's daughter.

All of my friends have dissapeared, and i can't recognize myself either. 10000 of us on St.Paul-street, with the Metropolis blues.

(Bridge)

Dunno what to say to all my friends, no. They're all either way too high or way too hot. A couple of them are a little too put-together. Even Jesus Christ has got my ex-girlfriend in his herd.

(Chorus)

But what's a guy to do? When he doesn't wanna drink his beer, when he's sick of playing pretend with his neighbor's daughter.

All of my friends have dissapeared, and i can't recognize myself either. 10000 of us on St.Paul-street, with the Metropolis blues.

(Solo)

(Verse 2)

I had a buddy who was pretty cool, but I don't see him much, he's in prison down by Quebec. He planted bombs when we lost some election, so if I get too lonely, you'd all better-- you'd all better watch out.

(Chorus)

But what's a guy to do? When he doesn't wanna drink his beer, when he's sick of playing pretend with his neighbor's daughter.

All of my friends have dissapeared, and i can't recognize myself either. 10000 of us on St.Paul-street, with the Metropolis blues.