Mélancolique
Benjamin Biolay Lyrics

The song "Mélancolique" by Benjamin Biolay is a melancholic ballad that encapsulates the essence of nostalgia and introspection. In the first stanza, the singer acknowledges their melancholic state, "Mélancolique et ailleurs, Mélancolique et alors?" which translates to "Melancholic and elsewhere, melancholic and so what?" indicating a sense of resignation to their mood. The singer goes on to describe their reserved disposition, "Plus pudique que la pudeur" or "more modest than modesty," and notes that they were already melancholic in the past, "Je l'étais déjà, autrefois" or "I was already like this, before."

The second stanza brings in religious undertones with "Apostolique pâleur," which means "apostolic paleness," and speaks of the joys of a love affair, but notes that they won't be displayed to others, "Vous n'le verrez plus, vous n'le verrez pas." The chorus, "C'est ce qu'il me reste, C'est ce qu'il me reste, De feu ma jeunesse, Tout ce qu'il me reste" or "This is what's left of my youth, all that's left," highlights the singer's preoccupation with the past and the fleeting nature of time.

The third stanza alludes to the pleasures of alcohol and illusions but reinforces that the melancholy is not a recent development, "Je l'étais déjà, autrefois." The fourth stanza juxtaposes the metaphor of a transatlantic heart with the pursuit of happiness, "J'ai des vues sur le bonheur," or "I have views on happiness," but once again notes that it won't be visible to others. In the final stanza, the singer acknowledges their antipathetic nature, "Antipathique d'abord," or "Unlikable at first," but asserts their childlike purity, "Anachronique candeur," and references the novel "L'Attrappe-Coeur" or "Catcher in the Rye," as a poetic source. The chorus repeats twice more.

Overall, the song speaks to the complexity of the human condition and how the passing of time can lead to a deep feeling of melancholy, nostalgia, and introspection. The singer acknowledges their flaws and virtues, their pain and joy, and the permanence and impermanence of their experiences.