Melody Tempo Harmony
Bernard Lavilliers Lyrics

Ses doigts longs et rapides couraient sur sa guitare
His long and agile fingers ran across his guitar

Ses riffs comme des fluides transperçaient le brouillard
His riffs, like fluids, pierced through the fog

Puis la lumière dorée du soleil de Negril
Then the golden light of the sun in Negril

Planait sur la fumée en petites notes agiles
Hovered over the smoke in small agile notes

Ses textes étaient précis et bourrés d'humour noir
His lyrics were precise and full of black humor

C'était donc mon ami depuis ce fameux soir
He had been my friend since that famous night

Melody, tempo, harmony
Melody, tempo, and harmony

I do it for me, to give you my soul
I do it for myself, to give you my soul

Guitar, bass, funky, lead and back vocals
Guitar, bass, funky, lead, and backup vocals

J'étais noir, moi aussi, mais pour d'autres raisons
I was black too, but for other reasons

J'avais passé dix ans à dormir en prison
I had spent ten years sleeping in prison

C'était une drôle d'affaire pleine de coups d'escopette
It was a funny affair full of shotgun blasts

De transporteurs, de fonds et puis de grosse galettes
Of transporters, funds, and big rolls of money

Oh, melody, melody, oh, yeah
Oh, melody, melody, oh yeah

Dans la vie, mon garçon, que tu sois noir ou blanc (black or white)
In life, my boy, whether you're black or white

T'as le choix, tu travaille, ou tu gagnes de l'argent
You have a choice, you work or you make money

Police did not like my sarcastic lyrics
The police didn't like my sarcastic lyrics

Bye-bye, big money et fini la musique
Goodbye big money, and music is finished

(Melody, guitar, bass and funky)
(Melody, guitar, bass, and funky)