Le déserteur
Boris Vian Lyrics


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Monsieur le Président
Je vous fais une lettre
Que vous lirez peut-être
Si vous avez le temps
Je viens de recevoir
Mes papiers militaires
Pour partir à la guerre
Avant mercredi soir
Monsieur le Président
Je ne veux pas la faire
Je ne suis pas sur terre
Pour tuer des pauvres gens
C'est pas pour vous fâcher
Il faut que je vous dise
Ma décision est prise
Je m'en vais déserter

Depuis que je suis né
J'ai vu mourir mon père
J'ai vu partir mes frères
Et pleurer mes enfants
Ma mère a tant souffert
Elle est dedans sa tombe
Et se moque des bombes
Et se moque des vers
Quand j'étais prisonnier
On m'a volé ma femme
On m'a volé mon âme
Et tout mon cher passé
Demain de bon matin
Je fermerai ma porte
Au nez des années mortes
J'irai sur les chemins

Je mendierai ma vie
Sur les routes de France
De Bretagne en Provence
Et je dirai aux gens:
Refusez d'obéir
Refusez de la faire
N'allez pas à la guerre
Refusez de partir
S'il faut donner son sang
Allez donner le vôtre
Vous êtes bon apôtre
Monsieur le Président
Si vous me poursuivez
Prévenez vos gendarmes




Que je n'aurai pas d'armes
Et qu'ils pourront tirer

Overall Meaning

Boris Vian's song "Le déserteur" is a pacifist anthem that was written as a response to the Algerian War, which was waged by France from 1954 to 1962. The song tells the story of a young man who has received his military papers and is ordered to go to war. However, he decides that he cannot participate in a conflict that he sees as pointless and unjust, and he chooses to desert instead.


The first stanza of the song is addressed directly to the President of France, and the singer says that he has received his papers and must go to war. He then declares that he does not want to fight and that he is not willing to kill poor people. He goes on to explain that his decision to desert is final.


The second stanza describes the singer's personal reasons for not wanting to go to war. He has seen his father die and his brothers leave to fight, and his children have cried over the loss of family members. His mother has also suffered greatly and is now buried in a grave, unaffected by the bombs that are being dropped around them. Additionally, he himself has been a prisoner and has lost his wife and his past, leaving him with nothing to fight for.


In the third stanza, the singer says that he will leave tomorrow morning and go on the road to beg for his life. He will tell everyone he meets to refuse to go to war and to refuse to obey the government's orders. He suggests that if anyone must give their blood or sacrifice their life, it should be the President himself, rather than ordinary citizens. The stanza ends with a warning to the authorities that he will not be armed and that they can shoot him if they choose.


Overall, "Le déserteur" is a powerful anti-war song that speaks to the futility and suffering of conflict, and the moral and personal cost of participating in it.


Line by Line Meaning

Monsieur le Président
Addressing the President of the country


Je vous fais une lettre
Writing a letter to the President


Que vous lirez peut-être
Hoping that the President will read the letter


Si vous avez le temps
If the President has the time to read the letter


Je viens de recevoir
Just received


Mes papiers militaires
Military papers


Pour partir à la guerre
To go to war


Avant mercredi soir
Before Wednesday evening


Je ne veux pas la faire
I don't want to do it (go to war)


Je ne suis pas sur terre
I'm not on this earth


Pour tuer des pauvres gens
To kill poor people


C'est pas pour vous fâcher
Not to upset the President


Il faut que je vous dise
I must tell you


Ma décision est prise
I've made my decision


Je m'en vais déserter
I'm going to desert


Depuis que je suis né
Since the day I was born


J'ai vu mourir mon père
I saw my father die


J'ai vu partir mes frères
I saw my brothers leave


Et pleurer mes enfants
And cried for my children


Ma mère a tant souffert
My mother suffered so much


Elle est dedans sa tombe
She's inside her grave


Et se moque des bombes
And doesn't care about the bombs


Et se moque des vers
And doesn't care about the worms


Quand j'étais prisonnier
When I was a prisoner


On m'a volé ma femme
They took away my wife


On m'a volé mon âme
They took away my soul


Et tout mon cher passé
And all my cherished past


Demain de bon matin
Tomorrow early in the morning


Je fermerai ma porte
I'll close my door


Au nez des années mortes
In the face of dead years


J'irai sur les chemins
I'll go on the roads


Je mendierai ma vie
I'll beg for my life


Sur les routes de France
On the roads of France


De Bretagne en Provence
From Brittany to Provence


Et je dirai aux gens
And I'll tell people


Refusez d'obéir
Refuse to obey


Refusez de la faire
Refuse to do it (go to war)


N'allez pas à la guerre
Don't go to war


Refusez de partir
Refuse to leave


S'il faut donner son sang
If one has to give their blood


Allez donner le vôtre
Go give yours


Vous êtes bon apôtre
You are a good disciple


Si vous me poursuivez
If you pursue me


Prévenez vos gendarmes
Warn your police


Que je n'aurai pas d'armes
That I won't have any weapons


Et qu'ils pourront tirer
And they can shoot me




Lyrics © EDITIONS MUSICALES DJANIK, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, O/B/O DistroKid, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: BORIS VIAN, HAROLD B BERG

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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