Béatrice has played the piano since the age of three, which was initiated by her mother, a professional pianist. She later played as a keyboardist in the post-hardcore band December Strikes First when she was 15 years old. In March 2007, after five years of music education, she started composing her own songs.
After a brief stint as keyboardist for Bonjour Brumaire, a French-Canadian Indie Rock/Indie Pop band, she released her solo debut album Cœur de pirate in 2008 on the Québécois independent record label Grosse Boîte. The album found much critical acclaim and was subsequently nominated for Francophone Album of the Year at the 2009 Juno Awards.
Hélas
Cœur de Pirate Lyrics
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Nos flammes brûleront par elles-mêmes
Que l'on vive ou que l'on saigne
L'ardeur vibre dans nos veines
On s'était promis au lendemain
À tous ces lendemains de veille
Nos peaux brûlaient d'incertains
De peur de perdre cette étincelle
Hélas, je pensais être seule
Et ce retour vient me noyer
Dans les abysses de l'inconnu
Que je n'croyais toucher
Hélas, je n'sais que faire
Des cendres, peut-on renaître?
Je n'suis qu'un être esseulé
De peur d'être abandonné
Du froid qu'on ressent en nous
Nos démons au garde à vous
Quitte ou double, les jeux sont faits
Prendre une chance, c'est être défait
On s'était promis des aveux
Mais l'on vit de vœux
Les pas qu'on faisait vers l'avant
S'enfoncent en reculant
Hélas, je pensais être seule
Et ce retour vient me noyer
Dans les abysses de l'inconnu
Que je n'croyais toucher
Hélas, je n'sais que faire
Des cendres, peut-on renaître?
Je n'suis qu'un être esseulé
De peur d'être abandonné
The lyrics of "Hélas" by Cœur de Pirate convey themes of passion, uncertainty, and fear of abandonment in a relationship. The opening lines express the idea that whether we ignite or extinguish our flames, they will burn on their own. It suggests that our emotions and desires have a life of their own, independent of our decisions. The line "Que l'on vive ou que l'on saigne, l'ardeur vibre dans nos veines" emphasizes the intensity and vibrancy of these emotions, even in times of pain or conflict.
The next verse speaks of a promise made for the future, specifically referencing the mornings after sleepless nights. The line "Nos peaux brûlaient d'incertains, de peur de perdre cette étincelle" alludes to the uncertainty and fear of losing the spark in the relationship. It conveys the vulnerability and fragility of love, where both parties are aware of the potential for its demise and are afraid of it slipping away.
The chorus, which includes the repeated word "Hélas" (meaning "alas" or "unfortunately" in English), reveals a sense of desolation and the realization that the singer thought they were alone in their feelings. The return of someone unexpected submerges them in the depths of the unknown, which they never believed they would experience. This suggests that the return of this person disrupts the singer's sense of stability and brings unexpected emotional turbulence.
The second verse depicts a struggle with internal demons and the consequences of taking risks. The line "Du froid qu'on ressent en nous, nos démons au garde à vous" suggests the chilling feeling within oneself when our inner demons are ready to strike. The line "Quitte ou double, les jeux sont faits, prendre une chance, c'est être défait" conveys the idea that taking risks and making choices can lead to both success and failure, and reflects the singer's uncertainty about which path to take.
The final verse expresses a disillusionment with the promises made in the relationship, as the words lived by remain unspoken. The line "Les pas qu'on faisait vers l'avant s'enfoncent en reculant" illustrates the feeling of moving forward but ultimately regressing. It reflects the frustration and disappointment in the relationship, where progress seems to be constantly undermined and hindered.
Overall, the lyrics of "Hélas" convey a sense of longing, uncertainty, and fear of losing connection, while highlighting the complexity of emotions within a relationship and the delicate balance between hope and despair.
Line by Line Meaning
Qu'on s'attise ou qu'on s'éteigne
Whether we ignite or extinguish each other
Nos flammes brûleront par elles-mêmes
Our flames will burn on their own
Que l'on vive ou que l'on saigne
Whether we live or bleed
L'ardeur vibre dans nos veines
Passion resonates in our veins
On s'était promis au lendemain
We had promised for tomorrow
À tous ces lendemains de veille
To all those sleepless tomorrows
Nos peaux brûlaient d'incertains
Our skins burned with uncertainties
De peur de perdre cette étincelle
Afraid of losing that spark
Hélas, je pensais être seule
Alas, I thought I was alone
Et ce retour vient me noyer
And this return comes to drown me
Dans les abysses de l'inconnu
In the abyss of the unknown
Que je n'croyais toucher
That I didn't believe I would reach
Hélas, je n'sais que faire
Alas, I don't know what to do
Des cendres, peut-on renaître?
Can we be reborn from ashes?
Je n'suis qu'un être esseulé
I am but a lonely being
De peur d'être abandonné
Afraid of being abandoned
Du froid qu'on ressent en nous
From the coldness we feel within us
Nos démons au garde à vous
Our demons at attention
Quitte ou double, les jeux sont faits
All or nothing, the games are made
Prendre une chance, c'est être défait
Taking a chance is to be defeated
On s'était promis des aveux
We had promised confessions
Mais l'on vit de vœux
But we live on wishes
Les pas qu'on faisait vers l'avant
The steps we took forward
S'enfoncent en reculant
Sink while moving backward
Hélas, je pensais être seule
Alas, I thought I was alone
Et ce retour vient me noyer
And this return comes to drown me
Dans les abysses de l'inconnu
In the abyss of the unknown
Que je n'croyais toucher
That I didn't believe I would reach
Hélas, je n'sais que faire
Alas, I don't know what to do
Des cendres, peut-on renaître?
Can we be reborn from ashes?
Je n'suis qu'un être esseulé
I am but a lonely being
De peur d'être abandonné
Afraid of being abandoned
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Beatrice Martin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind