Cœur de pirate (French for "pirate heart") is the stage name for Béatrice M… Read Full Bio ↴Cœur de pirate (French for "pirate heart") is the stage name for Béatrice Martin (born September 22, 1989), a Canadian singer-songwriter from Montréal, Québec, Canada. She writes and sings mainly French songs and is sometimes attributed to Nouvelle Chanson.

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.

Music When The Lights Go Out
Cœur de Pirate Lyrics

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Is it cruel to be kind not to speak my mind
And to lie to you rather than hurt you
Well I'll confess all of my sins after several large gins
But still I'll hide from you, hide what's inside from you
And alarm bells ring when you say your heart still sings
When you're with me, oh darling please
Forgive me

But I no longer hear the music oh no no no no
And all the memories of the pubs and the clubs,
And the drugs and the tubs
We shared together
Will stay with me forever

But all the highs and the lows
And the to's and the fro's
They left me dizzy
Oh won't you please
Forgive me

But I no longer hear the music oh no no no no

Well I no longer hear the music when the lights go out
Love goes cold in the shades of doubt
The strange fate in my mind it's all too clear,
Music when the lights come on
The girl I thought I knew has gone,
And with her my heart it disappeared

Well I no longer hear the music oh no no no no
And all the memories of the fights and the nights
And the blue lights and the kites
We flew together
I thought they'd fly forever

But all the highs and the lows
And the to's and the fro's
They left me dizzy
Oh won't you please
Forgive me

But I no longer hear the music oh no no no no

Well I no longer hear the music when the lights go out
Love goes cold in the shades of doubt
The strange fate in my mind it's all too clear,
I no longer hear the music when the lights come on
The girl I thought I knew has gone,
And with her my heart it disappeared

But I no longer hear the music oh no no no no
And I no longer hear the music

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Music When The Lights Go Out" by Cœur de Pirate depict a sense of regret and loss in a relationship. The singer expresses their internal struggle between being kind and honest with their partner or choosing to lie and hide their true feelings to avoid hurting them. The confession of sins after drinking, and the desire to keep their inner emotions hidden, suggests a fear of vulnerability and the consequences it may bring.

As the song progresses, the singer reflects on the memories they shared together, specifically mentioning pubs, clubs, drugs, and tubs. These moments, both highs and lows, have left a lasting impact and are cherished, even though the relationship has now ended. The absence of music symbolizes the loss of joy, passion, and connection they once felt. The lights going out and love turning cold illustrate the decline and doubt that has taken over their relationship.

The mention of fights, nights, blue lights, and kites further emphasizes the contrast between the happy past and the current state of heartbreak. The singer believed that these beautiful moments would last forever, but now realizes that they are gone, taking with them their heart and the music that once brought them together. The repeated line "I no longer hear the music" reinforces the sense of emptiness and loneliness that now fills their life.

Overall, the lyrics of "Music When The Lights Go Out" tell a story of regret, longing, and the painful realization that a love once vibrant has faded away, leaving behind only memories and a lingering sense of loss.

Line by Line Meaning

Is it cruel to be kind not to speak my mind
Is it wrong to withhold my true thoughts and feelings for the sake of sparing your pain

And to lie to you rather than hurt you
And to deceive you instead of causing you harm

Well I'll confess all of my sins after several large gins
Well, I will admit my wrongdoings after consuming a considerable amount of alcohol

But still I'll hide from you, hide what's inside from you
Still, I will keep my true emotions and thoughts concealed from you

And alarm bells ring when you say your heart still sings
And I become concerned when you claim to still have strong feelings for me

When you're with me, oh darling please
When you are in my presence, my love, I beg you

Forgive me
Please, find it in your heart to forgive me

But I no longer hear the music oh no no no no
But I no longer feel the same joy and connection as before, oh no, no, no, no

And all the memories of the pubs and the clubs, And the drugs and the tubs We shared together
And all the recollections of the bars, the nightlife, the substances, and the moments of intimacy we experienced together

Will stay with me forever
Will remain eternally engraved in my mind

But all the highs and the lows And the to's and the fro's They left me dizzy
But all the moments of ecstasy and despair, the confusion and the uncertainties, they left me disoriented

Oh won't you please Forgive me
Oh, I implore you, please grant me forgiveness

Well I no longer hear the music when the lights go out Love goes cold in the shades of doubt
Now, when darkness surrounds us, I no longer feel the passion and affection; love becomes frigid within the uncertainty

The strange fate in my mind it's all too clear
The peculiar destiny that lingers in my thoughts, it is painfully evident

Music when the lights come on The girl I thought I knew has gone, And with her my heart it disappeared
When the lights illuminate the room, there is no more music, as the girl I believed I knew is gone, taking my heart with her

And I no longer hear the music
And I can no longer perceive the same harmonious melodies

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Carl Barat, Peter Doherty

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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