Réfugié
CLERC Julien Lyrics
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Marcher à quatre pattes
Ou au pas de l'oie
Réfugié tu n'as plus de loi
Plus de terre ou de combat
Avoir des droits avoir un toit
Essayons un jour l'amour
Réfugié réfugié
Nous sommes tous tous tous
Des réfugiés
Bien sûr on peut oublier
Renoncer même au passé
Et abolir la mémoire
Comme on ferme un livre d'histoire
Avoir des droits avoir un toit
Essayons un jour l'amour
Le jour où chez nous tu seras chez toi
Réfugié réfugié
Nous sommes tous tous tous
Des réfugiés
Hiver printemps automne été
Nous sommes tous des réfugiés
Sur cette terre qui est notre terre
Qu'il faudra bien un jour partager
Avoir des droits avoir un toit
Essayons un jour l'amour
Le jour où chez nous tu seras chez toi
Réfugié réfugié
Nous sommes tous tous tous
Des réfugiés
Nous sommes tous tous tous
Des réfugiés
The song "Réfugié" by French singer Julien Clerc addresses the plight and struggles of refugees who have fled their homes and countries due to war, conflict, persecution, and other forms of violence. The lyrics speak to the dehumanizing treatment and lack of rights that refugees face, as they are reduced to crawling on all fours or marching in uniform to be counted and controlled. The song also highlights the denial of justice and the loss of a sense of groundedness and identity, as refugees have no land, no law, and no place to call home.
Clerc appeals to the listener's compassion and empathy, urging them to see refugees as fellow human beings deserving of love, dignity, and a chance to rebuild their lives. He suggests that one way to address the refugee crisis is through love and hospitality, inviting refugees to share our homes and communities as if they were ours. In doing so, we recognize that we are all refugees in one way or another, as we cling to fleeting notions of security and belonging in an ever-changing and uncertain world.
Line by Line Meaning
Réfugié, tu as tous les droits
As a refugee, you have the right to basic human rights and shelter.
Marcher à quatre pattes ou au pas de l'oie
As a refugee, you are not free to move as you please, and may have to walk in a subservient manner.
Réfugié tu n'as plus de loi
As a refugee, you are often not protected by the law, and may have no legal status in your new home.
Plus de terre ou de combat
As a refugee, you may have lost your homeland and may have been forced to flee from conflict.
Avoir des droits avoir un toit
All refugees should have access to basic human rights and shelter.
Essayons un jour l'amour
We should try to understand and help refugees with compassion and love.
Le jour où chez nous tu seras chez toi
We hope that one day, refugees will be accepted as part of our community and feel at home.
Bien sûr on peut oublier
We may be tempted to forget the problems faced by refugees and move on with our own lives.
Renoncer même au passé
We may try to erase the memory of past suffering and injustice.
Et abolir la mémoire
We may try to completely forget the experiences of refugees.
Comme on ferme un livre d'histoire
We may try to close the book on refugees' experiences as if they are no longer important.
Hiver printemps automne été
At all times of the year, people can experience the hardships of being a refugee.
Nous sommes tous des réfugiés
Ultimately, we are all human beings who could find ourselves in a similar situation as refugees and should treat them with empathy and kindness.
Sur cette terre qui est notre terre
We are all inhabitants of the same planet and must work together to support refugees as fellow humans.
Qu'il faudra bien un jour partager
We must learn to share the resources and opportunities of our world with all who need them, including refugees.
Contributed by Luke C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.