Canada has just wrapped up a tour with Page France as well as a short tour with their dear friends Saturday Looks Good to Me. Please prepare yourself to feel overly charmed. Imagine a scenario where The Arcade Fire shows up at Sufjan's backwoods cabin with blankets and board games, and you'll likely capture the aura that has surrounded such an incredibly "worth it" band.
Bouge Ma Vie
Canada Lyrics
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Dans mon rêve chloroformé
Je m'donnais même plus la peine
D'aller voir qui avait sonné
Tous les matins, tous les matins à la même heure
J'attendais même plus le facteur
Et un jour comme un boulet t'as tout fait exploser
Bouge bouge, ma vie
Bouge bouge, ma vie
J'étais tranquille, sans problème
Dans mon rêve chloroformé
Pourtant j'avais mis du temps
A bien me cacher sous l'oreiller
Mais c'est toi qui as allumé la lumière
Alors tu sais ce qu'il te reste à faire
Tu peux plus t'en aller la mèche allumée
Alors continue n'arrête plus
Bouge bouge, ma vie
Bouge bouge, ma vie...
In Bouge Ma Vie, the singer describes living in a state of complacency, where they were perfectly content staying in their own world without engaging with the outside world. They would ignore the doorbell ringing and wouldn't even wait for the mailman to arrive. In essence, they were living in a self-contained bubble where nothing could penetrate. However, one day someone entered and disrupted their routine, causing them to wake up and take notice of the world around them. This person, who the singer refers to as a "boulet," or a heavy ball, has blown up their previously peaceful existence and forced them to pay attention. The phrase "chloroformé" adds an element of numbness, as if the singer was in a continually sedated state before this person arrived to shake things up.
The singer then calls out to this person to continue their disruption, to not stop shaking things up, and to keep the singer from returning to their former apathy. The chorus, "Bouge bouge, ma vie," which can be translated to "Move, move my life," is a plea for this person to continue moving forward with the singer, to push them out of their comfort zone and help them grow and expand their horizons. Overall, the song is about the importance of being open to change and allowing others to disrupt our routines, as it can lead to personal growth and a fuller appreciation of life.
Line by Line Meaning
J'étais tranquille, sans problème
I was calm, without any problems
Dans mon rêve chloroformé
In my chloroformed dream
Je m'donnais même plus la peine
I didn't even bother anymore
D'aller voir qui avait sonné
To check who had rung the bell
Tous les matins, tous les matins à la même heure
Every morning, at the same time
J'attendais même plus le facteur
I didn't even wait for the postman anymore
Et un jour comme un boulet t'as tout fait exploser
And one day, like a cannonball, you blew everything up
Alors continue n'arrête plus...
So keep going, don't stop...
Bouge bouge, ma vie
Move, move, my life
J'étais tranquille, sans problème
I was calm, without any problems
Dans mon rêve chloroformé
In my chloroformed dream
Pourtant j'avais mis du temps
Yet I had taken some time
A bien me cacher sous l'oreiller
To hide well under my pillow
Mais c'est toi qui as allumé la lumière
But it's you who turned on the light
Alors tu sais ce qu'il te reste à faire
So you know what you have to do
Tu peux plus t'en aller la mèche allumée
You can't leave with the fuse lit anymore
Alors continue n'arrête plus
So keep going, don't stop
Bouge bouge, ma vie
Move, move, my life
Bouge bouge, ma vie...
Move, move, my life...
Contributed by Lily O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.