Habanera
Carmen Monarcha Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Que nul ne peut apprivoiser
Et c'est bien en vain qu'on l'appelle
S'il lui convient de refuser
Rien n'y fait, menace ou prière
L'un parle bien, l'autre se tait
Et c'est l'autre que je préfère
L'amour
L'amour
L'amour
L'amour
L'amour est enfant de Bohême
Il n'a jamais, jamais connu de loi
Si tu ne m'aimes pas, je t'aime
Si je t'aime, prends garde à toi
Si tu ne m'aimes pas, si tu ne m'aimes pas, je t'aime
Mais si je t'aime, si je t'aime, prends garde à toi
L'oiseau que tu croyais surprendre
Battit d'aile et s'envola
L'amour est loin, tu peux l'attendre
Tu ne l'attends pas, il est là
Tout autour de toi, vite vite
Il vient, s'en va, puis il revient
Tu crois le tenir, il t'evite
Tu crois l'éviter, il te tient
L'amour
L'amour
L'amour
L'amour
L'amour est enfant de Bohême
Il n'a jamais, jamais connu de loi
Si tu ne m'aimes pas, je t'aime
Si je t'aime, prends garde à toi
Si tu ne m'aimes pas, si tu ne m'aimes pas, je t'aime
Mais si je t'aime, si je t'aime, prends garde à toi
Si tu ne m'aimes pas, si tu ne m'aimes pas, je t'aime
Mais si je t'aime, si je t'aime
Prends garde à toi
Carmen Monarcha's "Habanera" depicts the passion and unpredictability of love. The opening lyrics "L'amour est un oiseau rebelle que nul ne peut apprivoiser" (Love is a rebellious bird that no one can tame), evoke the idea that love is uncontrollable and cannot be tamed no matter how one tries. The singer sings about how one cannot force love; it will either accept or reject a person regardless of their efforts. The lyrics in the second verse "L'amour est enfant de Bohême/Il n'a jamais, jamais connu de loi" (Love is a child of Bohemia/It has never, never known any law) highlight how love is free-spirited and does not follow any societal norms or rules. The song emphasizes the unpredictable nature of love, indicating how it will come and go as it pleases.
The chorus which iterates "L'amour" repeatedly, punctuates the singer's emphasis on her argument regarding love's sporadic nature. The third verse "L'oiseau que tu croyais surprendre/Battit d'aile et s'envola/L'amour est loin, tu peux l'attendre/Tu ne l'attends pas, il est là" (The bird you thought you had caught/ Beat its wings and flew away/Love is far away, you can wait for it/You do not wait for it, it is here) depicts how love is elusive, and one may not get it when they think they have it. Moreover, the song highlights how people tend to play games when it comes to love - the game of hard to get, which can lead to confusion and heartache. The lyrics, "Si tu ne m'aimes pas, si tu ne m'aimes pas, je t'aime / Mais si je t'aime, si je t'aime, prends garde à toi" (If you do not love me, if you do not love me, I love you / But if I love you, if I love you, beware) illustrate the singer's warning that one should guard themselves against the passion that love brings as it can be intense and all-consuming.
Line by Line Meaning
L'amour est un oiseau rebelle
Love is a rebellious bird
Que nul ne peut apprivoiser
That no one can tame
Et c'est bien en vain qu'on l'appelle
And it is in vain that we call it
S'il lui convient de refuser
If it is fitting for it to refuse
Rien n'y fait, menace ou prière
Nothing can be done, threat or prayer
L'un parle bien, l'autre se tait
One speaks well, the other is silent
Et c'est l'autre que je préfère
And it is the other one that I prefer
Il n'a rien dit mais il me plait
He has said nothing but I like him
L'amour
Love
L'amour
Love
L'amour
Love
L'amour
Love
L'amour est enfant de Bohême
Love is a child of Bohemia
Il n'a jamais, jamais connu de loi
It has never,ever known a law
Si tu ne m'aimes pas, je t'aime
If you don't love me, I love you
Si je t'aime, prends garde à toi
If I love you, beware
Si tu ne m'aimes pas, si tu ne m'aimes pas, je t'aime
If you don't love me, if you don't love me, I love you
Mais si je t'aime, si je t'aime, prends garde à toi
But if I love you, if I love you, beware
L'oiseau que tu croyais surprendre
The bird that you thought you surprised
Battit d'aile et s'envola
Flapped its wings and flew away
L'amour est loin, tu peux l'attendre
Love is far away, you can wait for it
Tu ne l'attends pas, il est là
You don't wait for it, it is there
Tout autour de toi, vite vite
All around you, quickly quickly
Il vient, s'en va, puis il revient
It comes, goes, then comes back
Tu crois le tenir, il t'evite
You think you're holding onto it, it avoids you
Tu crois l'éviter, il te tient
You think you're avoiding it, it holds onto you
L'amour
Love
L'amour
Love
L'amour
Love
L'amour
Love
Si tu ne m'aimes pas, si tu ne m'aimes pas, je t'aime
If you don't love me, if you don't love me, I love you
Mais si je t'aime, si je t'aime, prends garde à toi
But if I love you, if I love you, beware
Si tu ne m'aimes pas, si tu ne m'aimes pas, je t'aime
If you don't love me, if you don't love me, I love you
Mais si je t'aime, si je t'aime
But if I love you, if I love you
Prends garde à toi
Beware
Writer(s): George Bizet
Contributed by Thomas R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Celso Ferreira
Esta musica é muito especial porque é cantada em francês ( operas normalmente são em italiano ), interpretada por uma brasileira , maestro holandês e músicos de todo mundo.
Canal WSSN
Brasileira?Não sabia.
Glades Assis
Muito bom seu comentário, eu ainda não havia observado isso, obrigada !
M. Aileen Figueroa
@Canal WSSN yes, Carmen is from Brazil. Check out also CARLA MAFFIOLETTI, from Brazil. She was also with Andre in the past. Two stars from BRAZIL!!
Fabrício de Brito
Brasileira de Belém do Pará
ALEXANDEr610
Lol no se Brasileño pero entendí este comentario a la perfección xddd lol
Tânia Marinho
Carmen Monarcha ... nada do que eu disser será suficiente para expressar todo o encantamento e talento dessa diva . Voz inigualável. Sou muito fã.
Don Leach
She is nothing but spectacular!!! Exquisite in every way, a beauty and a spectacular soprano. But the other ladies in his orchestra are just as great.
C. R
Cuanta sensualidad en su mirada sin caer en la más mínima vulgaridad. Y con una voz sacada del Olimpo. Amo a esta mujer 😍
Herbert
YES, and YES !!