Swing Troubadour
Charles Trenet Lyrics

Tu viens chanter malgré l'orage
You come to sing despite the storm, implying the singer is trying to find joy amidst adversity

À ce balcon qui reste sourd
To this balcony that remains deaf, suggesting that despite the singer's singing, they feel unheard

Mais ton amie est en voyage
But your friend is on a trip, explaining why the singer feels unheard and uncared for

Pauvre swing troubadour
Poor swing troubadour, the artists sorrowful self-identification

Elle est partie, changement d'adresse
She has left, a change of address clarifies the abrupt disappearance of the artist's friend and stalwart supporter

Et j'ai repris l'appartement
And I have regained the apartment, to inform the audience of who is being addressed by the singer despite feeling unheard

Et c'est à moi que tu t'adresses
And you are addressing me, revealing the true intended audience for the song

Tu n'as pas d'chance vraiment
You really have no luck, with the singer sympathizing with the artist

Swing troubadour
Swing troubadour, the repetition of the chorus and title, serving as a reminder for the audience of the song's overarching theme

Ton destin, swing troubadour
Your destiny, swing troubadour, implying that the artist is fated to be a singer and troubadour of swing despite the hardship faced

C'est d'chanter le bonheur
It is to sing of happiness, with the singer's role enshrined in spreading joy and positivity

Même si ton p'tit cœur est bien lourd
Even if your little heart is heavy, acknowledging the artist's personal struggles while still encouraging them to continue singing

Rien pour toi n'peut effacer
Nothing can erase for you, underscoring the importance of the singer's past experiences to their current artistry

Les beaux jours du passé
The beautiful days of the past, evoking nostalgia for simpler and happier times

Même si dans ta voix y a d'la joie
Even if there is joy in your voice, a reminder that the singer can still find happiness while carrying their emotional burden

Quand tu souris
When you smile, another reference to the artist's capacity for joy amidst sorrow

Tout comme toi je pleure en secret
Just like you, I cry in secret, relating to the artist's sadness through shared human emotion

Un rêve chéri
A beloved dream, alluding to the singer's aspiration to be a successful singer despite setbacks

Un amour timide et discret
A shy and discreet love, revealing a deeper emotional complexity behind the singer's public-facing persona

Moi j'n'ai plus rien
I have nothing left, implying that the artist has lost everything but their music and voice, and therefore their true self

Mais comme toi j'chante pour mon bien
But like you, I sing for my own well-being, affirming the cathartic and positive impact of singing

La plus belle des chansons d'amour
The most beautiful love song, positioning the artist's music as an expression of love in all its forms

Tout est fini, plus de promenades
Everything is finished, no more walks, reflecting the singer's loss and a sense of finality

Plus de printemps swing troubadour
No more spring, swing troubadour, referencing a lost season of joy and renewal

Elle est finie ta sérénade
Your serenade is finished, with the singer accepting the reality of their situation and the futility of longing for lost love

Tu vas quitter l'faubourg
You're going to leave the borough, signaling a change in the singer's circumstances

Comme j'ai quitté, jadis, moi-même
Just like I left, back then, myself, revealing the singer's own history of loss and reinvention

Le vieux quartier triste et charmant
The old, sad and charming quarter, evoking memories of happy times in a bittersweet fashion

De mes amours un peu bohèmes
Of my somewhat bohemian loves, indicating the singer's own romantic history and possibly hinting at parallels with the artist's story

Qui changeaient trop d'logement
That kept moving too much, alluding to an itinerant lifestyle that frequently accompanies artistic pursuits

T'en fais pas, les beaux jours passés
Don't worry, the beautiful days of the past, offering reassurance to the singer about the possibility of better times to come

Reviendront simplement un beau soir et sans même y penser
Will come back one beautiful evening without even thinking about it, furthering the theme of hope

Pleure pas mon vieux
Don't cry my old friend, with the singer trying to comfort the artist

Tu vivras et tu verras mieux
You will live and you will see better, a reminder that things can and will improve over time

Tous les p'tits cœurs
All the little hearts, invoking a sense of unity among fellow troubadours and artists

Qui s'donnent sur la route du bonheur
Who give themselves on the road to happiness, celebrating the shared mission of spreading joy and positivity through art

Moi j'n'ai plus rien
I have nothing left, repeating the earlier theme of the singer having lost everything except their love of singing

Mais tant pis, chantons pleins d'entrain
But so be it, let's sing with enthusiasm, choosing to embrace the joy and passion found in music despite personal struggles

Swing troubadour
Swing troubadour, repeating the chorus one last time to close out the song on a positive note

Swing, allez, swing, allez, chante!
Swing, come on, swing, come on, sing! Encouraging the audience to join in on the joy of the music

Oh, swing troubadour!
Oh, swing troubadour! Restating the name of the song and the artist's identity one final time