On a eu un bien bel été
Clémence DesRochers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Et des framboises en masse
Des mûres mûres plein le mur d′en face
Du jardin surchargé
Du jardin surchargé
On a vu deux fois l'arc-en-ciel
Souvent, les hirondelles
Volaient bas pour nous épater
On a eu un bien bel été
On a, on a eu un bien bel été
On a chanté tard dans la nuit
Les soirs de pleine lune
"C′est pour toi, Lola, ô ma brune"
Au pommier alourdi
Au pommier alourdi
On a pris les fruits du soleil
Et souvent, les abeilles
Volaient bas pour nous effrayer
On a eu un bien bel été
On a, on a eu un bel été
On a brûlé des vieilles branches
Les oiseaux ont eu peur
Ils nous ont quittés de bonne heure
Un matin de gelée blanche
Du jardin dénudé
On a vu le canard sauvage
Criant dans son langage
Dans huit mois, je vous reviendrai
On a eu un bien bel été
On a, on a eu un bien bel été
The song "On a eu un bien bel été" by Clémence DesRochers is a nostalgic ode to a beautiful summer filled with simple joys and sweet memories. The first verse talks about the abundance of berries in the garden, with strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries all ripening at different times. The image of the wall covered in ripe blackberries evokes a sense of lushness and abundance. The second half of the verse mentions the presence of rainbows and swallows, which adds a touch of magic and wonder to the scene.
The chorus, which is repeated twice throughout the song, celebrates the fact that they had a beautiful summer: "On a eu un bien bel été" (We had a very beautiful summer). The repetition of this phrase emphasizes the importance of this feeling of gratitude and appreciation for the simple pleasures of life.
The second verse talks about singing late into the night under a full moon, dedicating a song to "Lola, my brunette" while sitting under a heavy apple tree. The fruit and flowers in the garden continue to be a source of joy and fascination, with the bees buzzing around and the sun shining down. The image of the bees "flying low to scare us" suggests that even though they were enjoying themselves, there was still an element of danger and unpredictability to their summer adventures.
The final verse describes the transition from summer to autumn, as they burn old branches and the birds fly away in the early morning chill. The wild duck cries out, promising to return in eight months, and the garden is left bare and empty. This bittersweet ending reminds us that even the most beautiful moments in life are fleeting and impermanent.
Overall, "On a eu un bien bel été" is a charming and whimsical tribute to the joys of summer, filled with vivid imagery and a sense of gratitude for the simple pleasures of life.
Line by Line Meaning
On a cueilli des fraises en mai
We picked strawberries in May
Et des framboises en masse
And tons of raspberries
Des mûres mûres plein le mur d′en face
Blackberries covering the wall opposite us
Du jardin surchargé
Our garden was overflowing
On a vu deux fois l'arc-en-ciel
We saw two rainbows
Souvent, les hirondelles
Often, the swallows
Volaient bas pour nous épater
Flew low to amaze us
On a eu un bien bel été
We had a truly beautiful summer
On a, on a eu un bien bel été
We had, we had a truly beautiful summer
On a chanté tard dans la nuit
We sang late into the night
Les soirs de pleine lune
On full moon nights
"C′est pour toi, Lola, ô ma brune"
"This is for you, Lola, oh my dark-haired one"
Au pommier alourdi
At the heavy-laden apple tree
On a pris les fruits du soleil
We took the sun-ripened fruit
Et souvent, les abeilles
And often, the bees
Volaient bas pour nous effrayer
Flew low to scare us
On a brûlé des vieilles branches
We burned old branches
Les oiseaux ont eu peur
The birds got scared
Ils nous ont quittés de bonne heure
They left us early
Un matin de gelée blanche
One frosty morning
Du jardin dénudé
From the bare garden
On a vu le canard sauvage
We saw the wild duck
Criant dans son langage
Crying out in his language
Dans huit mois, je vous reviendrai
In eight months, I'll be back
On a eu un bien bel été
We had a truly beautiful summer
On a, on a eu un bien bel été
We had, we had a truly beautiful summer
Writer(s): Clemence Desrochers, Marc Larochelle
Contributed by Micah I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.