Norwegian singer/songwriter Børge Sildnes started making music under the ps… Read Full Bio ↴Norwegian singer/songwriter Børge Sildnes started making music under the pseudonym Dylan Mondegreen in 2005, developing a sound that approached his airy songs from perspectives of both indie rock lilt and '70s soft rock haziness. His debut album, While I Walk You Home, was released in September 2007. The album was well received both critically and in terms of sales, drawing comparisons to Jens Lekman, Prefab Sprout, and other indie troubadours from several eras. The record's warm reception expanded his audience and paved the way for festival appearances and even a tour of Japan. Sophomore album The World Spins On was released in 2009, followed by a self-titled third full-length in 2012.
"Flawlessly written and performed, and produced with uncommon skill and grace - it's likely one of the best singer/songwriter records of 2012, and most any year that came before." - AllMusic (4,5/5 stars)

Broken French
Dylan Mondegreen Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I made landfall on your coastline
Where no language barriers
Could hold back your smile
And you blushed when
I mumbled out some words in broken french

You whispered so softly, with none to translate
I didn't mind, I didn't mind at all

I felt sure that the message you tried to convey
Was a lush declaration of love

Now I'm looking for a lifeline
A manoeuvre to pull out of this nosedive
Cause you left me,
With promises as broken as my french

You whispered so softly, with none to translate
I didn't mind, I didn't mind at all
I felt sure that the message you tried to convey
Was a lush declaration of love

I remember your words,
As we parted misty-eyed
Under a southerly sky
Then I thought you were sad
Now from all the dictionaries I have read,
I've realized
On the last day,

You really broke my heart
In perfect french

Overall Meaning

The opening lines of Dylan Mondegreen's "Broken French" recount an encounter in which the singer has arrived at the "coastline" of a person who does not speak their language. Despite the communication difficulties, the other person's "smile" remains easily communicable through the divide of different tongues. In a moment of endearing vulnerability, the singer fumbles through "some words" in broken French, causing the other person to blush. It's a charming scene that sets up the sense of intimacy that characterizes the rest of the song. The second verse again highlights the sweetness of the other person, suggesting that they are whispering something intimate that cannot be translated but which the singer interprets as a "lush declaration of love."

But the song takes a turn as it progresses. The singer reveals that they have been "left" by the other person, and now it seems that the promises made to them were as "broken as my french." The song knows enough not to align the broken promises with the broken French, twisting the familiar saying in on itself. Instead, it's the singer's own ability to communicate — and to fully convey meaning in words — that has let them down. It's a complex and evocative metaphor, as the singer seeks a "lifeline" in order to pull back from the "nosedive" of their heartbreak.

Line by Line Meaning

I made landfall on your coastline
I arrived in your presence

Where no language barriers
There were no communication obstacles

Could hold back your smile
You were happy to see me

And you blushed when
Your face turned red when

I mumbled out some words in broken french
I spoke to you in incomplete French

You whispered so softly, with none to translate
You spoke so quietly and I couldn't understand

I didn't mind, I didn't mind at all
However, it didn't bother me

I felt sure that the message you tried to convey
I was certain that what you were trying to say

Was a lush declaration of love
Was a beautiful proclamation of love

Now I'm looking for a lifeline
Now, I am seeking a way out

A manoeuvre to pull out of this nosedive
A strategy to save myself from this crash