Les feuilles mortes
Edith Piaf Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Oh, je voudais tant que tu te souviennes
Des jours heureux où nous étions amis
En ce temps-là la vie était plus belle
Et le soleil plus brûlant qu'aujourd'hui

Les feuilles mortes se ramassent à la pelle
Tu vois, je n'ai pas oublié
Les feuilles mortes se ramassent à la pelle
Les souvenirs et les regrets aussi

Et le vent du Nord les emporte,
Dans la nuit froide de l'oubli
Tu vois je n'ai pas oublié,
La chanson que tu me chantais

Les feuilles mortes se ramassent à la pelle
Les souvenirs et les regrets aussi,
Mais mon amour silencieux et fidèle
Sourit toujours et remercie la vie

Je t'aimais tant, tu étais si jolie,
Comment veux-tu que je t'oublie?
En ce temps-là la vie était plus belle
Et le soleil plus brûlant qu'aujourd'hui

Tu étais ma plus douce amie
Mais je n'ai que faire des regrets
Et la chanson que tu chantais,
Toujours, toujours je l'entendrai

C'est une chanson qui nous ressemble,
Toi tu m'aimais, moi je t'aimais
Et nous vivions, tous deux ensemble,
Toi qui m'aimais, moi qui t'aimais

Mais la vie sépare ceux qui s'aiment,
Tout doucement, sans faire de bruit
Et la mer efface sur le sable
Les pas des amants désunis

C'est une chanson qui nous ressemble,
Toi tu m'aimais et je t'aimais
Et nous vivions tous deux ensemble,
Toi qui m'aimais, moi qui t'aimais

Mais la vie sépare ceux qui s'aiment,
Tout doucement, sans faire de bruit




Et la mer efface sur le sable
Les pas des amants désunis

Overall Meaning

"Les feuilles mortes" is a French song that talks about love, memories, and the passage of time. The lyrics are full of nostalgia, and the singer is reflecting on a past love. The song begins with the singer yearning for their friend to remember the happy days they had when they were younger. The lyrics speak of times when life was more beautiful, and the sun was hotter.


The chorus "Les feuilles mortes se ramassent à la pelle" can be translated to "the dead leaves are swept away with the shovel." The singer hasn't forgotten the past, and the memories and regrets still linger. The wind carries away the memories, and the singer hasn't forgotten the song their love used to sing. The singer talks about how their love was once so strong, but life eventually separates those who love each other.


The song is a classic in French music, and it has been covered many times by different artists. "Les feuilles mortes" was originally a poem written by Jacques Prévert. The song was composed by Joseph Kosma, and it was featured in the film Les Portes de la nuit, which was directed by Marcel Carné. The song and the film were both released in 1946.


Line by Line Meaning

Oh, je voudais tant que tu te souviennes
I wish so much that you remember


Des jours heureux où nous étions amis
The happy days when we were friends


En ce temps-là la vie était plus belle
Back then, life was more beautiful


Et le soleil plus brûlant qu'aujourd'hui
And the sun hotter than today


Les feuilles mortes se ramassent à la pelle
The dead leaves are gathered with a shovel


Tu vois, je n'ai pas oublié
You see, I haven't forgotten


Les souvenirs et les regrets aussi
The memories and the regrets too


Et le vent du Nord les emporte,
And the North wind carries them away


Dans la nuit froide de l'oubli
In the cold night of oblivion


La chanson que tu me chantais
The song you used to sing to me


Mais mon amour silencieux et fidèle
But my silent and faithful love


Sourit toujours et remercie la vie
Always smiles and thanks life


Je t'aimais tant, tu étais si jolie,
I loved you so much, you were so pretty


Comment veux-tu que je t'oublie?
How do you expect me to forget you?


Tu étais ma plus douce amie
You were my sweetest friend


Mais je n'ai que faire des regrets
But I have no use for regrets


Et la chanson que tu chantais,
And the song you used to sing


Toujours, toujours je l'entendrai
I will always, always hear it


C'est une chanson qui nous ressemble,
It's a song that is like us


Toi tu m'aimais, moi je t'aimais
You loved me, and I loved you


Et nous vivions, tous deux ensemble,
And we lived together, both of us


Mais la vie sépare ceux qui s'aiment,
But life separates those who love each other


Tout doucement, sans faire de bruit
Quietly and without making a sound


Et la mer efface sur le sable
And the sea erases on the sand


Les pas des amants désunis
The footsteps of separated lovers




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Jacques Prevert, Joseph Kosma

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

Carol Collinge

I adore her voice. The first time I heard it I was 16 now 60 and it still gives me goosebumps x

Christopher Ellis

Yeps, I'm 71, so this was on the radio 📻 in the early fifties, before Rocknrolll 🤣 🧙‍♂️

DK ALBRYTE

@Christopher Ellis I'm 43 and to me she is timeless.

Mór Bargel

Im 16 years old. My father showed me this song. I hope i can get the same feeling as you. Hope your're fine. Best wishes.

Wandering Soul

Best wishes signora.

Mathilde Lacroix

I think for us, French people, she is a treasure of French music... I’m only 25 but I am proud to quote her name when I speak of French music.
I’ m glad you like her as much as us (well, not all of us) 🙈

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Goddess Glow

Her voice....my entire body is tingling. This melody takes me back to a fairytale soundtrack, to my childhood, to the times when I believed in magic, when life had a magical element in it. Such songs linger into my soul and feel like home. I can't explain how or why but they penetrate deep and they make me smile.

Peter Gny

+VintageDesigner ....I too am carried away to such a place when I listen to particular songs.....

Maya Riklis

tamara gvirzeteli

DanMar

Richard clayderman

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