Padam Padam
Edith Piaf Lyrics


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Cet air qui m'obsède jour et nuit
Cet air n'est pas né d'aujourd'hui
Il vient d'aussi loin que je viens
Traîné par cent mille musiciens
Un jour cet air me rendra folle
Cent fois j'ai voulu dire pourquoi
Mais il m'a coupé la parole
Il parle toujours avant moi
Et sa voix couvre ma voix

Padam, padam, padam
Il arrive en courant derrière moi
Padam, padam, padam
Il me fait le coup du souviens-toi
Padam, padam, padam
C'est un air qui me montre du doigt
Et je traîne après moi comme une drôle d'erreur
Cet air qui sait tout par cœur

Il dit "rappelle-toi tes amours
Rappelle-toi puisque c'est ton tour
Y a pas d'raison pour qu'tu n'pleures pas
Avec tes souvenirs sur les bras"

Et moi je revois ceux qui restent
Mes vingt ans font battre tambour
Je vois s'entrebattre des gestes
Toute la comédie des amours
Sur cet air qui va toujours

Padam, padam, padam
Des "je t'aime" de quatorze-juillet
Padam, padam, padam
Des "toujours" qu'on achète au rabais
Padam, padam, padam
Des "veux-tu" en voilà par paquets
Et tout ça pour tomber juste au coin d'la rue
Sur l'air qui m'a reconnue

Écoutez le chahut qu'il me fait
Comme si tout mon passé défilait
Faut garder du chagrin pour après




J'en ai tout un solfège sur cet air qui bat
Qui bat comme un cœur de bois

Overall Meaning

The song "Padam Padam" by Edith Piaf is an iconic French chanson that has captured the hearts of many generations. The lyrics describe a haunting melody that follows the singer wherever she goes, reminding her of her past loves and her youth. She describes how this melody speaks before her and drowns out her own voice, emphasizing the significant presence of her memories in her life.


The first verse of the song describes the obsession with this melody that haunts her day and night. The melody is not new, but it feels as if it has been with her since birth, trailed by countless musicians. The singer emphasizes that this melody will drive her mad, indicating that she cannot escape her memories. She attempts to express why this melody is so significant to her, but it always silences her, reminding her of her past and what she has experienced.


In the second verse, the singer encounters the melody as it follows her and reminds her of her past loves. The melody points out her loves and commands her to remember them with great emotion. The singer recalls the moments and gestures of her past relationships, and she sees the entire act of love performed in front of her in all its complexity. The singer suggests that the melody is like a heart of wood, beating just like her own heart.


Overall, "Padam Padam" is a nostalgia-filled tune, embracing the past and the memories that are a part of life. The melody represents a significant part of the singer's life and reminds her of her past love's moments, urging her to keep her sadness for later.


Line by Line Meaning

Cet air qui m'obsède jour et nuit
This tune that obsesses me day and night


Cet air n'est pas né d'aujourd'hui
This tune is not born today


Il vient d'aussi loin que je viens
It comes from as far back as I do


Traîné par cent mille musiciens
Dragged by a hundred thousand musicians


Un jour cet air me rendra folle
One day this tune will drive me crazy


Cent fois j'ai voulu dire pourquoi
A hundred times I wanted to say why


Mais il m'a coupé la parole
But it cut me off


Il parle toujours avant moi
It always speaks before me


Et sa voix couvre ma voix
And its voice covers mine


Padam, padam, padam
Padam, padam, padam


Il arrive en courant derrière moi
It comes running after me


Padam, padam, padam
Padam, padam, padam


Il me fait le coup du souviens-toi
It reminds me of the past


Padam, padam, padam
Padam, padam, padam


C'est un air qui me montre du doigt
It's a tune that's pointing at me


Et je traîne après moi comme une drôle d'erreur
And I carry around like a strange mistake


Cet air qui sait tout par cœur
This tune that knows everything by heart


Il dit "rappelle-toi tes amours
It says "remember your loves


Rappelle-toi puisque c'est ton tour
Remember since it's your turn


Y a pas d'raison pour qu'tu n'pleures pas
There's no reason for you not to cry


Avec tes souvenirs sur les bras"
With your memories on your arms"


Et moi je revois ceux qui restent
And I see those who remain


Mes vingt ans font battre tambour
My twenties beat like a drum


Je vois s'entrebattre des gestes
I see gestures clashing


Toute la comédie des amours
All the comedy of loves


Sur cet air qui va toujours
On this tune that always goes


Padam, padam, padam
Padam, padam, padam


Des "je t'aime" de quatorze-juillet
I love yous on Bastille Day


Padam, padam, padam
Padam, padam, padam


Des "toujours" qu'on achète au rabais
Always at a discount


Padam, padam, padam
Padam, padam, padam


Des "veux-tu" en voilà par paquets
Wanna-bes in packs


Et tout ça pour tomber juste au coin d'la rue
And all that to end up just around the corner


Sur l'air qui m'a reconnue
On the tune that recognized me


Écoutez le chahut qu'il me fait
Listen to the ruckus it makes


Comme si tout mon passé défilait
As if my entire past was passing by


Faut garder du chagrin pour après
You have to save some sorrow for later


J'en ai tout un solfège sur cet air qui bat
I have a whole solfeggio on this tune that beats


Qui bat comme un cœur de bois
That beats like a wooden heart




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Norbert Glanzberg, Henri Alexandre Contet, G DEVARAJAN, VARMA VAYALAR RAMA

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@romagl4298

Cet air qui m'obsède jour et nuit
Cet air n'est pas né d'aujourd'hui
Il vient d'aussi loin que je viens
Traîné par cent mille musiciens
Un jour cet air me rendra folle
Cent fois j'ai voulu dire pourquoi
Mais il m'a coupé la parole
Il parle toujours avant moi
Et sa voix couvre ma voix

Padam, padam, padam
Il arrive en courant derrière moi
Padam, padam, padam
Il me fait le coup du souviens-toi
Padam, padam, padam
C'est un air qui me montre du doigt
Et je traîne après moi comme une drôle d'erreur
Cet air qui sait tout par cœur

Il dit "rappelle-toi tes amours
Rappelle-toi puisque c'est ton tour
Y a pas d'raison pour qu'tu n'pleures pas
Avec tes souvenirs sur les bras"

Et moi je revois ceux qui restent
Mes vingt ans font battre tambour
Je vois s'entrebattre des gestes
Toute la comédie des amours
Sur cet air qui va toujours

Padam, padam, padam
Des "je t'aime" de quatorze-juillet
Padam, padam, padam
Des "toujours" qu'on achète au rabais
Padam, padam, padam
Des "veux-tu" en voilà par paquets
Et tout ça pour tomber juste au coin d'la rue
Sur l'air qui m'a reconnue

Écoutez le chahut qu'il me fait
Comme si tout mon passé défilait
Faut garder du chagrin pour après
J'en ai tout un solfège sur cet air qui bat
Qui bat comme un cœur de bois



@jonf568

Here is the translation:

This air that obsesses me day and night
This air is not born today
He comes from as far as I come
Dragged by one hundred thousand musicians
One day this air will drive me crazy
A hundred times I wanted to say why
But he cut me off
He always speaks before me
And his voice covers my voice
Padam ... padam ... padam ...
He comes running behind me
Padam ... padam ... padam ...
He reminds me of that
Padam ... padam ... padam ...
It's an air that shows me the finger
And I'm hanging out after me like a funny mistake
This air that knows everything by heart
He says, "Remember your loves
Remember since it's your turn
There is no reason for you not to forget
With your memories on your arms ... "
And I see those who remain
My twenty years make drum beat
I see gestures
All the comedy of loves
On this air that always goes

Padam ... padam ... padam ...
Of the "I love you" of fourteen-July
Padam ... padam ... padam ...
"Always" that we buy at a discount
Padam ... padam ... padam ...
"Do you want" here in packages
And all that to fall just around the corner
On the air that has recognized me

...
Listen to the heckling he makes me

...
As if all my past went by

...
Have to keep sorrowing for after
I have all the music on this air that beats ...
Who beats like a heart of wood ...



@mohmadfaadel1313

This air that obsesses me day and night
This tune was not born today
It comes from as far as I come
Dragged by a hundred thousand musicians
One day this tune will drive me crazy
A hundred times I wanted to say why
But he cut me off
He always speaks before me
And his voice covers my voice
Padam ... padam ... padam ...
He comes running behind me
Padam ... padam ... padam ...
It does the blow to me remember
Padam ... padam ... padam ...
It's a tune that points the finger at me
And I'm dragging after me like a funny mistake
This tune that knows everything by heart
He said: "Remember your loves
Remember since it's your turn
there is no reason why you don't cry
With your memories on your arms ... "
And I see those who remain
My twenty years make the drum beat
I see gestures fighting
All the comedy of love
On this tune that always goes

Padam ... padam ... padam ...
Fourteen-July "I love you"
Padam ... padam ... padam ...
"Always" that we buy at a discount
Padam ... padam ... padam ...
"Do you want" here in packages
And all that to fall just around the corner
On the air that recognized me

...
Listen to the ruckus he makes to me

...
As if all my past is scrolling

...
You have to save sorrow for later
I have a whole lot of music theory on this beating tune ...
That beats like a wooden heart ...



@themoonlovers7637

Cet air qui m'obsède jour et nuit
Cet air n`est pas né d`aujourd`hui
Il vient d`aussi loin que je viens
Traîné par cent mille musiciens
Un jour cet air me rendra folle
Cent fois j`ai voulu dire pourquoi
Mais il m'a coupé la parole
Il parle toujours avant moi
Et sa voix couvre ma voix
Padam...padam...padam...
Il arrive en courant derrière moi
Padam...padam...padam...
Il me fait le coup du souviens-toi
Padam...padam...padam...
C'est un air qui me montre du doigt
Et je traîne après moi comme un drôle d`erreur
Cet air qui sait tout par coeur
Il dit: "Rappelle-toi tes amours
Rappelle-toi puisque c`est ton tour
`y a pas d`raison pour qu`tu n`pleures pas
Avec tes souvenirs sur les bras..."
Et moi je revois ceux qui restent
Mes vingt ans font battre tambour
Je vois s'entrebattre des gestes
Toute la comédie des amours
Sur cet air qui va toujours

Padam...padam...padam...
Des "je t'aime" de quatorze-juillet
Padam...padam...padam...
Des "toujours" qu'on achète au rabais
Padam...padam...padam...
Des "veux-tu" en voilà par paquets
Et tout ça pour tomber juste au coin d'la rue
Sur l`air qui m`a reconnue

...
Écoutez le chahut qu`il me fait

...
Comme si tout mon passé défilait

...
Faut garder du chagrin pour après
J`en ai tout un solfège sur cet air qui bat...
Qui bat comme un coeur de bois...



All comments from YouTube:

@Mia_____________

A great way for young Kylie fans to discover Piaf. She's incredible.

@jacquesfantastique

Are there young Kylie fans though?

@lennarthelder6002

Gasp

@noxh808

@@jacquesfantastique1355collected

@EthanHackney

gagged

@remingtongraves

@Jacques Fantastique I SCREAMED.

28 More Replies...

@gsmedia9195

My father was born in Marseille in 1929. He had the privilege of seeing ( edith piaf ) perform in Paris in 1949. He mentioned how tiny she was and that she had a simple black dress on. Nothing like today with all the bells and whistles. Her voice penetrated everything and went straight to your heart. When I listen to her it reminds me of my father and what it must have been like to see her live. It makes me happy to know that so many people have discovered her through TV shows or from word or mouth. C'est merveilleux!

@michaelmika2995

I was born in Paris in 1943 when bombs were falling everywhere. My father put me and my mother on a train to Ellon, Normandy where her mother lived. The last car, the baggage car, was hit by a bomb. We got there with just the clothes on our backs. There was no Woolworth's, Macy's, back then. Clothes were generally hand-made, The house still has one wall standing. We lived just down the road from Caen, a leveled city. I still remember three sunken Liberty ships facing the coast at Arromanches where we would go swimming. We came here, by ship, the "Ile de France," in 1952. I was seasick for six, agonizing days. We settled in Astoria, Queens. Thanks to all the courageous servicemen, we are here to have a safer life. I now live in N.H. I served for 20-years with the N.Y.P.D. Thank you for this song which reminds me of my GREAT mother. My father was born in Czechoslovakia in 1901. Most people don't realize what they have here in this great country.

@hudsony777

This is a very touching recollection, thank you.

@michaelmika2995

@Claudio de Rochefoucault I STILL CRY WHEN READING THIS.

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