Dans les prisons de Nantes
Edith Piaf & Les Compagnons De La Chanson Lyrics
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Il y a un prisonnier
Il y a un prisonnier
Que personne ne va voir
Que la fille du geôlier
Elle lui porte à boire
À boire et à manger
Et des chemises blanches
Quand il en veut changer
Un jour, il lui demande
"De moi veuillez-vous parler
"De moi veuillez-vous parler
On dit par toute la ville
Que demain vous mourrez
Puisqu'il faut que je meure
Déliez-moi les pieds
Déliez-moi les pieds
La fille était jeunette
Les pieds lui a lâchés
Le galant part alerte
Dans la Loire a sauté
Dans la Loire a sauté
Toutes les cloches de Nantes
Se mirent à sonner
The song "Dans Les Prisons de Nantes" by Edith Piaf tells the story of a prisoner in the prisons of Nantes who nobody visits except for the daughter of the jailer. She brings him food and drink, and clean shirts when he wants to change. One day, the prisoner asks the jailer's daughter if she will speak of him because the word around town is that he will be executed the next day. The prisoner then asks the jailer's daughter to untie him so he can escape. The girl, who is quite young and inexperienced, unties him and he escapes by jumping into the Loire River. The bells of Nantes rang out as he fled.
The lyrics of this song tell a vivid story of the power of love and the risks people are willing to take for it. The prisoner is able to escape because of his love and the trust he builds with the daughter of the jailer. The song is a reminder that even in desperate times, there is hope and love can conquer all.
Line by Line Meaning
Dans les prisons de Nantes
In the prisons located in Nantes
Il y a un prisonnier
There is a prisoner who is detained there
Que personne ne va voir
Whom nobody bothers to visit
Que la fille du geôlier
Except the jailer's daughter
Elle lui porte à boire
She brings him food and drink
À boire et à manger
Both to eat and drink
Et des chemises blanches
And clean white shirts
Quand il en veut changer
Whenever he needs to change them
Un jour, il lui demande
One day, he requests her
"De moi veuillez-vous parler
"Can you talk to me about myself
On dit par toute la ville
Rumours are prevalent in the town
Que demain vous mourrez
That you will die tomorrow
Puisqu'il faut que je meure
As if it's inevitable that I will die
Déliez-moi les pieds
Untie my feet
La fille était jeunette
The girl was young
Les pieds lui a lâchés
She loses grip of his feet
Le galant part alerte
The prisoner quickly jumps
Dans la Loire a sauté
Into the river Loire
Toutes les cloches de Nantes
All the bells in Nantes
Se mirent à sonner
Begin to toll
Lyrics © LES NOUVELLES EDITIONS MERIDIAN
Written by: Marc Herrand
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind