La Noyée
Elba Ramalho Lyrics


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Tu t'en vas à dérive
Sur la rivière du souvenir
Et moi, courant sur la rive
Je te crie de revenir
Mais, lentement, tu t'éloignes
Et dans ma course éperdue
Peu à peu, je te regagne
Un peu du terrain perdu

De temps en temps, tu t'enfonces
Dans le liquide mouvant
Ou bien, frôlant quelques ronces
Tu hésites et tu m'attends
En te cachant la figure
Dans ta robe retroussée,
De peur que te défigurent
Et la honte et les regrets

Tu n'es plus qu'une pauvre épave
Chienne crevée au fil de l'eau
Mais je reste ton esclave
Et plonge dans le ruisseau
Quand le souvenir s'arrête
Et l'océan de l'oubli,




Brisant nos cœurs et nos têtes
A jamais, nous réunit

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Elba Ramalho's song "La Noyée" tell a poignant story of a person watching their loved one drift away on the river of memories. The singer is running desperately along the riverbank, calling out for their loved one to come back. However, despite their efforts, the loved one continues to distance themselves. Yet, as the singer runs fervently, they manage to regain some of the lost ground, slowly catching up to their loved one.


The song portrays a complex emotional journey, as the loved one occasionally sinks into the ever-changing waters or hesitates near thorny obstacles. They hide their face, lifting their skirt in fear of being disfigured by shame and regrets. The dynamics between the singer and their loved one are explored through imagery of a poor wrecked vessel, a worn-out dog floating along the currents. Despite this, the singer remains enslaved to their love, willingly diving into the stream.


As the memories come to a stop and the ocean of forgetfulness breaks both their hearts and minds, they are forever reunited.


Overall, "La Noyée" conveys themes of loss, longing, and the relentless pursuit of love. It captures the bittersweet nature of memories and the powerful hold they can have on our hearts.


Line by Line Meaning

Tu t'en vas à dérive
You drift away


Sur la rivière du souvenir
On the river of memories


Et moi, courant sur la rive
And me, running on the shore


Je te crie de revenir
I cry out for you to come back


Mais, lentement, tu t'éloignes
But slowly, you move away


Et dans ma course éperdue
And in my desperate race


Peu à peu, je te regagne
Little by little, I regain you


Un peu du terrain perdu
A bit of the lost ground


De temps en temps, tu t'enfonces
From time to time, you sink


Dans le liquide mouvant
Into the shifting liquid


Ou bien, frôlant quelques ronces
Or just brushing against some thorns


Tu hésites et tu m'attends
You hesitate and wait for me


En te cachant la figure
Hiding your face


Dans ta robe retroussée
With your dress pulled up


De peur que te défigurent
Afraid of disfigurement


Et la honte et les regrets
Both shame and regret


Tu n'es plus qu'une pauvre épave
You're nothing but a poor wreck


Chienne crevée au fil de l'eau
A tired dog in the water


Mais je reste ton esclave
But I remain your slave


Et plonge dans le ruisseau
And dive into the stream


Quand le souvenir s'arrête
When memory stops


Et l'océan de l'oubli
And the ocean of forgetfulness


Brisant nos cœurs et nos têtes
Breaking our hearts and minds


A jamais, nous réunit
Forever, it reunites us




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Serge Gainsbourg

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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