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À l'envers
France D'Amour Lyrics
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Les ailes pleines de poussière
Avant la fin de leur voyage
Les oiseaux volent à l'envers
La planète des fous
Les a mis en colère
Et s'éloignent de nous
Le ciel est devenu un piège
Qui met en prison la lumière
Et tourne, et tourne le manège
Les oiseaux volent à l'envers
Au-dessus de la mer
Plus haut que les nuages
Les oiseaux sont en cage
Ils volent à l'envers {x2}
Dans le ciel en corbeau
Fragile comme du verre
Dans le ciel en corbeau
Ils volent sur le dos
Ils volent à l'envers
Les ailes pleines de poussière
Ils ne voient plus la Terre
The lyrics of France D'Amour's song "À l'envers" speak of birds flying backwards, in a world where the sky has become a trap that imprisons light and spins like a carousel. The opening lines set the scene between the towers and the clouds, with the birds flying with dust-covered wings. The use of the word "avant" suggests that the birds' journey is coming to an end, as they fly in the opposite direction to their usual path. The second verse introduces the idea of a planet of fools that has angered the birds and caused them to distance themselves from humanity. The repetition of "ils volent à l'envers" ("they fly backwards") emphasises their unusual flight patterns and their separation from the world below.
The chorus brings a sense of melancholy as the birds are metaphorically trapped in the sky - free to soar but unable to escape their reversed flight. The use of the phrase "la planète des fous" ("planet of fools") creates an image of a fractured environment where the birds are the only creatures exhibiting any sense of clarity. The final verse speaks of the fragility of the birds, with their wings covered in dust, and their inability to see the earth below. The reference to flying "sur le dos" ("on their back") gives a sense of vulnerability and loss of control. Overall, the lyrics suggest a world in chaos, where even the birds are affected by the madness and confusion.
Line by Line Meaning
Entre les tours et les nuages
Amidst the towers and clouds
Les ailes pleines de poussière
Their wings full of dust
Avant la fin de leur voyage
Before the end of their journey
Les oiseaux volent à l'envers
The birds fly upside down
La planète des fous
The planet of the crazy
Les a mis en colère
Has made them angry
Et s'éloignent de nous
And they are moving away from us
Ils volent à l'envers
They fly upside down
Le ciel est devenu un piège
The sky has become a trap
Qui met en prison la lumière
That imprisons the light
Et tourne, et tourne le manège
And the carousel keeps spinning
Les oiseaux volent à l'envers
The birds fly upside down
Au-dessus de la mer
Above the sea
Plus haut que les nuages
Higher than the clouds
Les oiseaux sont en cage
The birds are in a cage
Ils volent à l'envers
They fly upside down
Dans le ciel en corbeau
In the raven-colored sky
Fragile comme du verre
Fragile as glass
Ils volent sur le dos
They fly on their backs
Ils volent à l'envers
They fly upside down
Les ailes pleines de poussière
Their wings full of dust
Ils ne voient plus la Terre
They no longer see the Earth
Contributed by Miles V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.