Le Petit Gars
Francis Cabrel Lyrics
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On voyait s'agiter la cité
Et faner les fleurs solitaires
Dans les parterres grillagés
Le petit gars là-haut sur sa colline
Venait les contempler en paix
Ces enfants qui jouent en plein air
Entre la route et la voie ferrée
Ils vont finir par manquer d'air
Ou ils vont s'électrocuter
Le petit gars là-haut sur sa colline
Venait les contempler en paix
Mais le petit gars ne comprenait rien
Allongé sous les arbres il se trouvait bien
Attendant tranquille la récolte du vin
A quoi servent leurs belles manières
Si leurs mots sont empoisonnés
A quoi servent leurs têtes fières
Puisqu'ils marchent le dos courbé
Le petit gars là-haut sur la colline
Venait les contempler en paix.
Derrière la rivière du père
On voyait s'agiter la cité
Et tourner les ogres d'affaires
Dans les tours de verre climatisées
Le petit gars là-haut sur la colline
Venait les contempler en paix
Mais le petit gars ne comprenait rien
Allongé sous les arbres il se trouvait bien
En attendant que cuise son pain.
Mais le petit gars ne comprenait rien
Où s'en vont mourir ces pauvres pantins
Allongés sous les arbres ils seraient si bien
Attendant tranquilles que coule le vin.
The lyrics to Francis Cabrel's "Le Petit Gars" describe a scene in which children play in a city surrounded by fences and busy with businesses. The singer describes a little boy who observes these children from his perch atop a hill in peaceful reflection. However, the singer notes that the children's play area is dangerously close to a busy road and train tracks, and the children may get hurt. Despite this, the little boy continues to peacefully observe the children. As the song progresses, the little boy reflects on the "belles manières" (beautiful manners) of the city people, but how their words are "empoisonnés" (poisonous) and their heads are "fieres" (proud) but they still walk with their backs bent. The little boy sees the people in the city as "ogres d'affaires" (business ogres) who work in glass towers, but he doesn't fully understand their ways. The song ends with the little boy still reflecting on his questions while waiting for his bread to cook.
The song has a nostalgic tone to it, as if the singer is reminiscing about their own childhood, possibly inspired by Cabrel's own upbringing in rural France. Themes of innocence, ignorance, and reflection are present throughout the lyrics. The "petit gars" (little boy) represents a child-like perspective of a world that seems strange and unfamiliar. Despite the dangers and questions that arise from the world around him, the little boy is content to wait patiently for his bread to cook.
Line by Line Meaning
Derrière la rivière du père
Behind the father's river
On voyait s'agiter la cité
One could see the city bustling
Et faner les fleurs solitaires
And withering the lonely flowers
Dans les parterres grillagés
In the fenced flowerbeds
Le petit gars là-haut sur sa colline
The little boy up on his hill
Venait les contempler en paix
Came to contemplate them in peace
Ces enfants qui jouent en plein air
These children playing outdoors
Entre la route et la voie ferrée
Between the road and the railway
Ils vont finir par manquer d'air
They'll end up running out of air
Ou ils vont s'électrocuter
Or they'll get electrocuted
Le petit gars là-haut sur sa colline
The little boy up on his hill
Venait les contempler en paix
Came to contemplate them in peace
Mais le petit gars ne comprenait rien
But the little boy didn't understand anything
Allongé sous les arbres il se trouvait bien
Laying under the trees he felt good
Attendant tranquille la récolte du vin
Peacefully waiting for the wine harvest
A quoi servent leurs belles manières
What good are their fancy manners
Si leurs mots sont empoisonnés
If their words are poisoned
A quoi servent leurs têtes fières
What good are their proud heads
Puisqu'ils marchent le dos courbé
Since they walk with a hunched back
Le petit gars là-haut sur la colline
The little boy up on his hill
Venait les contempler en paix.
Came to contemplate them in peace.
Derrière la rivière du père
Behind the father's river
On voyait s'agiter la cité
One could see the city bustling
Et tourner les ogres d'affaires
And turn the business ogres
Dans les tours de verre climatisées
In the air-conditioned glass towers
Le petit gars là-haut sur la colline
The little boy up on his hill
Venait les contempler en paix
Came to contemplate them in peace
Mais le petit gars ne comprenait rien
But the little boy didn't understand anything
Allongé sous les arbres il se trouvait bien
Laying under the trees he felt good
En attendant que cuise son pain.
Waiting for his bread to cook.
Mais le petit gars ne comprenait rien
But the little boy didn't understand anything
Où s'en vont mourir ces pauvres pantins
Where are these poor puppets going to die
Allongés sous les arbres ils seraient si bien
Laying under the trees, they would be so good
Attendant tranquilles que coule le vin.
Peacefully waiting for the wine to flow.
Lyrics © LES EDITIONS 31
Written by: Georges Augier De Moussac, Francis Cabrel
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind