Francis Cabrel (born 23 November 1953 in Agen, France) is a French singer-s… Read Full Bio ↴Francis Cabrel (born 23 November 1953 in Agen, France) is a French singer-songwriter and guitarist. Inspired heavily by Bob Dylan, he produced a significant number of albums falling mostly within the realm of folk, with occasional forays into blues or country. Several of his songs, such as "L'encre de tes yeux" and "Petite Marie" have become enduring favourites in French music. His first hit was called "Je l'aime a mourir. Others, such as "C'etait l'hiver", about the suicide of a young girl, have since been covered by other artists such as Canadian Isabelle Boulay.

Le Reste du temps
Francis Cabrel Lyrics

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Et si on dormait sous les arbres
Le reste du temps
Deux amants posés sur des hardes
Deux débutants
En dessous des cieux qui lézardent
Juste en faire autant
Tellement de choses ont changé

Mieux que tous les palais de marbre
L'or des sultans
Quelques branchages qui nous gardent
Des mauvais vents
Je ferai tout ce qu'il te tarde
L'homme ou l'enfant
Tellement de choses ont changé

Dans nos jardins dérangés
Tellement de fleurs allongées, tellement
Sous la lumière orangée
Longtemps nos corps mélangés, longtemps

Rien qui mérite qu'on en parle
Rien d'inquiétant
Un miroir pour que tu te fardes
Je t'aime pourtant
Plus personne ne nous regarde
Ni ne nous entend

Dans nos jardins dérangés
Tellement de fleurs allongées, tellement
Sous la lumière orangée
Longtemps nos corps mélangés, longtemps

Pendant que le monde bavarde
À rien d'important

On pourrait dormir sous les arbres
Le reste du temps

Overall Meaning

The song "Le Reste du temps" by Francis Cabrel is a romantic ballad about two lovers who escape the noise and chaos of the world to find peace and solace with each other. The opening lines of the song suggest a desire to escape from the modern world and embrace a simpler, more natural way of living. The lovers want to sleep under the trees and forget about everything else in the world. They are portrayed as beginners in love, as they are still learning about the world and each other. The imagery of the sky cracking under the trees is used to create an idyllic setting where anything is possible.

The chorus of the song emphasizes the importance of finding beauty and love in everyday things. The lovers find more solace in the branches of the trees than in any palace or treasure. Cabrel sings about the power of nature to protect them from the harshness of the world. The man promises to fulfill all of the woman's wishes in a child-like, innocent way.

The verses of the song describe a peaceful and intimate setting, where the flowers grow long and the bodies of the lovers intertwine. The singer emphasizes the beauty of the moment, despite its simplicity. Even the fact that the woman puts on makeup before they go to sleep is not important, as the singer declares his love for her anyway, showing that love is much more than material things.

Cabrel then sings about the fact that nobody is watching them, and they are free to be themselves, without having to put on a façade for anyone else. The final lines of the song state that while the world babbles about trivial things, they could spend their time sleeping under the trees, happy and content with each other.

Overall, "Le Reste du temps" is a song that celebrates the beauty and simplicity of love found in nature. It portrays the lovers as innocent and young, reminiscing about a time when life was more straightforward and carefree.

Line by Line Meaning

Et si on dormait sous les arbres
What if we slept under the trees

Le reste du temps
The rest of the time

Deux amants posés sur des hardes
Two lovers lying on rugs

Deux débutants
Two beginners

En dessous des cieux qui lézardent
Under the skies that crack

Juste en faire autant
Just doing the same

Tellement de choses ont changé
So many things have changed

Mieux que tous les palais de marbre
Better than all the marble palaces

L'or des sultans
The gold of the sultans

Quelques branchages qui nous gardent
Some branches that protect us

Des mauvais vents
From the bad winds