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.

Plus personne
Francis Cabrel Lyrics

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S'il n'y a que mes pas qui résonnent
C'est qu'il ne reste plus personne
Que même les murs sont froids.
Je n'ai plus personne à moi
Que quelques vieux souvenirs
Et des cachets pour dormir
Quelques images qui reviennent
Une place avec une scène

Sur des tréteaux de bois
Des milliers de gens sont là
J'ai dû trop longtemps sourire
Je ne t'ai pas vu partir

Plus que mes pas qui résonnent
Il ne reste plus personne
J'oserai jamais te demander
De revenir me relever

Je vais rester là
Au milieu des papiers gras
Comme un dieu prisonnier
D'une toile d'araignée

Plus que mes pas qui résonnent
Il ne reste plus personne
J'oserai jamais te demander
De revenir me relever

Je croyais pouvoir jouer comme un homme

Tant pis pour moi, s'il ne reste plus personne
Que le goût de ta peau sur l'écho de ma voix.

Overall Meaning

The song "Plus personne" by Francis Cabrel is a melancholic ballad about loneliness and lost love. The lyrics convey a sense of emptiness and abandonment, as the singer describes a world devoid of any meaningful connection. The opening lines set the tone for the rest of the song: "If there's only the sound of my footsteps / It's because there's no one left / Even the walls are cold." From there, the singer reflects on his past relationships and the memories that haunt him. He has nothing left except a handful of old souvenirs, sleeping pills, and some images that keep coming back to him.

As the song progresses, the singer becomes more introspective, acknowledging his own mistakes and shortcomings. He realizes that he has been too focused on his own success and neglected his partner, who has since left him. He longs for her to come back and save him from his loneliness, but he knows that it's unlikely to happen. The final lines of the song are the most poignant: "I thought I could play like a man / Too bad for me, there's no one left / But the taste of your skin on the echo of my voice."

Line by Line Meaning

S'il n'y a que mes pas qui résonnent
If only my footfalls are heard,

C'est qu'il ne reste plus personne
It means there's no one left around,

Que même les murs sont froids.
Even the walls were left cold and sound,

Je n'ai plus personne à moi
I don't have anyone of my own,

Que quelques vieux souvenirs
Just a few old memories to own,

Et des cachets pour dormir
Sleeping pills to numb my fear,

Quelques images qui reviennent
Images that haunt and reappear,

Une place avec une scène
A spot on stage, where I used to dream.

Sur des tréteaux de bois
On wooden planks where I performed,

Des milliers de gens sont là
Thousands of people used to storm,

J'ai dû trop longtemps sourire
I have been smiling for far too long,