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.

Tôt ou tard s'en aller
Francis Cabrel Lyrics

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Tôt ou tard s'en aller
Par les ruisseaux devant nous
Jusqu'au milieu d'une mer quelconque
Sur le pont brisé, d'une jonque
On va tôt ou tard s'en aller
Quelques vestes froissées
Quelques cartons en morceaux
Dans les brouillards huileux de la nuit

Juste nos corps frileux endormis
Sur quelques vestes froissées

J'avais des rêves pourtant
J'avais des rêves
J'avais des rêves pourtant

Voir les trains s'éloigner
Les plafonds chargés de bijoux
Et tous ces gens attablés, heureux
Et nous, sur les bas-côtés, fiévreux
De voir les trains s'éloigner

Quelquefois les enfants demandent
Comment fait-on pour finir ici
Sans doute, je dormais sur une feuille,
Et l'automne m'a surpris !

J'avais des rêves pourtant
J'avais des rêves
J'avais des rêves pourtant

Mais tôt ou tard s'en aller
Par les ruisseaux devant nous
Jusqu'au milieu d'une mer quelconque
Sur le pont brisé d'une jonque

On va tôt ou tard s'en aller
Tôt ou tard s'en aller

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Francis Cabrel's song "Tot ou tard s'en aller" depict the inevitability of departure, whether it be from one's current situation, life or even the physical world. The singer describes the journey ahead as being along streams leading to an unknown sea, on a broken bridge of a junk. The imagery throughout the song is melancholic, describing the traveler's modest belongings in cardboard boxes, shrouded in the oily mists of the night.

The song highlights the singer's lost dreams, despite his initial aspirations of a life filled with luxury and happiness. Cabrel's lyrics contrast his own circumstances with the imagery of people enjoying themselves in trains and festive occasions. Nonetheless, the singer recognizes that, in the end, we all are doomed to face the same fate. He seems to suggest that, regardless of our dreams and aspirations, we are all ultimately bound for the same pitiful destiny.

The lyrics of "Tot ou tard s'en aller" therefore express a certain resignation towards the vagaries of life, the acceptance of one's fate, and the realization that all that we can do is hope for a better future beyond. It depicts the human condition in its fragile and elusive character, as well as its ultimate transiency.

Line by Line Meaning

Tôt ou tard s'en aller
Sooner or later we will leave

Par les ruisseaux devant nous
Through the streams in front of us

Jusqu'au milieu d'une mer quelconque
Until the middle of some sea

Sur le pont brisé, d'une jonque
On the broken bridge of a junk

On va tôt ou tard s'en aller
We will sooner or later leave

Quelques vestes froissées
Some wrinkled jackets

Quelques cartons en morceaux
Some torn cardboard boxes

Dans les brouillards huileux de la nuit
In the oily mists of night

Juste nos corps frileux endormis
Just our cold sleeping bodies

Sur quelques vestes froissées
On a few wrinkled jackets

J'avais des rêves pourtant
I had dreams, however