South of France
Harlem Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Drivin' in the south of France
And I'm blastin' Abba
Moroccan guy askin me
A sensual question
Lookin' at the beach
It's a shame
That it's a-rainin'
I wish I could take a swim
Instead I'm stuck in a cab with a stranger
Drank last night and I feel like shit

I hate every book I've ever read
Take back the words I never said
I need somewhere to rest my head
I'm lookin' for a big old, big old med

Two years later I'm back in the same town
This time I brought my girlfriend
We fought at the beach and slept at a ??
We told each other it was the end
All the girls on the beach all topless and tan
Real pretty bodies what would they taste like, man
I wish I was different
More like Duvall (?)
But every time I try I realize I can't

I hear a party and ??
I can hear all of them ??
Ever wait four years ??
I'm just gonna wait for the next day

Next day I wake up
I drink coffee
And I go for a walk around town
Buy some drugs off a street man
Go back hotel
Lie back down
I'm thinkin' there's a gas leak in my room
I'm on drugs
I'm freakin' out
Do I call the ?? and tell him
Or do I just go back to sleep

I hate every book I've ever read
Take back the words you never said




I need somewhere to rest my head
I'm lookin' for a big old, big old med

Overall Meaning

The song "South of France" by Harlem is a tale of a man driving through the south of France, reminiscing about his previous experiences in the town, and struggling with his own identity. He is listening to Abba when he comes across a Moroccan man who asks him a "sensual question." As he looks out at the beach, he laments the fact that it is raining and that he cannot take a swim. He is stuck in a cab with a stranger, feeling hungover and terrible from the night before.


The lyrics take a darker turn as the man expresses his dissatisfaction with his life, hating every book he's ever read and wishing he could take back the words he's never said. He is searching for a place to lay his head, a big old med that he can escape to. Two years later, he returns to the same town with his girlfriend but they end up fighting and sleeping separately. He is envious of the beautiful, topless women on the beach and wishes he could be like someone named Duvall. But every time he tries, he realizes he can't.


Line by Line Meaning

Drivin' in the south of France
Traveling by car in the southern region of France


And I'm blastin' Abba
Listening to music by the Swedish pop group Abba at a loud volume


Moroccan guy askin me
An individual from Morocco is posing a query to me


A sensual question
A question of a sexual or intimate nature


Lookin' at the beach
Observing the sandy shoreline and water's edge


It's a shame
It is disappointing or unfortunate


That it's a-rainin'
It is raining, which is a negative occurrence


I wish I could take a swim
I desire to engage in a recreational activity of swimming


Instead I'm stuck in a cab with a stranger
I am currently in a taxi vehicle being operated by an unfamiliar person


Drank last night and I feel like shit
I consumed alcoholic beverages the evening prior, and I am experiencing negative physical sensations as a result


I hate every book I've ever read
I have a negative opinion of every literary work I have encountered


Take back the words I never said
I wish to retract statements I never verbalized


I need somewhere to rest my head
I require a location to rest or sleep


I'm lookin' for a big old, big old med
I am searching for a large medicinal substance, possibly illicit in nature


Two years later I'm back in the same town
After a two-year interval, I have returned to the identical geographical location


This time I brought my girlfriend
During this visit, I am accompanied by my female romantic partner


We fought at the beach and slept at a ??
We engaged in conflict while situated on the shore, and subsequently slumbered in an unidentified location


We told each other it was the end
We vocalized our belief that our relationship had concluded


All the girls on the beach all topless and tan
All of the female individuals present on the shore are exposing their bare upper bodies and possess a tanned complexion


Real pretty bodies what would they taste like, man
I am curious about the flavor of these women's physiques


I wish I was different
I desire to possess different characteristics or attributes


More like Duvall (?)
In a manner similar to an individual whose name may be Duvall, but is unclear


But every time I try I realize I can't
Despite my attempts, I come to understand that I am not capable of achieving this desired change


I hear a party and ??
I perceive the existence of a celebration or gathering, however, the remainder of the lyrics are unintelligible


I can hear all of them ??
Despite the vague and ambiguous nature of this phrase, it indicates an awareness of the sounds being made by the partygoers


Ever wait four years ??
This lyric is nonsensical and not fully comprehensible


I'm just gonna wait for the next day
I will patiently await the arrival of a new day


Next day I wake up
After a period of sleep, I become conscious again


I drink coffee
I consume a caffeinated beverage made from roasted beans


And I go for a walk around town
I take a stroll through the locality


Buy some drugs off a street man
I purchase narcotics from an unlicensed seller on the street


Go back hotel
I return to the lodging establishment where I am residing


Lie back down
I recline or rest my body


I'm thinkin' there's a gas leak in my room
I suspect that there may be a hazardous gas emission within the interior space of my accommodations


I'm on drugs
I am currently under the influence of narcotics


I'm freakin' out
I am experiencing severe anxiety or fear


Do I call the ?? and tell him
The missing or incomprehensible word(s) cannot be accurately substituted, however, it suggests the question of whether to notify someone of the potential gas leak


Or do I just go back to sleep
Alternatively, I may choose to simply return to slumber




Contributed by Violet V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

Calista Gerow

I like this a lot. really catchy chorus. theyve definitely got potential

Lauren L

sheesh freakin amazing song...amazing band that i would've never discovered if it weren't for this kid that sat next to me in class :D love this band one of my favorites now

Pancake Legend

This song is so great

R-Mick-G

never too late to find a good vibe in music:-) this is good and simple....... are they playing under a new name now?

Ricoclout28

I freakin love this song, greetings from NY.

Donovaaan

Joder! soy de Bolivia y solo digo..... Esta cancion es GENIAL!!!!!!!

Matthew Munster

This is the jam!

Ricoclout28

On itunes. It just came out this year. The album is called "Free Drugs"

Max Mueller

Heard em' on Sirius XMU. So good!!

Aerdoaero

i kinda like it. it's low-fi, but with high-fi values

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