In 1990, some friends recorded her at the Petite-Vallée song festival without her consent, but she completed a performance there and was regarded as a huge success. The following year she won at the Granby song festival for her rendition of Jacques Brel's "Amsterdam". That same year she was invited to take part in the festival Les FrancoFolies de Montréal.
In 1993 she represented Radio Canada at the "Truffe de Périgueux" festival held in Périgord, France. She carried off the prize for Best Singer in the "chanson francophone" (French song) category. Following her success in France, she was noticed by songwriter Luc Plamondon who was looking for emerging talents to perform in a new production of his rock opera Starmania. There, Boulay portrayed the role of Marie-Jeanne.
In 1996, Isabelle Boulay provided the singing voice for Alys Robi in the television series of the same name. She released her debut album, Fallait pas, that year.
Two years later, came "États d’amour" an album that included some of her most popular songs. "Je t’oublierai, je t’oublierai", "La lune" or "Le saule".
The following years were filled with success and recognition all over the world. In that time her albums "Scènes d’amour", which included thirteen live duets and "Mieux qu'ici-bas" were released. This last one became an instant success.
"Au moment d'être à vous" was again recorded live in Montreal in 2002. Acompanied by the Symphonic Orchestra of Montreal, she performed her favourite songs from many composers.
"Tout un Jour" was released in 2004 and it included 14 new songs.
"Du Temps pour Toi" was recorded live at L'Olympia in Paris and released in 2005 and a DVD of the concert was also released.
In 2007, she went back to her childhood memories and songs and recorded a Country music album called "De Retour à la source"
In the spring of 2008 she released an album produced in France, "Nos Lendemains" that you can hear in her official site: www.isabelleboulay.ca
De quelles Amériques
Isabelle Boulay Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
En passant par quelles Atlantiques
En me tombant de quelles nues
Ce soir m'es-tu revenue?
Ne m'en dis rien, ne parle pas
Depuis le temps j'ai tant changé
Que je ne te reconnais pas
Nous sommes là main dans la main
Comme si nous n'avions pas d'âge
Tu ne reviens d'aucun voyage
Nous parlerons demain
Regarde la rue les enfants qui courent
Tu es revenue, les feuilles s'envolent
Là-bas dans la cour de la petite école
Pour quelle histoire ancienne
Avais-je perdu ta mémoire
Et pour avoir eu quelle peine
Es-tu revenue ce soir?
Ne m'en dis rien, ne parle pas
Tu reviens de loin sur tes pas
Si ton soleil était là-bas
Ton ombre était restée ici
Faisant son nid dans le silence
Tu étais là en ton absence
Et je vivais ainsi
Regarde la rue, les arbres qui bougent
Ce chaperon rouge qui a rendez-vous
Entre chien et loup. Oh! tu es revenue
A l'horloge arrêtée, quelle heure est-il?
Je ne sais pas
L'heure n'a plus jamais été
Ne me demande surtout pas
Par quel passé je suis passé
Quand je pensais à autrefois
Au temps où tu étais à moi
J'aurais voulu être à ma place
Oh! écoute le vent qui passe
Je ne t'ai pas dit que je t'aime
Je t'aime tant, je t'aime
The lyrics of Isabelle Boulay's "De quelles Amériques" evoke a sense of nostalgia and longing as the singer wonders about the circumstances that have brought back a lost love into their life. The song opens with a series of questions that suggest a disorienting sense of surprise and wonder: "De quelles Amériques/En passant par quelles Atlantiques/En me tombant de quelles nues/Ce soir m'es-tu revenue?" The singer is not sure where the lover has come from or how they have returned, but the intensity of their feelings is clear. The lyrics convey a sense of vulnerability and uncertainty as the singer grapples with the psychological impact of their unexpected reunion.
As the song unfolds, the singer reflects on the past and the ways in which time changes people: "Depuis le temps j'ai tant changé/Que je ne te reconnais pas." They then shift to describe the present moment, where they are holding hands and feel ageless: "Nous sommes là main dans la main/Comme si nous n'avions pas d'âge." The lyrics suggest a sense of emotional intensity that transcends time and space, as the singer describes the children playing in the street and how the leaves are falling, creating a poignant sense of beauty and transience.
Overall, "De quelles Amériques" is a poignant and powerful song that explores themes of loss, memory, and love. The singer's reflections on the past and present create a sense of longing and wistfulness, while their descriptions of the world around them create a vivid, evocative landscape that captures the emotional intensity of the moment.
Line by Line Meaning
De quelles Amériques
From which Americas? Which Atlantic did you cross? From which unexpected place did you come back to me tonight?
En passant par quelles Atlantiques
Which Atlantic did you cross while coming back to me?
En me tombant de quelles nues
From which sudden surprise did you come back into my life?
Ce soir m'es-tu revenue?
Did you come back to me tonight?
Ne m'en dis rien, ne parle pas
Don't tell me anything, don't say anything.
Depuis le temps j'ai tant changé
I have changed so much over time.
Que je ne te reconnais pas
I don't even recognize you anymore.
Nous sommes là main dans la main
We are here hand in hand.
Comme si nous n'avions pas d'âge
As if we have no age.
Tu ne reviens d'aucun voyage
You haven't come back from any trip.
Nous parlerons demain
We will talk tomorrow.
Regarde la rue les enfants qui courent
Look at the children running in the street.
Tu es revenue, les feuilles s'envolent
You came back and the leaves fly away.
Là-bas dans la cour de la petite école
Over there in the courtyard of the small school.
Pour quelle histoire ancienne
For what old story?
Avais-je perdu ta mémoire
Why did I lose your memory?
Et pour avoir eu quelle peine
For what pain did you come back to me tonight?
Es-tu revenue ce soir?
Did you come back to me tonight?
Tu reviens de loin sur tes pas
You came back from far away retracing your steps.
Si ton soleil était là-bas
If your sun was there.
Ton ombre était restée ici
Your shadow stayed here.
Faisant son nid dans le silence
Making a nest in the silence.
Tu étais là en ton absence
You were here even in your absence.
Et je vivais ainsi
And I lived like that.
Regarde la rue, les arbres qui bougent
Look at the street, the trees moving.
Ce chaperon rouge qui a rendez-vous
This Little Red Riding Hood who has an appointment.
Entre chien et loup. Oh! tu es revenue
In the twilight. Oh! You came back.
A l'horloge arrêtée, quelle heure est-il?
At the stopped clock, what time is it?
Je ne sais pas
I don't know.
L'heure n'a plus jamais été
Time has never been the same.
Ne me demande surtout pas
Don't ask me anything.
Par quel passé je suis passé
Through what past have I gone?
Quand je pensais à autrefois
When I thought about the past.
Au temps où tu étais à moi
Back when you were mine.
J'aurais voulu être à ma place
I would have liked to be in my place.
Oh! écoute le vent qui passe
Oh! Listen to the passing wind.
Je ne t'ai pas dit que je t'aime
I didn't tell you I love you.
Je t'aime tant, je t'aime
I love you so much, I love you.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Jean Loup Dabadie, Jacques Datin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind