Litanies pour un retour
Jacques Brel Lyrics


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Mon cœur ma mie mon âme
Mon ciel mon feu ma flamme
Mon puits ma source mon val
Mon miel mon baume mon Graal
Mon blé mon or ma terre
Mon soc mon roc ma pierre
Ma nuit ma soif ma faim
Mon jour mon aube mon pain

Ma voile ma vague mon guide ma voix
Mon sang ma force ma fièvre mon moi
Mon chant mon rire mon vin ma joie
Mon aube mon cri ma vie ma foi

Mon cœur ma mie mon âme
Mon ciel mon feu ma flamme




Mon corps ma chair mon bien
Voilà que tu reviens

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Jacques Brel's song Litanies pour un retour paint a vivid picture of a person's deep yearning for the return of a loved one. The song begins with a list of endearments which express the intense emotions of the person towards their lover. The repetition of "mon" (my) in each line emphasizes the personal attachment to each aspect of their life, as they describe their lover as their heart, soul, sky, fire, flame, well, source, honey, balm, wheat, gold, land, plow, rock, stone, night, thirst, hunger, day, dawn, and bread. These words show how the person's true North and everything that sustains them are associated with their lover, making them an integral part of their life.


The second half of the song speaks of the person's desire to have their lover back in their life. They describe their lover as their sail, wave, guide, voice, blood, strength, fever, and self, which only highlights their longing for them. The repeated use of "ma" (my) to describe each intangible aspect of themselves, only underscores the significance of their lover's presence in their lives. They go on to speak of their lover as their song, laughter, wine, and joy, emphasizing the importance of their time spent with their lover. Finally, the last line of the song brings everything to a conclusion, stating that their body and flesh welcome them back. It is a powerful declaration of their intense desire for their lover's return and a willingness to cherish and hold them close.


Line by Line Meaning

Mon cœur ma mie mon âme
My heart, my darling, my soul


Mon ciel mon feu ma flamme
My sky, my fire, my flame


Mon puits ma source mon val
My well, my source, my valley


Mon miel mon baume mon Graal
My honey, my balm, my Grail


Mon blé mon or ma terre
My wheat, my gold, my land


Mon soc mon roc ma pierre
My plow, my rock, my stone


Ma nuit ma soif ma faim
My night, my thirst, my hunger


Mon jour mon aube mon pain
My day, my dawn, my bread


Ma voile ma vague mon guide ma voix
My sail, my wave, my guide, my voice


Mon sang ma force ma fièvre mon moi
My blood, my strength, my fever, my self


Mon chant mon rire mon vin ma joie
My song, my laughter, my wine, my joy


Mon aube mon cri ma vie ma foi
My dawn, my cry, my life, my faith


Mon cœur ma mie mon âme
My heart, my darling, my soul


Mon ciel mon feu ma flamme
My sky, my fire, my flame


Mon corps ma chair mon bien
My body, my flesh, my good


Voilà que tu reviens
Here you are returning




Contributed by Sebastian A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

Thomas Shirrefs

'Mon cœur ma mie mon âme
Mon ciel mon feu ma flamme
Mon puits ma source mon val
Mon miel mon baume mon Graal
Mon blé mon or ma terre
Mon soc mon roc ma pierre
Ma nuit ma soif ma faim
Mon jour mon aube mon pain

Ma voile ma vague mon guide ma voix
Mon sang ma force ma fièvre mon moi
Mon chant mon rire mon vin ma joie
Mon aube mon cri ma vie ma foi
Mon cœur ma mie mon âme
Mon ciel mon feu ma flamme
Mon corps ma chair mon bien
Voilà que tu reviens'



Thomas Shirrefs

My heart my dear my soul
My sky my fire my flame
My well my source my vale my honey my balm my graal
My wheat my gold my earth
My foundation my rock my gem
My night my thirst my hunger my day my dawn my bread
My sail my wave my guide my voice my blood my force my fever my me
My chant my laughter my wine my joy my dawn my scream my life my faith
My heart my dear my soul
My sky my fire my flame
My body my flesh my good
Here you return



youtuber101

My heart, my love, my soul,
My sky, my fire, my gold,
My snow, my rain, my hail, my honey, my spring,
My grail.

My wheat, my land, my home,
My flame, my earth, my stone,
My night, my thirst, my bread, my dawn, my twilight,
My bed.

My sail, my wave, my guide and my self,
My blood, my strength, my fever, my health,
My song, my laugh, my wine, my joy,
My dawn, my life, my faith and my cry.

My heart, my love, my soul,
My sky, my fire, my gold,
My body, my flesh, my plea,
Here they are now you’ve come back to me.



All comments from YouTube:

Thomas Shirrefs

'Mon cœur ma mie mon âme
Mon ciel mon feu ma flamme
Mon puits ma source mon val
Mon miel mon baume mon Graal
Mon blé mon or ma terre
Mon soc mon roc ma pierre
Ma nuit ma soif ma faim
Mon jour mon aube mon pain

Ma voile ma vague mon guide ma voix
Mon sang ma force ma fièvre mon moi
Mon chant mon rire mon vin ma joie
Mon aube mon cri ma vie ma foi
Mon cœur ma mie mon âme
Mon ciel mon feu ma flamme
Mon corps ma chair mon bien
Voilà que tu reviens'

Thomas Shirrefs

Gotta love yourselves guys 😁 well done to the grand Jacques, spreading some deep esoteric truths out there

Thomas Shirrefs

My heart my dear my soul
My sky my fire my flame
My well my source my vale my honey my balm my graal
My wheat my gold my earth
My foundation my rock my gem
My night my thirst my hunger my day my dawn my bread
My sail my wave my guide my voice my blood my force my fever my me
My chant my laughter my wine my joy my dawn my scream my life my faith
My heart my dear my soul
My sky my fire my flame
My body my flesh my good
Here you return

Dominique Larue Enchantez-vous

Merci!

Dominique Larue Enchantez-vous

@youtuber101 Thanks for this english version! Cheers!

youtuber101

My heart, my love, my soul,
My sky, my fire, my gold,
My snow, my rain, my hail, my honey, my spring,
My grail.

My wheat, my land, my home,
My flame, my earth, my stone,
My night, my thirst, my bread, my dawn, my twilight,
My bed.

My sail, my wave, my guide and my self,
My blood, my strength, my fever, my health,
My song, my laugh, my wine, my joy,
My dawn, my life, my faith and my cry.

My heart, my love, my soul,
My sky, my fire, my gold,
My body, my flesh, my plea,
Here they are now you’ve come back to me.

Olivier Dierickx

Magnifique, comme 90% des chansons du grand Jacques. Si beau! <3 <3

Elske Dingemanse

une pure merveille

ThePierremasson

trop puissant !

barbara le saulnier

magnifique texte , Barbara le reprend merveilleusement bien aussi 😍

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