La Visite
Jean Bertola Lyrics
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Ni des pelés, ni des galeux,
Porteurs de parasites.
On n'était pas des spadassins,
On venait du pays voisin,
On venait en visite.
On n'avait aucune intention
Aucun but illicite.
On venait pas piller chez eux,
On venait pas gober leurs œufs,
On venait en visite.
On poussait pas des cris d'Indiens,
On avançait avec maintien
Et d'un pas qui hésite.
On braquait pas des revolvers,
On arrivait les bras ouverts,
On venait en visite.
Mais ils sont rentrés dans leurs trous,
Mais ils ont poussé les verrous
Dans un accord tacite.
Ils ont fermé les contrevents,
Caché les femmes, les enfants,
Refusé la visite.
On venait pas les sermonner,
Tenter de les endoctriner,
Pas leur prendre leur site.
On venait leur dire en passant,
Un petit bonjour innocent,
On venait en visite.
On venait pour se présenter,
On venait pour les fréquenter,
Pour qu'ils nous plébiscitent,
Dans l'espérance d'être admis
Et naturalisés amis,
On venait en visite.
Par malchance, ils n'ont pas voulu
De notre amitié superflue
Que rien ne nécessite.
Et l'on a refermé nos mains,
Et l'on a rebroussé chemin,
Suspendu la visite
...
Suspendu la visite.
In "La Visite," Jean Bertola describes a visit gone wrong. The singer and his companions are not barbarians, nor are they thieves or murderers. They come from a neighboring country and simply want to visit their neighbors. They have no intention of causing any harm. However, the people they come to visit do not see it that way. They lock themselves inside their homes, shut their windows, and refuse to let the visitors in. The singer is perplexed by this response. All he and his companions wanted was to say hello and introduce themselves. They were hoping to be accepted as friends and maybe even become naturalized in the country someday. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. They leave the area, unable to complete their mission. Bertola ends the song with the refrain "suspended the visit," implying that the experience soured their view of the people they came to visit.
The song can be interpreted in many ways. It can be seen as a commentary on xenophobia or a warning against making assumptions about others. The visitors were harmless, yet they were treated with suspicion and hostility. The song can also be seen as a meditation on the fleeting nature of friendship. The visitors hoped to make a connection with their neighbors, but their efforts were rebuffed. In the end, all they were left with was disappointment and a sense of rejection.
Line by Line Meaning
On n'était pas des Barbe-Bleue,
We weren't Bluebeards,
Ni des pelés, ni des galeux,
Nor lepers or scabs,
Porteurs de parasites.
We didn't carry parasites.
On n'était pas des spadassins,
We weren't assassins,
On venait du pays voisin,
We came from the neighboring country,
On venait en visite.
We came for a visit.
On n'avait aucune intention
We had no intention
De razzia, de déprédation,
Of raiding or plundering,
Aucun but illicite.
No illicit purpose.
On venait pas piller chez eux,
We didn't come to steal from them,
On venait pas gober leurs œufs,
We didn't come to eat their eggs,
On venait en visite.
We came for a visit.
On poussait pas des cris d'Indiens,
We didn't shout like Indians,
On avançait avec maintien
We walked with composure,
Et d'un pas qui hésite.
And with an uncertain step.
On braquait pas des revolvers,
We didn't draw our revolvers,
On arrivait les bras ouverts,
We arrived with open arms,
On venait en visite.
We came for a visit.
Mais ils sont rentrés dans leurs trous,
But they went back into their holes,
Mais ils ont poussé les verrous
But they locked their doors
Dans un accord tacite.
In a tacit agreement.
Ils ont fermé les contrevents,
They closed their shutters,
Caché les femmes, les enfants,
Hiding their women and children,
Refusé la visite.
Refusing the visit.
On venait pas les sermonner,
We weren't coming to lecture them,
Tenter de les endoctriner,
Or try to indoctrinate them,
Pas leur prendre leur site.
Or take their place.
On venait leur dire en passant,
We came to say hello,
Un petit bonjour innocent,
A harmless little greeting,
On venait en visite.
We came for a visit.
On venait pour se présenter,
We came to introduce ourselves,
On venait pour les fréquenter,
To spend time with them,
Pour qu'ils nous plébiscitent,
So that they would accept us,
Dans l'espérance d'être admis
In the hope of being accepted
Et naturalisés amis,
And becoming naturalized friends,
On venait en visite.
We came for a visit.
Par malchance, ils n'ont pas voulu
Unfortunately, they didn't want
De notre amitié superflue
Our superfluous friendship
Que rien ne nécessite.
That requires nothing.
Et l'on a refermé nos mains,
And we closed our hands,
Et l'on a rebroussé chemin,
And we turned back,
Suspendu la visite
Stopped the visit.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: GEORGES CHARLES BRASSENS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind