«Les choses d’en-face» saw the light of day : a first album of elegance and character, somewhere between chanson, pop and intimate almost jazzy ambiences. Raw lyrics, rich chords, melancholic melodies and a voice that caresses the listener...and a live show that sounds like it has plenty of rock and roll tension.
La vie est une putain
Joseph D'Anvers Lyrics
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Tu regrettes déjà, mais tu ne peux pas
Lui dire que tu ne pourras jamais
Lui faire croire que tu vas l'aimer
Il brûle ton corps de ses efforts
Il s'ennivre de cette petite mort
Tu t'imagines dans d'autres bras
Tu fermes les yeux, et tu y crois
Tu vois les minutes qui s'égrainent
Tu voudrais lui hurler ta haine
Oublier la honte de vos corps
Souillés par l'erreur et les torts
Tu caresses sa peau humide
Tes yeux de leurs larmes se vident
Ca le rend fier et tu suffoques
Tu désespères et il s'en moque
La vie est un putain
Qui nous prend par la main
La vie est une putain
Qui n'attend pas demain
Tu voudrais perdre les raisons
Et tu ignores même leur nom
Tu te fais mal à en aimer
Vouloir toujours recommencer
Et quand tu t'endors c'est fini
Tu te confines à ton oubli
Et quand tu t'endors c'est ta vie
Qui recommence près de lui
La vie est une putain
Qui nous prend par la main
La vie est une putain
Qui n'attend pas demain
Le jour se lève sur vos vies
Un peu plus usées aujourd'hui
La nuit s'achève et dieu merci
Elle a su le prendre avec elle
Tu marches dans les rues étroites
La tête haute, la tête droite
Tu sauras l'attendre s'il le faut
Tu sauras oublier tes mots
La vie est une putain
Qui nous prend par la main
La vie est une putain
Qui n'attend pas demain
The lyrics to Joseph d'Anvers's song "La vie est une putain" describe the desperation and regret a person feels during a one-night stand. The first verse describes the physical sensations of the encounter, with the person's skin tensing under their partner's touch. They already regret the decision but feel unable to tell their partner that they will never love them. The other person is consumed by their desire for a fleeting pleasure, and the singer imagines being in someone else's arms.
The second verse shows the emotional toll the encounter is taking on the person. They want to scream their hatred for the situation but are too ashamed of what has just happened. They are left with a sense of disgust and sorrow for themselves, their partner, and the situation they find themselves in. The chorus then emphasizes the idea that life is like a prostitute, taking us by the hand and leading us down paths we may not have chosen for ourselves. The singer wishes they could escape the cycle of wanting to love and the inevitable despair and hurt that follows.
The final verse shows the aftermath of the encounter. The night is ending, and the singer is left with their regret and shame. They walk the streets, trying to forget the words they said and the actions they took. They may wait for their partner, or they may forget them entirely, but the cycle will likely repeat itself. Overall, the song portrays a complex mix of physical desire and emotional turmoil, exploring the darker side of one-night stands and the search for love.
Line by Line Meaning
Ta peau se crispe sous ses doigts
Your skin tightens under his fingers
Tu regrettes déjà, mais tu ne peux pas
You already regret it, but you can't back out
Lui dire que tu ne pourras jamais
You can't tell him you'll never be able to
Lui faire croire que tu vas l'aimer
You can't make him believe you'll love him
Il brûle ton corps de ses efforts
He sets your body on fire with his passion
Il s'ennivre de cette petite mort
He indulges in this little death (orgasm)
Tu t'imagines dans d'autres bras
You imagine yourself in someone else's arms
Tu fermes les yeux, et tu y crois
You close your eyes and believe it
Tu vois les minutes qui s'égrainent
You see the minutes ticking away
Tu voudrais lui hurler ta haine
You want to scream your hatred at him
Oublier la honte de vos corps
Forget the shame of your bodies
Souillés par l'erreur et les torts
Soiled by mistake and wrongdoing
Tu caresses sa peau humide
You caress his wet skin
Tes yeux de leurs larmes se vident
Your eyes shed tears
Ca le rend fier et tu suffoques
It makes him proud and you feel suffocated
Tu désespères et il s'en moque
You despair and he doesn't care
La vie est un putain
Life is a whore
Qui nous prend par la main
That takes us by the hand
Qui n'attend pas demain
That doesn't wait for tomorrow
Tu voudrais perdre les raisons
You want to lose your reasons
Et tu ignores même leur nom
And you don't even know their name
Tu te fais mal à en aimer
You hurt yourself by loving
Vouloir toujours recommencer
Always wanting to start over
Et quand tu t'endors c'est fini
And when you fall asleep, it's over
Tu te confines à ton oubli
You confine yourself to forgetfulness
Et quand tu t'endors c'est ta vie
And when you fall asleep, your life begins again with him
Le jour se lève sur vos vies
The day dawns on your lives
Un peu plus usées aujourd'hui
A little more worn out today
La nuit s'achève et dieu merci
The night ends, thank god
Elle a su le prendre avec elle
She managed to take him with her
Tu marches dans les rues étroites
You walk through narrow streets
La tête haute, la tête droite
Head held high, head held straight
Tu sauras l'attendre s'il le faut
You'll know how to wait for him if necessary
Tu sauras oublier tes mots
You'll know how to forget your words
Contributed by Isaiah A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.