1) French rock band
Kaolin is a french rock band, with various musical influences but french lyrics. Their music style can be sometimes quite similar to post-rock and at other times a rageful power pop, always underlined by a fine melodic talent, which protects the band from a hasty and simplistic categorization.
Originating in Montlucon, they remain attached to their native Auvergne region and continue to rehearse in this city. Throughout their young career (2 EPs self-produced and 2 LPs), they were lucky to collaborate with Valentins, Paul Corkett (The Cure, Placebo) and Dave Fridmann (Mogwai, Flaming Lips, Weezer...).
Their new album is mainly sung in french, and contains a song inspired by "I want you" by Bob Dylan called "Partons vite", which is now a hit in France.
2) South African singer
The song "Stranger" is from the South African singer Kaolin Thompson.
Petite peste
Kaolin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
De la fin
De la fin oh oh oh oh
De la fin
De la fin
De la fin oh oh oh oh
Ou mes forces vives
Se filtrent et ne font qu'un
Et tout s'apaise alors
Se tait, s'amenuise
Le fil de ton sourire
Sur lequel tout se tient
Et tout s'apaise encore
Rien n'est vraiment de mise
Le temps est un ami
Et tout s'arrête enfin
Sur ces gestes imprécis
C'est la vie qui se lit
Mais rien de grave, rien
Si je m'oppose j'ai tort
Sur tes lèvres qui se crispent
C'est avec ironie
Que tout s'éclaire enfin
Et tout s'apaise alors
Se détache, voire me grise
Je porte ton sourire
On peut en rire enfin
Enfin
Enfin
Enfin
De la fin
Pour tout dire petite peste
Je ne sais pas partir
Tu me montres le chemin
C'est une veste alors
Et qui parle entremise
De ces jambes si exquises
Met le point de la fin
Le point de la fin
De la fin
De la fin
De la fin
De la fin oh oh oh oh
De la fin
De la fin
De la fin oh oh oh oh
De la fin
De la fin
De la fin oh oh oh oh
The lyrics to Kaolin's song "Petite peste" are open to interpretation, but at the core of the song is a sense of resignation and acceptance. The repeated refrain of "de la fin" (which can translate to "of the end") creates a melancholic atmosphere, suggesting the song is about coming to terms with the end of something, whether it be a relationship, a chapter in one's life or even death.
The verses are filled with imagery that evokes a sense of surrender to the inevitable. The lines "Je n'y vois que ce rire/Ou mes forces vives/Se filtrent et ne font qu'un" (which can be translated as "I only see this laughter/where my living forces/filter and become one") suggest that the singer is losing their sense of self and becoming subsumed by the situation they find themselves in. However, there is a sense of serenity in the way they describe becoming one with the source of their laughter, as though the laughter is a balm for everything difficult in their life.
Later on in the song, the singer seems to be addressing someone who they feel has power over them, possibly a lover. They describe how they feel powerless in their presence, and how everything seems to be determined by the other person's reactions. Despite this, there is also a sense of humor in the singer's observations, as they note how even the other person's "crisping lips" bring clarity and illumination.
Overall, "Petite peste" is a song about accepting the end of something, even if it's painful, and finding peace in the midst of that acceptance.
Line by Line Meaning
De la fin
The end is near
Je n'y vois que ce rire
All I see is laughter
Ou mes forces vives
Where my vitality
Se filtrent et ne font qu'un
Merge together
Et tout s'apaise alors
And everything becomes calm
Se tait, s'amenuise
Becomes quieter, fades away
Le fil de ton sourire
The thread of your smile
Sur lequel tout se tient
On which everything is held
Rien n'est vraiment de mise
Nothing is really appropriate
Le temps est un ami
Time is a friend
Et tout s'arrête enfin
And everything finally stops
C'est la vie qui se lit
This is when life is read
Si je m'oppose j'ai tort
If I resist, I'm wrong
Sur tes lèvres qui se crispent
On your tense lips
C'est avec ironie
It's with irony
Que tout s'éclaire enfin
That everything finally becomes clear
Se détache, voire me grise
Detaches itself, even makes me dizzy
Je porte ton sourire
I wear your smile
On peut en rire enfin
We can finally laugh about it
Pour tout dire petite peste
To be honest, little pest
Je ne sais pas partir
I don't know how to leave
Tu me montres le chemin
You show me the way
C'est une veste alors
So it's a jacket
Et qui parle entremise
And it speaks in between
De ces jambes si exquises
About those exquisite legs
Met le point de la fin
Puts an end to it
De la fin
The end is near
De la fin
The end is near
De la fin oh oh oh oh
The end is near oh oh oh oh
Contributed by Charlie T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.