Léo Ferré (1916-1993) was a Monégasque poet, composer, and, musician.
Read Full Bio ↴Léo Ferré (1916-1993) was a Monégasque poet, composer, and, musician.

Born on the 24th August 1916 in Monaco, Ferré mixed lyricism with slang; love with anarchy. He took a central place in the world of French song. He was involved in anarchism, and worked with Radio Libertaire, an anarchist free-radio broadcasting in Paris and around France. He died on the 14th July 1993.

Notre amour
Léo Ferré Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Tant que nous écrirons nos noms
Sur les arbres malades de l'automne
Les oiseaux pourront chanter
Nous pourrons nous aimer

JE SUIS CELUI QUE TU ATTENDS
JE SUIS CELUI QUI T'AIME TANT
DEPUIS LONGTEMPS

O SI LONGTEMPS !
S'IL T'ARRIVAIT DE M'OUBLIER
TU SAIS QUE MOI JE N'OUBLIRAI JAMAIS

Lorsque nos noms seront fanés
Sur les arbres malades de l'automne
Les oiseaux pourront partir
Nous pourrons en mourir

J'ÉTAIS CELUI QUE TU ATTENDS
J'ÉTAIS CELUI QUI T'AIMAIS TANT
DEPUIS LONGTEMPS
O SI LONGTEMPS
IL T'ARRIVA DE M'OUBLIER
TU SAIS QUE MOI JE N'OUBLIRAI JAMAIS

CAR NOTRE AMOUR EST PLUS FORT QUE L'AMOUR !

Overall Meaning

The song "Notre amour" by Léo Ferré speaks about the intense, everlasting love between two individuals who express their feelings through a poetic metaphor. They write their names on the sickly trees of autumn, as the birds continue to sing, exemplifying the continuity of their love. "Tant que nous écrirons nos noms / Sur les arbres malades de l'automne / Les oiseaux pourront chanter / Nous pourrons nous aimer" (As long as we write our names / On the sickly trees of autumn / The birds can sing / We can love each other).

Moreover, the song shows the depth of the commitment the lovers have towards each other. They promise to never forget each other and remain true to their love despite the challenges that may come their way. "S'il t'arrivait de m'oublier / Tu sais que moi je n'oublierai jamais" (If you happened to forget me / You know I will never forget you). As the seasons change, the leaves fall and their carved names become faded, they declare again their love and devotion. "Lorsque nos noms seront fanés / Sur les arbres malades de l'automne / Les oiseaux pourront partir / Nous pourrons en mourir" (When our names are faded / On the sickly trees of autumn / The birds can leave / We can die).

Overall, Léo Ferré's "Notre amour" is a moving representation of the everlasting, unyielding love that can withstand the tests of time.

Line by Line Meaning

Tant que nous écrirons nos noms
As long as we continue to carve our names on the diseased trees of autumn

Sur les arbres malades de l'automne
On the trees that symbolize our love, but are weathered and dying

Les oiseaux pourront chanter
The birds will continue to sing, undisturbed by our presence

Nous pourrons nous aimer
We can continue to love each other, despite our surroundings

JE SUIS CELUI QUE TU ATTENDS
I am the one you've been waiting for

JE SUIS CELUI QUI T'AIME TANT
I am the one who loves you so much

DEPUIS LONGTEMPS
For such a long time

O SI LONGTEMPS !
Oh, such a long time!

S'IL T'ARRIVAIT DE M'OUBLIER
If you were to ever forget me

TU SAIS QUE MOI JE N'OUBLIRAI JAMAIS
You know that I will never forget you