In 1992, the singles "Paris", also the title track of his fourth album, and "L'Amour de trente secondes" gained success. In 1993, Lavoine released his fifth album Faux Rêveur. Lavoine's sixth album Lavoine-Matic, released in 1996, included the single "C'est ça la France", which is a song of tolerance and was awarded Best Video from the Victoire de la Musique. In 1999, his seventh album Septième Ciel was released, with the first single as "Les Tournesols"
Lavoine's eighth album, which did not have a title, was released in 2001. Like former albums, this featured duets with female singers, including Italian singer and actress Cristina Marocco, singer Françoise Hardy and actress Claire Keim. In 2003, he released the single "Dis-moi que l'amour" and a live album entitled Olympia Deux Mille Trois. Lavoine's ninth albulm L'Heure d'été, included singles "Je me sens si seul", "Toi mon amour" and "J'espère", a duet with Belgian singer of Vietnamese descent Quynh Anh.
La main verte
Marc Lavoine Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tu me fais rêver toi qui n'est pas d'ici
Quelles sont tes coutumes. Adores-tu un seul Dieu?
Est il tolérant, quelle est ta couleur préférée
Si nous avions la main verte
Nous ferions un pays
Si nous avions la main verte
Si nous avions la main verte
Nous ferions un pays
Si nous avions la main verte
Nous ferions un pays
Villages déplacés, politiques réfugiés
La maison rasée, la parcelle abandonnée
Dans le calumet dis-moi qu'est-ce que tu mets
Est-ce que les espoirs de paix aussi s'en vont en fumée
Si nous avions la main verte
Nous ferions un pays
Si nous avions la main verte
Nous ferions un pays
Si nous avions la main verte
Nous ferions un pays
Les bateaux, les gens, les couvertures et les camions
Les tee-Shirt en coton, Coca Cola, Benetton
Où est le jardin, la prairie et le gazon
Le blé, le safran, le sel, la tomate et le melon
Si nous avions la main verte
Nous ferions un pays
Si nous avions la main verte
Nous ferions un pays
Si nous avions la main verte
Nous ferions un pays
Si nous avions la main verte
Nous ferions un pays
Si nous avions la main verte
Nous ferions un pays
The song "La main verte" by Marc Lavoine talks about the desire for unity and peace in a world torn apart by conflict and war. The lyrics express a longing for connection with people from different cultures, and a hope that, by working together towards a common goal, a new country could be built, where differences are celebrated instead of dividing people.
The opening lines speak to the desire for escape from the current reality, with the suggestion that the listener, perhaps from another country, has the power to transport the singer, to take him away from where they are. The following lines ask questions about the other person's culture and beliefs, indicating an interest in understanding their way of life. The refrain "Si nous avions la main verte" (if we had the green thumb) acts as a sort of hopeful mantra, repeating the idea that, if they could work together and cultivate something positive, they could create a new country.
The middle section of the song brings in imagery of displacement and loss, with the mention of villages destroyed and people turned into refugees. The question "Est-ce que les espoirs de paix aussi s'en vont en fumée?" (Do hopes for peace also go up in smoke?) is particularly poignant, as it suggests that even when people desire peace, it can be snuffed out by violence and destruction. The refrain returns, offering a hopeful answer to this despair - that even in the face of these challenges, the power of nature and growth can create something new and beautiful.
The final section of the song lists consumer goods from a Western perspective, juxtaposed against the natural world evoked earlier in the song. The imagery of gardens, meadows, and crops are not only a reminder of what is lost when conflict destroys landscapes, but also a suggestion that focusing on more peaceful, sustainable practices could be a way to create a shared space that transcends borders. Ultimately, the song offers a vision of hope - a reminder that, even in difficult times, we can work together to create something new and beautiful.
Line by Line Meaning
Fais moi voyager, emmène-moi loin d'ici
Take me on a journey far away from here
Tu me fais rêver toi qui n'est pas d'ici
You make me dream, you who are not from here
Quelles sont tes coutumes. Adores-tu un seul Dieu?
What are your customs? Do you worship only one God?
Est il tolérant, quelle est ta couleur préférée
Is he tolerant, what is your favorite color?
Si nous avions la main verte
Nous ferions un pays
If we had a green thumb,
we would make a country
Villages déplacés, politiques réfugiés
Displaced villages, refugee policies
La maison rasée, la parcelle abandonnée
Houses razed, plots abandoned
Dans le calumet dis-moi qu'est-ce que tu mets
In the peace pipe tell me what you put
Est-ce que les espoirs de paix aussi s'en vont en fumée
Do hopes for peace also go up in smoke?
Les bateaux, les gens, les couvertures et les camions
Boats, people, blankets and trucks
Les tee-Shirt en coton, Coca Cola, Benetton
Cotton t-shirts, Coca Cola, Benetton
Où est le jardin, la prairie et le gazon
Where is the garden, the meadow and the lawn
Le blé, le safran, le sel, la tomate et le melon
Wheat, saffron, salt, tomato and melon
Si nous avions la main verte
Nous ferions un pays
If we had a green thumb,
we would make a country
Si nous avions la main verte
Nous ferions un pays
If we had a green thumb,
we would make a country
Si nous avions la main verte
Nous ferions un pays
If we had a green thumb,
we would make a country
Si nous avions la main verte
Nous ferions un pays
If we had a green thumb,
we would make a country
Si nous avions la main verte
Nous ferions un pays
If we had a green thumb,
we would make a country
Contributed by Austin I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.