Michel Polnareff is one of the French music scene's more unconventional figures. He has a reputation for his wildly non-conformist lifestyle, but also made a name for himself with his legendary melodies.
Chère Véronique
Michel Polnareff Lyrics
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Chиre Vйronique, ne te moque pas
Chиre Vйronique, je voudrais te dire
Mais je n'ose pas
Chиre Vйronique, si nos deux familles
Etaient brouillйes а mort autrefois
Du mur voisin, au travers des grilles
Et perchй dans les banches
Du grand magnolia dominant le parc
J'ai passй l'йtй а te guetter
Chиre Vйronique, quand tu vas me lire
Chиre Vйronique, ne te moque pas
Chиre Vйronique, je voudrais te dire
Mais je n'ose pas
La nuit de la Saint-Jean
L'orage m'йtouffait
Je cherchais le frais sous la vйranda
Quand quelqu'un chanta
Chиre Vйronique, ta voix trouble et tendre
Cette nuit-lа chantait ma chanson
Et j'ai perdu la tкte а l'entendre
J'ai fui la maison
Depuis on me surveille, mais
Dans mon sommeil
J'effleure tes doigts, tes cheveux dйfaits
Tes yeux d'un bleuet
Chиre Vйronique, la nuit je dйlire
Et le matin t'arrache а mes bras
Chиre Vйronique, quand tu vas me lire
Ne te moque pas
Au petit jour, demain
Je pars pour longtemps
On m'envoie trиs loin
Moins pour travailler
Que pour t'oublier
Chиre Vйronique, quand tu vas me lire
Chиre Vйronique, ne te moque pas
Chиre Vйronique, je voudrais te dire
Mais je n'ose pas
Chиre Vйronique, jamais ne va lire
La pauvre lettre de son amoureux
Chиre Vйronique, car je la dйchire
Et la jette au feu, et je la jette au feu, et je la jette au feu.
The lyrics of Michel Polnareff's song, Chère Véronique, depict a love confession from a shy and hesitant admirer to his beloved. The song revolves around the singer's burning passion for Véronique, a girl from a formerly hostile family who he has been secretly watching from the magnolia tree in the park. He is smitten by her and wishes to confess his feelings to her, but his timidity and fear of rejection hold him back.
The lyrics evoke a sense of melancholy and heartbreak, with the singer lamenting his inability to express himself fully and openly. The second part of the song speaks of a night of revelation when the singer hears Véronique's voice singing his song. It fills him with joy and hope but also intensifies his longing and desperation to be with her. The song concludes with the singer's resignation to the fact that he must leave Véronique and forget her to move on with his life, but not without one last plea for her to read his letter and accept his love.
Overall, the lyrics of Chère Véronique portray the difficulty of unrequited love and the torment of a love-stricken soul. The song is a testament to the beauty and agony of unfulfilled passion.
Line by Line Meaning
Chиre Vйronique, quand tu vas me lire
Dear Veronique, when you read this letter
Chиre Vйronique, ne te moque pas
Dear Veronique, please don't laugh
Chиre Vйronique, je voudrais te dire
Dear Veronique, I want to tell you
Mais je n'ose pas
But I don't dare
Chиre Vйronique, si nos deux familles
Dear Veronique, if our families
Etaient brouillйes а mort autrefois
Were mortal enemies in the past
Du mur voisin, au travers des grilles
Through the fence of the neighboring wall
Moi, je rкve de toi
I dream of you
Et perchй dans les banches
And perched in the branches
Du grand magnolia dominant le parc
Of the tall magnolia tree overlooking the park
J'ai passй l'йtй а te guetter
I spent the summer spying on you
La nuit de la Saint-Jean
On the night of St. John's Day
L'orage m'йtouffait
The storm suffocated me
Je cherchais le frais sous la vйranda
I sought coolness under the veranda
Quand quelqu'un chanta
When someone started singing
Chиre Vйronique, ta voix trouble et tendre
Dear Veronique, your voice, so sweet and soft
Cette nuit-lа chantait ma chanson
Sang my song that night
Et j'ai perdu la tкte а l'entendre
And I lost my mind listening to it
J'ai fui la maison
I ran away from home
Depuis on me surveille, mais
Since then they have been watching me, but
Dans mon sommeil
In my sleep
J'effleure tes doigts, tes cheveux dйfaits
I brush my fingers against your tangled hair
Tes yeux d'un bleuet
Your eyes, blue as cornflowers
Chиre Vйronique, la nuit je dйlire
Dear Veronique, at night I go crazy
Et le matin t'arrache а mes bras
And in the morning I have to let you go
Au petit jour, demain
At daybreak, tomorrow
Je pars pour longtemps
I'm leaving for a long time
On m'envoie trиs loin
They're sending me far away
Moins pour travailler
Less to work
Que pour t'oublier
And more to forget you
Chиre Vйronique, jamais ne va lire
Dear Veronique, you will never read
La pauvre lettre de son amoureux
The poor letter from your lover
Car je la dйchire
Because I'm tearing it up
Et la jette au feu, et je la jette au feu, et je la jette au feu.
And throwing it into the fire, and throwing it into the fire, and throwing it into the fire.
Contributed by Emily C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.