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.
Holidays
Michel Polnareff Lyrics
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C'est l'avion qui descend du ciel
Et sous l'ombre de son aile
Une ville passe
Que la terre est basse
Holidays
Des églises et des HLM
Que fait-il le Dieu qu'ils aiment?
Qui vit dans l'espace
Que la terre est basse
Holidays
Holidays, oh holidays
De l'avion, l'ombre prend la mer
La mer comme une préface
Avant le désert
Que la mer est basse
Holidays
Holidays, oh holidays
Tant de ciel et tant de nuages
Tu ne sais pas à ton âge
Toi que la vie lasse
Que la mort est basse
Holidays
Holidays, oh holidays
C'est l'avion qui habite au ciel
Mais n'oublie pas, toi si belle
Les avions se cassent
Et la terre est basse
Holidays
The song "Holidays" by Michel Polnareff is a melancholic reflection on the nature of vacations and travel. Throughout the song, Polnareff contrasts the vastness of the sky and the sea with the smallness of human life on earth. He begins by observing an airplane descending from the skies and passing over a city, emphasizing the insignificance of human constructions in the face of nature. The chorus, "Que la terre est basse" (how low the earth is), highlights this sense of human smallness and humility in the face of vastness.
Polnareff also raises questions about faith and the nature of God, wondering what God is doing in the face of human suffering and poverty. The mention of churches and HLMs (low-income housing projects) suggests a contrast between spiritual and material wealth, and between the privileged and the marginalized. This sense of social critique is echoed later in the song when Polnareff observes the ambiguous relationship between travel and life's banalities: "Tant de ciel et tant de nuages / Tu ne sais pas à ton âge / Toi que la vie lasse" (So much sky and so many clouds / You don't know at your age / you, who are tired of life).
The song concludes with a warning about the fragility and mortality of humans, even in the face of technological progress: "C'est l'avion qui habite au ciel / Mais n'oublie pas, toi si belle / Les avions se cassent" (It's the airplane that lives in the sky / But don't forget, you, so beautiful / Airplanes break). The final line brings the focus back to earth and the underlying theme of human smallness.
Line by Line Meaning
Holidays, oh holidays
The joy and celebration of vacation time
C'est l'avion qui descend du ciel
An airplane descending from the sky
Et sous l'ombre de son aile
The city passing by beneath the plane's shadow
Une ville passe
A city passes by
Que la terre est basse
The earth looks small and insignificant from high above
Des églises et des HLM
A mix of churches and public housing
Que fait-il le Dieu qu'ils aiment?
Questioning the actions of the God they believe in
Qui vit dans l'espace
God is believed to live in space
De l'avion, l'ombre prend la mer
The airplane's shadow falls on the sea
La mer comme une préface
The sea acts as an introduction to the upcoming desert
Avant le désert
Before the desert
Que la mer est basse
The sea looks small and insignificant from high above
Tant de ciel et tant de nuages
The vastness of the sky and clouds
Tu ne sais pas à ton âge
At your age, you may not understand
Toi que la vie lasse
You are tired of life
Que la mort est basse
Death looks small and insignificant from high above
C'est l'avion qui habite au ciel
The airplane is like a resident of the sky
Mais n'oublie pas, toi si belle
Don't forget, you who are so beautiful
Les avions se cassent
Airplanes can break apart or crash
Et la terre est basse
The earth looks small and insignificant from high above
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT (FRANCE), BMG Rights Management, EDITIONS ET PRODUCTIONS FREE DEMO
Written by: Jean Loup Dabadie, Michel Polnareff
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind