Molly Johnson has earned her reputation as one of Canada's greatest voices.… Read Full Bio ↴Molly Johnson has earned her reputation as one of Canada's greatest voices.

She has won numerous awards and inspired many to donate their time and money to countless charities around the globe. Her accomplishments in blues, jazz and rock have moved audiences across the country. Her talents have led to collaborations, as both singer and songwriter, with internationally acclaimed artists as well as local friends and heroes.

Molly Johnson has rocked standing-room only audiences in nightclubs and bars from coast-to-coast as a pop artist, seduced the patrons of salons and lounges with her luscious interpretations of jazz and blues standards and even regaled royalty with her unique and charming presence.

However, Molly's most prized accomplishment to date is being a good mother to her two children.

Tristes Souvenirs
Molly Johnson Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

(M. Downes/M. Johnson)

The rain is pouring outside
I gaze through this glass
Drowning in tears
All of our fears now realized

Is it too late to change?

Things that are done
All of these years
Looking in mirrors

Oublions ces tristes souvenirs
Oublions ces tristes souvenirs

Let's try to forget the mistakes
We've made throughout the years
Oublions ces tristes souvenirs
And start again free and clear

The flower's bending right down
Down from the rain
Like my sad heart
Beating in vain, falling apart

Cries once when we laughed
Now things we've said
Cant turn it back, can't turn it 'round
Oublions ces tristes souvenirs

Oublions ces tristes souvenirs
Let's try to forget the mistakes
We've made through out the years
Oublions ces tristes souvenirs

And start again..start again..
Start again, free and clear

Overall Meaning

The song "Tristes Souvenirs" is a ballad by Canadian jazz singer Molly Johnson, co-written by her and Mark Downes. It evokes a poignant, introspective mood with its sparse instrumentation and melancholic lyrics. The song appears on her 2000 album "Another Day," which marks a departure from her earlier, more upbeat recordings.

The opening lines set the stage for a somber reflection on a relationship that has ended in regret and tears. The singer looks out of a window, watching the rain falling and feeling trapped in their emotions. The phrase "drowning in tears" suggests an overwhelming sense of sadness and loss. The second verse asks if it's too late to change the past, to undo the mistakes that have been made over the years. The image of looking in mirrors reinforces the idea of introspection, of scrutinizing one's own choices and actions.

The chorus offers a glimmer of hope, of a way to move on from the sadness and regrets. The repeated phrase "oubliions ces tristes souvenirs" means "let's forget these sad memories" in French, emphasizing the universal theme of letting go of the past. The idea of "starting again free and clear" implies a fresh start, a chance to learn from past mistakes and build a better future. The metaphor of a bending flower, like a sad heart beating in vain, adds to the sense of fragile beauty and fleeting emotions.

Line by Line Meaning

The rain is pouring outside
It is a rainy day outside

I gaze through this glass
Looking through a window

Drowning in tears
Overwhelmed with emotions

All of our fears now realized
All the worries have come true

Is it too late to change?
Doubting if there is still room to alter things

Things that are done
Actions that are already finished

All of these years
For all this time

Looking in mirrors
Reflecting on oneself

Oublions ces tristes souvenirs
Let's forget these sad memories

Let's try to forget the mistakes
We should make an effort to disregard the errors

We've made throughout the years
Committed in the past