Derriere Les Fenetres
Mylène Farmer Lyrics

The lyrics of Mylène Farmer's song, "Derrière Les Fenêtres" ("Behind the Windows"), paint a picture of a world that is invisible to the naked eye. The first verse begins with "la lumière est invisible/À nos yeux," meaning that the light is invisible to our eyes. It is what is left unsaid when two people are together. The second verse describes men and women made of stone, with destinies without glory who are poorly embraced but too proud to admit their emptiness. It is as if they are so closed off in themselves that the only sound that can be heard is their absence. The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "Derrière les fenêtres" ("Behind the windows"), describing how people's lives are lost for a long time, envying worlds that resemble their dreams. Beyond the panes, people's lives crumble and hearts are born or disappear.

The second stanza is focused more on the singer's curiosity, while openly longing for what she sees behind the window panes. They are exquisite silhouettes surrounding the possibility of a love that is imagined to be quiet and at peace. The singer wishes to know the dignified men and women behind the windows, to speak to their souls, which seem to dive deep and willingly sign away their secrets, their hearts.

The lyrics of Derrière Les Fenêtres convey how life can appear one way, only to play entirely out behind closed doors. It speaks of the lives of people, which are lost, vanished, in the mere act of observation, giving insight into the singer's longing for the things she cannot have. The song's airy, almost ethereal melody supports the mood of melancholy and leaden beauty that permeates the feelings of the song.