The most iconic song to many French people, and possibly the song that put him on the map, was the huge 70's French hit "Laisse Béton" (the story - told with a great deal of humour - of someone who enters a bar and gets mugged for everything he owns, from his leather jacket, to his jeans, his boots, and ends up in an alley without any clothes on).
Renaud 'came back' in 2002 with a huge hit 'Manhattan-Kaboul' (featuring Belgian singer Axelle Red), comparing the lives of a Puerto Rican in NYC to an Afghan girl in Kabul in 2001. This song catapulted his latest album to the top of the charts and earned him various awards in France. His latest album was published in october 2006 and was called "Rouge sang".
La Chasse Aux Papillons
Renaud Lyrics
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La jambe légère et l’œil polisson,
Et la bouche pleine de joyeux ramages
Allait à la chasse aux papillons.
Comme il atteignait l’orée du village
Filant sa quenouille, il vit Cendrillon ,
Il lui dit " Bonjour, que Dieu te ménage,
Cendrillon, ravie de quitter sa cage,
Met sa robe neuve et ses bottillons ;
Et bras dessus bras dessous vers les frais bocages
Ils vont à la chasse aux papillons.
Ils ne savaient pas que sous les ombrages,
Se cachait l’amour et son aiguillon,
Et qu’il transperçait les cœurs de leur âge,
Les cœurs des chasseurs de papillons.
Quand il se fit tendre, elle lui dit
"Je présage que c’est pas dans les plis de mon cotillon,
Ni dans l’échancrure de mon corsage
Qu’on va-t-à la chasse aux papillons "
Sur sa bouche en feu qui criait "Sois sage!"
Il posa sa bouche en guise de bâillon,
Et ce fut le plus charmant des remue-ménage
Qu’on ait vu de mémoire de papillon.
Un volcan dans l’âme, y revinrent au village,
En se promettant d’aller des millions,
Des milliards de fois, et même davantage,
Ensemble à la chasse aux papillons.
Mais tant qu’ils s’aimeront, tant que les nuages
Porteurs de chagrins, les épargneront,
Y fera bon voler dans les frais bocages,
Y feront pas la chasse aux papillons
Pas la chasse aux papillons
The lyrics of Renaud's song La Chasse Aux Papillons tell the story of a young boy who is described as a "good little devil at the flower of age" who goes on a butterfly hunt. He comes across Cendrillon, who he invites to join him on the hunt. Cendrillon is thrilled to be leaving her cage and wearing her new dress and boots as they go together.
The lyrics are suggestive of a romantic and sexual encounter between the two as they engage in the butterfly hunt. The lyrics describe the "love" and "sting" hiding in the shadows of the forest and piercing the hearts of the young butterfly hunters. As they become more intimate, Cendrillon expresses that the real hunting is not in the folds of her skirt or the opening of her blouse.
The song concludes with the two lovers returning to the village, vowing to go out for millions and even billions of hunts together. As long as they love each other and are not weighed down by life's troubles, they will not go hunting for butterflies, but continue to fly together in the fresh greenery.
Line by Line Meaning
Un bon petit diable à la fleur de l’âge
A mischievous young boy in his prime
La jambe légère et l’œil polisson,
Light on his feet and mischievous in his ways
Et la bouche pleine de joyeux ramages
His mouth filled with happy chatter
Allait à la chasse aux papillons.
He went to catch butterflies.
Comme il atteignait l’orée du village
As he reached the edge of the village
Filant sa quenouille, il vit Cendrillon,
Spinning his spindle, he saw Cinderella
Il lui dit " Bonjour, que Dieu te ménage,
He said "Hello, may God protect you
Je t’emmène à la chasse aux papillons "
I'll take you to catch butterflies."
Cendrillon, ravie de quitter sa cage,
Cinderella, delighted to leave her cage
Met sa robe neuve et ses bottillons ;
Put on her new dress and boots;
Et bras dessus bras dessous vers les frais bocages
Arm in arm, they headed to the fresh groves
Ils vont à la chasse aux papillons.
They go to catch butterflies.
Ils ne savaient pas que sous les ombrages,
They didn't know that under the shade
Se cachait l’amour et son aiguillon,
Love and its sting were hidden
Et qu’il transperçait les cœurs de leur âge,
And it pierced the hearts of their age
Les cœurs des chasseurs de papillons.
The hearts of butterfly catchers.
Quand il se fit tendre, elle lui dit
When he became tender, she said to him
"Je présage que c’est pas dans les plis de mon cotillon,
"I predict it's not in the folds of my skirt
Ni dans l’échancrure de mon corsage
Nor in the opening of my bodice
Qu’on va-t-à la chasse aux papillons "
That we're going to catch butterflies."
Sur sa bouche en feu qui criait "Sois sage!"
On her burning mouth that cried "Be good!"
Il posa sa bouche en guise de bâillon,
He placed his mouth as a gag,
Et ce fut le plus charmant des remue-ménage
And it was the most charming commotion
Qu’on ait vu de mémoire de papillon.
That butterflies had ever seen.
Un volcan dans l’âme, y revinrent au village,
A volcano in their souls, they returned to the village
En se promettant d’aller des millions,
Promising to go millions of times
Des milliards de fois, et même davantage,
Billions of times and even more,
Ensemble à la chasse aux papillons.
Together to catch butterflies.
Mais tant qu’ils s’aimeront, tant que les nuages
But as long as they love each other, as long as the clouds
Porteurs de chagrins, les épargneront,
Carrying sadness, spare them,
Y fera bon voler dans les frais bocages,
It will be good to fly in the fresh groves
Y feront pas la chasse aux papillons
They won't catch butterflies there.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GEORGES CHARLES BRASSENS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind