Les Tomates
Renaud Lyrics

Ch'est un pauf' garchon qui s'app'lot Edmond
There was a poor boy named Edmond

I-étot des corons du côté d'Fouquières
He lived in the mining town of Fouquières

I n'd'avot assez après chès jornées
After long days of work, he was tired

D'd'aller travailler dins l'gardin d'sin père
He would work in his father's garden

Pou in récapper s'a dit j'vas m'marier
He decided to get married to improve his life

Cha a 'té vit' fait I tot pas vilain
He found a beautiful woman quickly, even though he was not attractive

Alle étot bellotte Un m'tiot peu Lollotte 'Wui mais pou la popotte Alle y connossot rin
She was pretty, but not very skilled in cooking

I mingeot des tomates Des tomates des tomates
He ate many tomatoes

Cheul pauf' garchon i savot bin Qui-étot marqué par el destin
The poor boy was marked by destiny

Mais i s'disot pour es' faire eun' rason Ch'arot pu ête l'sason des melons
He thought that instead of eating tomatoes, he could grow melons

Cha d'vot arriver Il a tout plaqué
He left everything behind

Et s'in est d'allé Trouver sin bonheur
He left to find his happiness

Ch'est à Carpintras Qu'un jour i trova
He found himself in Carpentras

Quèt'coss' qu'ch'étot pas Sin métier d'mineur
He found a new job that wasn't as dangerous as mining

Dins chès pays-là In réclamme des bras
In that region, they needed workers

Faut dir' qué ch'est pas L'boulot qui les tue
The work was not as fatal as mining

Lais du matin au soir Comme un vrai bagnard
He worked long hours like a prisoner

I tot d'ssus l'trimard I n'd'in povot pus
After the hard work, he was exhausted

I portot des tomates Des tomates des tomates
He carried tomatoes

Il avot ma foi Un biau filet d' voix
He had a beautiful singing voice

Alors ch'est pour cha Qui-a volu canter
He wanted to sing because of his voice

I-apprit des canchons su s'n accordéon Les micro-sillons Cha l'faisot rêver
He learned to play songs on the accordion and it made him dream

I véyot déjà Paris l'Olympia Rimplachint d'ssus l'tas Johnny Hallyday
He imagined himself performing at the Olympia in Paris with Johnny Hallyday

Mais l'jour qui canta Dins l'viux cinéma Bé i li arriva chou qui d'vot arriver
On the day he sang in an old cinema, something happened that had to happen

I pluvot des tomates Des tomates des tomates
People threw tomatoes at him

A tous les misères Qu'il a eu su ç'tierre I a pas su y faire I n'a pas résister
He couldn't handle all the problems he faced and he gave up

Et ch'est à Fouquières Tout près d'sin grind-père Dans l'vieu cimetière qui l'est interré
He died in Fouquières, near his grandfather, and was buried in the old cemetery

Ch'est par amitié Qu'un in i-a s'mé Des bell's tiot's pinsées
Out of friendship, someone put beautiful little pansies

I les amot tant quind in y est r'torné Deux tros mots après In est tertous restés comme deux ronds d'flanc
When someone went back, they found the pansies still there, and they were surprised

I poussot des tomates Des tomates des tomates
There were tomatoes growing on his grave

Cheul pauf' garchon i savot bin Qui-étot marqué par el destin
The poor boy knew he was marked by destiny

Mais i s'disot pour es' faire eun' rason Ch'arot pu ête l'sason des melons
He hoped that melons would be his destiny instead of tomatoes