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".
Toute seule à une table
Renaud Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Si c'est pas gâché
T'es encore mettable,
Pas du tout fanée
T'as quoi, quarante-cinq
Allez cinquante balais
Tu fais beaucoup moins
Que ta montre, ton collier
Que j'te mate en douce
Dans c'resto plein d'monde
Que tu éclabousses
De ce charme obscur
Qui parfois me pousse
Vers les femmes mûres
Et aussi les rousses
Toute seule à une table
Si c'est pas gâché
T'as les yeux du diable
Pi t'as l'air gaulée
Comme un château d'sable
Avant la marée
Comme un dirigeable
Avant les pompiers
C'est pas un lapin
Qu'on t'aurait posé
Tu gard'rais tes mains
Et la porte fermée
Tu boirais du vin
Te s'rais maquillée
T'attends p'têtre un chien
Pas un fiancé
Toute seule à une table ...
The song "Toute seule à une table" by Renaud is about a man admiring a woman who is sitting alone at a table in a crowded restaurant. He is struck by her beauty and the way she carries herself, despite her age. He points out that despite being in her mid-fifties, she still looks attractive and has a certain charm that draws people to her.
The woman is described as having the "eyes of the devil" and a curvaceous figure, like a "sandcastle before the tide" or a "blimp before the firefighters". The man watching her is captivated by her mysterious charm which sometimes drives him towards mature women and redheads. Despite being alone at her table, the man imagines that the woman is not waiting for a fiancé but maybe a fling.
The lyrics describe the woman's loneliness, but also her confidence and sensuality. The man recognises her appeal and the fact that she is still desirable even in middle age. The song is a tribute to the beauty and allure of mature women and their ability to still attract attention from others.
Line by Line Meaning
Toute seule à une table
A woman sitting alone at a table in a restaurant.
Si c'est pas gâché
If it's not ruined by the fact that she's alone.
T'es encore mettable,
She's still attractive and desirable.
Pas du tout fanée
She's not aging badly at all.
T'as quoi, quarante-cinq
She appears to be around 45 years old.
Allez cinquante balais
Okay, maybe closer to 50 years old.
Tu fais beaucoup moins
She looks younger than her age.
Que ta montre, ton collier
You look younger than the expensive watch and jewelry you're wearing.
Ça fait bien une plombe
I've been secretly observing you for a while now.
Que j'te mate en douce
I've been discreetly checking you out.
Dans c'resto plein d'monde
In a crowded restaurant.
Que tu éclabousses
You have a mysterious charm that radiates from you and draws attention.
De ce charme obscur
That's hard to define but captivating nonetheless.
Qui parfois me pousse
That sometimes makes me attracted to older women like you.
Vers les femmes mûres
And also redheads.
Et aussi les rousses
And also redheads.
T'as les yeux du diable
You have captivating, alluring eyes.
Pi t'as l'air gaulée
And a great, sexy figure.
Comme un château d'sable
Like a sandcastle before the tide washes it away.
Avant la marée
Before it all comes crashing down.
Comme un dirigeable
Like a blimp that will eventually deflate.
Avant les pompiers
Before anyone comes to fix it.
C'est pas un lapin
She's not a pushover.
Qu'on t'aurait posé
That any man can just swoop in and take advantage of.
Tu gard'rais tes mains
She won't put up with any nonsense and will protect herself.
Et la porte fermée
And won't let just anyone into her life.
Tu boirais du vin
She enjoys a good glass of wine.
Te s'rais maquillée
She takes care of herself and wears makeup.
T'attends p'têtre un chien
Maybe she's just waiting for her dog to join her at the restaurant.
Pas un fiancé
Definitely not waiting for a fiancé or anything more serious.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Jean-Louis Roques, Renaud Sechan
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Philippe D.
Une des meilleures " patte " de la chanson française de ces quarante dernières années !
Josephine Pierard
j'adore Renaud depuis le début de sa carrière jusque maintenant il est formidable et il le sera toujours 👏👏👏👏👏💗💗💗💗bravo mon ami Renaud
shater911
Extraordinnaire cette chanson...merci l'ami de nous en faire profiter :)
alban françois
Cette chanson était déjà belle et nostalgique en 1992, or là la bonne femme a 20 ans de mieux, soit entre 65 et 70 balais! Autant dire que les "sentiments" qu'elle a inspiré à Renaud c'est bel et bien du passé qui ne reviendra pas... "Un chateau de sable avant la marée"; là la marée a dû l'emporter et bien la noyer... comme elle finira par le faire pour nous tous.
alban françois
Cette chanson provient d'une compilation de chansons inédites de divers artistes français parue dans un album sorti en 1992 dans le cadre de la lutte contre le SIDA. Dans cette compilation je me souviens aussi de Pierre Bachelet "Parti avnt d'avoir tout dit".
Josephine Pierard
tu seras toujours le "grand Renaud"👏👏👏👏👏👏💚💚💚💚
Carole Vermandere
J'aime tout simplement ♥️
lamomedu8eme
mes deux preferes aussi! Souvenir decoute en boucle dans ma chambre!!!! merci pour ce merveilleux revival :p
Sophie Sliver
Wahou, cette chanson est super jolie, elle me reste agréablement en tête depuis que je l'ai écouté... Elle est sur un albulm? Lequel?
Patrick Aulagnier
Champion du monde,
Inimitable,
The best quoi....