...et j'ai couché dans mon char
Richard Desjardins Lyrics

This song, "…et j'ai couché dans mon char" by Richard Desjardins, tells the story of a man who embarks on a journey, both physical and emotional. The lyrics describe his experience driving hundreds of miles under an angry sky, reaching the outskirts of a city where his heart breaks. He is haunted by memories and ghosts that appear in every inch of his desolate soul.

The singer reflects on the risks and challenges of returning from exile, comparing it to trying to insert a needle into an old record. He wonders who he would have become if he had stayed in this place. The song delves into the unbearable pain caused by seeing his former lover with someone else, leading him to question whose fault it is.

However, as the lyrics progress, the singer declares that he has forgotten all that pain and has become a stronger person. He reunites with his old friends, addressing them with the nicknames "Apaches" and "crottés," and offers to pay for the party. The song takes a turn as the mention of a foundry and the burning of rock and good men alludes to the harsh realities of labor and exploitation in the town.

The chorus reveals a sense of impending doom and the power of the company's rule, with the line "You will have to die if you want to live, my friend." The singer spends his money on a phone call but feels strange as he realizes he can no longer reach anyone. He muses on the passing of time and walks through the night searching for an orchestra.

The singer finds himself in a hotel room in Capri, experiencing the same burns on the carpet and the same view of rue Saint-Denis in Montreal. He contemplates how to sleep in a bed where he once made love to angels, feeling madness creeping up and descending to the lounge. In a moment of revelation, he sees a familiar face in the flame of a lighter and recognizes him as Satan. The encounter is both chilling and oddly joyous, as the singer is so happy that he nearly kisses the devil.

Satan reveals that the gang has split up, and their value has fallen like the price of a trophy. He informs the singer that he remains with his shadow and his coat, implying a sense of loneliness and abandonment. The others have closed their mouths, paying their taxes and catering to a new clientele with robotic music.

The lyrics then explore the distortion caused by the downs of highs, where one becomes like cattle, without happiness or sorrow. Love becomes a mere transaction, locked away in the Chamber of Commerce. The singer acknowledges that he is practically alone, supplying Plaza with what the world and the law want. He contemplates the possibility of being arrested after forty years of freedom, concluding that as long as nobody screws him over, he has kept his wits and already feels like a millionaire.

Satan remarks that he is content in matters of the heart, as there are people waiting on the line for him. The singer takes care of the darlings while recalling a humorous incident involving Rose-Aimée, reflecting on their steady relationship. This statement hits him hard, as he compares it to a nail in a potato, but the sutures held. They raise a toast to that realization.

The song ends with the day breaking over Rouyn, with the singer conversing with his instinct and finding solace in sleeping in his car.