In 1977, besides participating at the Ontario Festival, Richard Séguin made a tour of Switzerland, France, and Quebec. The next year he collaborated with Serge Fiori of the group Harmonium on the LP Deux cents nuits à l'heure (CBS PFS-90456), which sold 100,000 copies and won three Félix Awards at the first ADISQ gala in 1979. His first solo album was followed by a tour in Quebec and in New-Brunswick. His 'Chanson pour durer' won three awards at the Spa Festival in 1981. That year, Séguin also won the second prize for the 'jeune chanson' at the Festival mondial de la chanson française held in Antibes, Côte d'Azur. He then sang in some 40 Quebec cities and at Montreal's Spectrum.
Of folk inspiration initially, Richard Séguin's style slowly evolved toward rock without renouncing its sources, however. His is the legacy of the 1960s. As stated by Micheline Lortie in the magazine Wow, 'those who consider him converted granola have not understood anything; in truth, for many years, Séguin has pursued simple folk-rock, with guitar touches, vocal harmonies on a human scale, and a preoccupation with others who are not success crazy' (August 1989). His album Double vie, inspired by a greater emphasis on rock, marked a new stage in his career. It was listed on the Radio activité chart for more than 50 weeks and won the Félix award for best rock album of 1986, when Séguin was crowned best songwriter. Journée d'Amérique won the Félix Award for best rock album of 1988 and the public's award at the Festival d'été international de Québec 1989. The record was followed by four videoclips and became a gold record. Séguin took part, in Sénégal, in the program 'D'accord-Dakar,' as part of the Sommet de la francophonie (1988). His song 'Ici comme ailleurs' won the CBC competition 'Notre chanson' in 1989. Séguin then performed at the Francofolies in La Rochelle and in the Botaniques in Brussels.
Author: Christian Rioux
Protest Song
Richard Séguin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
En haut des États,
Le parlement s'énerve
Pour l'arrivée du Président
Y sont tous invités
Les ministres ,les pantins
Les souffleurs, les pots de vin
Les grosses gommes anonymes
La censure en prime
Échangent librement
Des promesses d'élection
On a les pluies acides
Le fastfood insipide
L'arsenal de misiles
Made in U.S.A .
Le Président s'avance
Il est fier de rappeler
Qu'on fait tous partie
D'une belle société
Armée pour la paix
Le ca$h va rentrer
Et l' histoire ne fait
Que recommencer
Comme dans tous les westerns,
Ya les Cowboys Ya les Indiens
Et la cavalerie
Se garde le punch pour la fin, heyhey
Pendant ce temps la
Ya ceux qui lancent un cri
Ceux qui n'ont pas les mots
Pour se défendre
Pendant les discours
Et les feux d'artifices
Ya tous ceux qui se demandent
Quand c'est que les choses vont changer
Welcome yankee,Welcome yankee(bis)
Les arpents de neige
Au nord du grand nord
Les arpents de neige
Au nord du grand nord
Autrefois poétiques
Sont maintenant stratégiques
Autrefois poétiques sont maintenant stratégiques
J'arrete sur l'autoroute
Prendre un autre café
On annonce l'arrivée d'un autre Président
On annonce l'arrivée d'un autre Président(bis)
Welcome yankee ,welcome yankee
Dans les tranchées bureaucratiques
Les couloirs informatiques
On annonce l'arrivée d'un autre Président
Dans les tranchées bureaucratiques
Les couloirs informatiques
On annonce l'arrivée d'un autre Président(bis)
You got the money ,you got the money yyaaaaaou
The lyrics of Richard Séguin's song "Protest Song" critique the political establishment and the societal problems that are largely ignored by those in power. The opening lines describe a gathering of government officials exchanging promises of election and behind-the-scenes corruption. They discuss issues like environmental pollution, unhealthy fast food, and the production of weaponry in the USA, but these concerns are overshadowed by the rhetoric of the president. He boasts about his country's military prowess, claiming that it stands for peace, while lining the pockets of the elite. The song uses the metaphor of a western film, with cowboys, natives, and cavalry, to symbolize the deeply problematic power dynamics that exist in society. While the speeches and fireworks continue, the marginalized groups cry out for change, feeling powerless to make it happen.
One interpretation of the song is that it critiques the hypocrisy of the political elite who claim to work for the people but only serve their own interests. The lyrics suggest that the people who are most affected by societal problems like poverty, environmental degradation, and war are those who are least empowered to address them. Despite living in a society that is supposed to value its citizens, they are left to suffer in silence, while politicians dance around the real issues. The song also asks when people will take a stand and demand real change, rather than just accepting things the way they are.
Line by Line Meaning
Dans une grande réserve
In a large reserve
En haut des États,
At the top of the states
Le parlement s'énerve
The parliament is getting angry
Pour l'arrivée du Président
For the arrival of the President
Y sont tous invités
They are all invited
Les ministres, les pantins
The ministers, the puppets
Les souffleurs, les pots de vin
The whisperers, the bribes
Les grosses gommes anonymes
The big anonymous shots
Discours caméléon
Chameleon speeches
La censure en prime
Censorship as a bonus
Échangent librement
Exchanging freely
Des promesses d'élection
Election promises
On a les pluies acides
We have acid rain
Le fastfood insipide
Tasteless fast food
L'arsenal de misiles
The missile arsenal
Made in U.S.A.
Made in USA
Le Président s'avance
The President steps forward
Il est fier de rappeler
He is proud to remind
Qu'on fait tous partie
That we are all part of
D'une belle société
A beautiful society
Armée pour la paix
Armed for peace
Le ca$h va rentrer
The cash will come in
Et l'histoire ne fait
And history does not
Que recommencer
Do anything but repeat itself
Comme dans tous les westerns,
Like in all westerns,
Ya les Cowboys Ya les Indiens
There are cowboys and Indians
Et la cavalerie
And the cavalry
Se garde le punch pour la fin, heyhey
Saves the punch for the end, heyhey
Pendant ce temps la
Meanwhile
Ya ceux qui lancent un cri
There are those who shout out
Ceux qui n'ont pas les mots
Those who don't have the words
Pour se défendre
To defend themselves
Pendant les discours
During the speeches
Et les feux d'artifices
And the fireworks
Ya tous ceux qui se demandent
There are all those who wonder
Quand c'est que les choses vont changer
When things are going to change
Welcome yankee,Welcome yankee(bis)
Welcome Yankee, Welcome Yankee (repeat)
Les arpents de neige
The acres of snow
Au nord du grand nord
In the north of the great north
Autrefois poétiques
Once poetic
Sont maintenant stratégiques
Are now strategic
J'arrête sur l'autoroute
I stop on the highway
Prendre un autre café
To get another coffee
On annonce l'arrivée d'un autre Président
The arrival of another President is announced
You got the money, you got the money yyaaaaaou
You got the money, you got the money yyaaaaaou
Contributed by Annabelle D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.