At the age of twenty, Stéphane decided his future lay on the stage. The only problem was deciding which of his artistic ambitions to concentrate on first: learning the guitar, the banjo or training as an actor. He eventually plumped for the latter and, after taking a course run by the actor Serge Martin, he enrolled at DAL Théâtre for a three-year stint. Here, he mastered the art of Comédia dell’Arte and clowning, and also learnt to play banjo and guitar.
Mal Ô Mains
Sanseverino Lyrics
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Il suffit juste simplement de s'agiter
Faire les gens qui jouent en évitant les coups
Qu'on se donne à soi en gesticulant sans arrêt.
Les mains toujours au bout des bras
Brassent l’air inutilement
À force de remuer remuer
J'ai mal aux mains.
Je gaspille mon énergie, je multiplie les efforts
Pour ne pas avoir tort
Etre faux pour mieux faire vrai c'est bien
Mais c'est beaucoup de travail pour rien
C'est beaucoup de travail pour rien et ça ça fait mal aux mains
À force de remuer remuer
J'ai mal aux mains, à force de traîner les pieds
J'ai mal aux mains.
S'agiter dans tous les sens devient
Une espèce de sixième sens, c'est bien
Je multiplie les n'importe quoi
Et je me fais taper sur les doigts
Faire des pieds et des mains
C'est le pied mais ça ça fait mal aux mains
The lyrics of Sanseverino's song Mal ô Mains talk about the concept of being busy and productive, but without a clear purpose. The main character in the song seems to be trying to be useful and take action, but they end up just flailing around and wasting energy. The first verse talks about how easy it is to start moving around and playing a role, but without actually achieving anything. The hands keep moving around uselessly, and the constant gestures are just an empty way of showing how much effort is being put in.
The chorus then repeats the idea that all this movement and work is causing pain and exhaustion, both in the hands and in the feet. The second verse explains how this person is trying to avoid being wrong or making mistakes by being fake and pretending to be someone they're not, but it's all just a lot of effort for nothing. The bridge seems to suggest that this person has become addicted to the idea of being busy and active, almost like it has become a sixth sense for them, but all they're achieving is getting into trouble and being told off.
Overall, the song highlights the danger of confusing being busy with being productive, and how the pursuit of the latter without a clear goal ultimately leads to exhaustion and disappointment.
Line by Line Meaning
Pour se rendre utile et passer à l'action
To be useful and take action
Il suffit juste simplement de s'agiter
All you need is to just move around
Faire les gens qui jouent en évitant les coups
Act like people who play while avoiding hits
Qu'on se donne à soi en gesticulant sans arrêt.
That we give ourselves by constantly gesticulating
Les mains toujours au bout des bras
Hands always at the end of our arms
Brassent l’air inutilement
They stir the air unnecessarily
À force de remuer remuer
By constantly moving and shaking
J'ai mal aux mains, à force de traîner les pieds
My hands hurt from dragging my feet
Je gaspille mon énergie, je multiplie les efforts
I waste my energy, I multiply my efforts
Pour ne pas avoir tort
To not be wrong
Etre faux pour mieux faire vrai c'est bien
Being fake to make it seem real is good
Mais c'est beaucoup de travail pour rien
But it's a lot of work for nothing
C'est beaucoup de travail pour rien et ça ça fait mal aux mains
It's a lot of work for nothing and that hurts the hands
S'agiter dans tous les sens devient
Moving around in all directions becomes
Une espèce de sixième sens, c'est bien
A kind of sixth sense, it's good
Je multiplie les n'importe quoi
I multiply the nonsense
Et je me fais taper sur les doigts
And I get scolded
Faire des pieds et des mains
To go to great lengths
C'est le pied mais ça ça fait mal aux mains
It's great but it hurts the hands
Contributed by Isabella N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.