Toi Mourir
Serge Gainsbourg Lyrics


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Toi moi donner cuvette
Tabac savonnette
Miroir et papier cul
Toi mourir
Toi moi donner chapeau
Peigne en corozo
Médaille petit Jésus
Toi mourir
Toi moi donner réveil
Torchon nid d'abeilles
Et caleçons fendus
Toi mourir
Toi moi donner très chic
Rasoir mécanique
Et collier de Prisu
Toi mourir
Toi moi donner canif
Et préservatifs
Mais moi pas roi Ubu
Toi mourir
Toi moi donner parole
Que rhum agricole
Ya bon bwana j'ai bu
Toi mourir
Toi pas donner fusils
Toi voir paradis




Moi ordonner tribu
Toi mourir

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Serge Gainsbourg's song "Toi mourir" can be interpreted as a dark commentary on the power dynamics within a relationship. The repeated phrase "Toi mourir" ("You die") suggests a dominant position held by one person over another, with the implication that the person speaking has control over the other's life and death. The items listed in each stanza (such as a bowl, tobacco, soap, and toilet paper) can be understood as basic necessities that the dominant person has the power to give or withhold from the other. The items become more lavish and frivolous as the song progresses, with the inclusion of a hat, a razor, and a necklace, possibly indicating an increasing sense of entitlement and abuse of power.


The line "Mais moi pas roi Ubu" ("But I'm not King Ubu") is particularly noteworthy, as it implies that the singer is aware of the absurdity and cruelty of their behavior, yet is unwilling or unable to change it. The final stanza, in which the dominant person withholds weapons from the other while claiming to be able to order a tribe to kill, is particularly chilling, as it suggests a willingness to manipulate and control others for personal gain.


Overall, "Toi mourir" can be seen as a commentary on the ways in which power corrupts and relationships can become imbalanced and abusive.


Line by Line Meaning

Toi moi donner cuvette
You and I share a toilet bowl


Tabac savonnette
We use tobacco and soap


Miroir et papier cul
We have a mirror and toilet paper


Toi mourir
But you will die


Toi moi donner chapeau
You and I share a hat


Peigne en corozo
We have a comb made of corozo


Médaille petit Jésus
We have a small Jesus medal


Toi mourir
But you will die


Toi moi donner réveil
We share an alarm clock


Torchon nid d'abeilles
We have a kitchen towel made of honeycomb fabric


Et caleçons fendus
And split underwear


Toi mourir
But you will die


Toi moi donner très chic
We have very stylish things


Rasoir mécanique
We have a mechanical razor


Et collier de Prisu
And a necklace from Prisu


Toi mourir
But you will die


Toi moi donner canif
We share a pocket knife


Et préservatifs
And we have condoms


Mais moi pas roi Ubu
But I am not King Ubu


Toi mourir
But you will die


Toi moi donner parole
We share a word


Que rhum agricole
And agricultural rum


Ya bon bwana j'ai bu
Yes, bwana, I drank


Toi mourir
But you will die


Toi pas donner fusils
You don't have guns


Toi voir paradis
Instead, you can see paradise


Moi ordonner tribu
But I am the one who orders the tribe


Toi mourir
And you will die




Contributed by Brooklyn S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Elian


on Ford Mustang

We're swapping spits / We're snorting lines [double entendre] (On s' fait des "lines")
In a Ford Mustang
And then, "Bang"
We're banging in [triple entendre]
To the plane trees / And then, "Bang," we're getting high ("embrasser les platanes = planer" [ French] (=to get high)
"Mus" to the left
"Tang" to the right
And to the left, to the right

A windshield wiper
A pack of Kool
A badge with the inscription
"Keep Cool"
A bar of
Chocolate
A Coca-Cola

We're swapping spits / We're snorting lines
In a Ford Mustang
And then, "Bang"
We're banging in
To the plane trees
"Mus" to the left
"Tang" to the right
And to the left, to the right

A bottle
Of make-up fluid
A flashgun
A Browning (automatic pistol)
A phonograph
A volume
Of Edgar A. Poe
And a plain brass ZIPPO

We're swapping spits / We're snorting lines
In a Ford Mustang
And then, "Bang"
We're banging in
To the plane trees
"Mus" to the left
"Tang" to the right
And to the left, to the right

An edition
Of Superman
A nut from
Paco
Rabanne
A pic of
Marilyn
A tube of aspirin

We're swapping spits / We're snorting lines
In a Ford Mustang
And then, "Bang"
We're banging in
To the plane trees
"Mus" to the left
"Tang" to the right
And to the left, to the right

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