Il sait
Teri Moïse Lyrics


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Ne lui donne pas de l'amour
Et même pas de la haine
Ces choses sont réservées aux grands
Heureux toujours
Une joie presque inhumaine
Un clown un simple divertissement
Il a mal à force de garder ce sourire
Si mal
Mais il ne songerait jamais à trahir

Si pénible l'invisible
Ces chaînes si seulement
On les voyait
Il faudrait fuir tout loin d'ici où
Il sera à jamais tutoyé
Mais il sait mais il sait

Dis-lui qu'il est docile
Un ami fidèle s'efface
Et se rend tolérable
Discours assez stérile
Ce garçon éternel fera tout
Pour manger sous la table
Jette-lui des petites miettes de leurs miettes
On dit qu'il aime ces jeux de claquettes

Si pénible l'invisible
Ces chaînes si seulement
On les voyait
Il faudrait fuir tout loin d'ici où




Il sera à jamais tutoyé
Mais il sait mais il sait.

Overall Meaning

In Teri Moïse's song Il sait, the lyricist speaks about a clown who hides his sorrows behind a forced smile. The song starts with a warning not to give him either love or hate, as those things are reserved for the "grands," or those who are worthy. The clown is always happy, almost inhumanly so, and is merely a source of amusement for others. However, he is secretly in pain from forcing his joy and wearing a mask every day. Despite this pain, he would never betray his duty to entertain.


The second verse continues with a commentary on the invisible chains that bind the clown to his role. If only people could see these chains, they would have to flee and leave this place where he will forever be a subject to be addressed with the familiar "tu." The third and final verse suggests that the clown is a docile friend who willingly fades into the background and tolerates being walked over in order to be able to eat his meager share under the table. The final line of the song is the repetition of the phrase "Mais il sait mais il sait," which means "But he knows, but he knows."


Overall, the song speaks to the idea that people often put on a brave face and pretend to be happy, even when they are not. The clown is a symbol for anyone who hides their sadness behind a facade of strength and resilience. The lyrics warn against such masking and encourage us to acknowledge our pain and work through it.


Line by Line Meaning

Ne lui donne pas de l'amour
Don't give him love


Et même pas de la haine
And not even hate


Ces choses sont réservées aux grands
Those things are reserved for grown-ups


Heureux toujours
Always happy


Une joie presque inhumaine
An almost inhuman joy


Un clown un simple divertissement
A clown, a simple entertainment


Il a mal à force de garder ce sourire
He hurts from keeping this smile on


Si mal
So much


Mais il ne songerait jamais à trahir
But he would never consider betraying


Si pénible l'invisible
The invisible is so painful


Ces chaînes si seulement
These chains, if only


On les voyait
We could see them


Il faudrait fuir tout loin d'ici où
We should flee far from here where


Il sera à jamais tutoyé
He will forever be addressed informally


Mais il sait mais il sait
But he knows, he knows


Dis-lui qu'il est docile
Tell him he is docile


Un ami fidèle s'efface
A faithful friend fades away


Et se rend tolérable
And becomes tolerable


Discours assez stérile
A quite sterile speech


Ce garçon éternel fera tout
This eternal boy will do everything


Pour manger sous la table
To eat under the table


Jette-lui des petites miettes de leurs miettes
Throw him small crumbs from their crumbs


On dit qu'il aime ces jeux de claquettes
They say he likes these tap dancing games




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS

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