The Ladybug Transistor is an indie pop band from Brooklyn, NY associated wi… Read Full Bio ↴The Ladybug Transistor is an indie pop band from Brooklyn, NY associated with The Elephant 6 Collective.
The band was started in 1995 by Gary Olson, Edward Powers and Javier Villegas with an album called "Marlborough farms". Adding and subtracting a couple of members they have recorded five albums since then:

With Jeff Baron and Jennifer Baron added to the lineup they released Beverley Atonale in 1997.

Powers left the band, and the remaining members, with San Fadyl and Sasha Bell of The Essex Green and solo act Finishing School, embarked on a United States tour.

With a more stable lineup, the band released The Albemarle Sound in 1999, as well as added violinist Julia Rydholm, also of The Essex Green, to the lineup. In 2001, Argyle Heir was released, and the band released a self-titled album in 2003, which was recorded in their own Marlborough Farms studio.

In April 2006, Fadyl began fighting serious asthma attacks. On the 26th of April 2007, he passed away due to one such attack.

The band released their sixth album, Can't Wait Another Day, on June 5, 2007.

Puis-Je?
The Ladybug Transistor Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

J'etais perdu dans la rue
fatigue et mal au cul
J'ai vu un petit cafe
avec une fille dedans
et je lui disais

'Puis-je m'asseoir aupres de toi
pour te regarder?

J'aimerais la compagnie de ton soleil.

Je ne veux pas plus que ca
Non, ca n'est pas une grande histoire
Encore un beau sourire
et apres ca je peux partir

'Puis-je m'asseoir aupres de toi

pour te regarder?
J'aimerais bien la compagnie de ton soleil.

Overall Meaning

The Ladybug Transistor's song Puis-Je? is a simple yet poignant representation of a lonely man who stumbles upon a small cafe and seeks the company of a girl sitting inside. The opening lines of the lyrics express the singer's physical exhaustion and his state of being lost in the street. He sees a small cafe and notices a girl inside, which prompts him to approach her and ask if he can sit beside her.

Instead of making any grand gestures, he simply tells her that he wants to sit beside her to admire her beauty in the warmth of her company. He only desires to bask in the sunshine of her person, without any expectations or further ambitions. The singer is aware that this momentary encounter might not be a substantial romance, which can be inferred from the line "Non, ca n'est pas une grande histoire" (No, it is not a great story) yet he cherishes the opportunity to relish her presence and her smile for a while.

The song's simple, sweet melody pairs well with the singer's sincerity and desperate search for companionship. The lyrics evoke a sense of quiet melancholy, and the song reflects on the need for human contact that many people experience in different parts of their lives.

Line by Line Meaning

J'etais perdu dans la rue
I was lost in the street

fatigue et mal au cul
tired and my ass hurt

J'ai vu un petit cafe
I saw a small cafe

avec une fille dedans
with a girl inside

et je lui disais
and I said to her

'Puis-je m'asseoir aupres de toi
'Can I sit next to you

pour te regarder?
to watch you?'

J'aimerais la compagnie de ton soleil.
I would like the company of your sunshine.'

Je ne veux pas plus que ca
I don't want more than that

Non, ca n'est pas une grande histoire
No, it's not a big deal

Encore un beau sourire
Just one more nice smile