In… Read Full Bio ↴Thomas Fersen is a French singer-composer born in 1963 in Paris.
In his youth, he joined a punk band, before playing the piano in cafés-théatre. His first album in 1993 brought him an immediate success.
Fersen is a poet, who enjoys playing with language -he writes his lyrics exclusively in french-, using words, rhymes, symbols and images of vegetal or animal world. He tells strange and funny stories, impressions and dreams of casual life. His smoker's deep voice gives a particular tone to his songs. His musical style varies from one album to another (rock, folk, jazz and blues..).
He is one of the first who joined the Tot Ou tard/WM France label.
La Blatte
Thomas Fersen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Je souffle la chandelle
J'entends un petit bruit
C'est une blatte
Cet hôtel est infect
Pourri d'insectes
Cette petite blatte-là me gène.
La blatte est endormie
J'entends un petit bruit
C'est une mite.
Cet hôtel est infect
Pourri d'insectes
Cette petite mite là me gène.
Longue est la nuit
À fumer dans mon lit
À rallumer la bougie
Au moindre bruit.
C'est l'auberge espagnole
Toutes ces bestioles
N'existent que dans ma tête.
Longue est la nuit
À fumer dans mon lit
À rallumer la bougie
Au moindre bruit.
Puis au petit matin
La chandelle s'éteint
J'entends un petit bruit
On me gratte
L'araignée de ta main
Fait mon examen
Cette petite bête là, je l'aime ...
The song "La Blatte" by Thomas Fersen is a story about a lonely traveler staying in a hotel room infested with insects. The traveler is disturbed by the constant buzzing and scratching of various insects, represented by the "blatte" (cockroach), "mite," and "araignée" (spider). Fersen's use of insects as a metaphor for the discomfort and isolation felt by the singer is both creative and clever.
The singer's suffering is exacerbated by the fact that he is alone in a foreign country, as he says in the line "C'est l'auberge espagnole," meaning it's a situation where anything could happen. The lyrics contain a sense of dread and unease, as the singer's fears are amplified by the unfamiliarity of his surroundings. The repetition of the phrase "À rallumer la bougie au moindre bruit" (relighting the candle at the slightest sound) adds to the unsettling atmosphere of the song.
As the night wears on, the singer becomes increasingly agitated and restless, until he is finally soothed by the touch of another living being. The final line, "cette petite bête là, je l'aime" (I love this little creature), is a surprising and poignant conclusion to the story. It suggests that even in the darkest of situations, it is possible to find comfort and connection.
Line by Line Meaning
Dans ma chambre d'hôtel
The song starts with the singer in his hotel room
Je souffle la chandelle
He tries to blow out a candle
J'entends un petit bruit
He hears a small sound
C'est une blatte
It's a cockroach
Cet hôtel est infect
The hotel is infested with insects
Pourri d'insectes
The hotel is rotten with insects
Cette petite blatte-là me gène.
He is bothered by this one small cockroach
Deux heures après minuit
It's two hours past midnight
La blatte est endormie
The cockroach is now asleep
J'entends un petit bruit
He hears another small sound
C'est une mite.
It's a moth
Longue est la nuit
The night is long
À fumer dans mon lit
He spends his time smoking in bed
À rallumer la bougie
He keeps relighting the candle
Au moindre bruit.
He gets startled by any noise
C'est l'auberge espagnole
It's like a Spanish hostel
Toutes ces bestioles
All these insects
N'existent que dans ma tête.
They only exist in his mind
Puis au petit matin
Then, in the early morning
La chandelle s'éteint
The candle goes out
J'entends un petit bruit
He hears another small sound
On me gratte
He feels a scratching sensation
L'araignée de ta main
The spider on his hand
Fait mon examen
Examines him
Cette petite bête là, je l'aime ...
He likes this little creature
Contributed by Logan J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@noellenature6981
J'adore toujours.... 🙏