Thomas Fersen is a French singer-composer born in 1963 in Paris.

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.

Ukulélé
Thomas Fersen Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

"Bonjour douanier, je suis le barde
Relève ta hallebarde
Ce petit bagage
Ce petit étui
Ce n'est pas celui
D'un tueur à gages

C'est ma crevette, mon têtard

Mon avorton de guitare
C'est ma guitare porte-clefs
C'est ma guitare de poupée

Musèle ton chien de garde
Ouvre les yeux et regarde
Au fond de la grotte
Habite un génie
Qui sort de la nuit
Lorsque je le frotte"

Le représentant de l'ordre
Ne veut pas se faire mordre
Il me prend pour un fêlé
Au son du ukulélé

Il est saisi d'épouvante
"Cette bûche est bien vivante!"

"C'est ma crevette, mon têtard
Mon avorton de guitare
C'est ma guitare porte-clefs
Veux-tu l'essayer?"

Le douanier n'y prend pas garde
Et il se plante une écharde
Un éclat de bois
Dans le petit doigt
Ça s'est infecté
Hélas, il nous a quittés

Le voilà dans les nuages
Avec mon petit bagage
Il arrive au paradis
Et voilà c' qu'il dit

"Bonjour douanier, je suis le barde
Relève ta hallebarde
Cette petite mallette
Ce petit étui
Ce n'est pas celui
D'une mitraillette

C'est ma crevette, mon têtard
Mon avorton de guitare
C'est ma guitare porte-clefs
C'est ma guitare de poupée"

Quand le monde est trop couillon
Je sors mon petit grillon

Quand le monde est barbelé
Je sors mon ukulélé

Overall Meaning

The song "Ukulélé" by Thomas Fersen tells the story of a bard who is stopped by a customs officer who wants to search his baggage. The bard tries to assure the officer that there is nothing suspicious in his small bag and that the small case he is carrying is not a weapon, but rather his beloved ukulele. The bard asks the officer to let down his guard, open his eyes, and see that there is a genius inside the instrument that comes out when he brushes it. The officer is initially apprehensive but eventually agrees to try the instrument. Unfortunately, the officer ends up getting an infection from a splinter of wood, and he eventually dies. In the afterlife, the officer greets the bard and decides to take up the ukulele again.

Line by Line Meaning

Bonjour douanier, je suis le barde Relève ta hallebarde Ce petit bagage Ce petit étui Ce n'est pas celui D'un tueur à gages
The songwriter is addressing the customs officer, advising him not to worry because what he is carrying is definitely not something dangerous.

C'est ma crevette, mon têtard Mon avorton de guitare C'est ma guitare porte-clefs C'est ma guitare de poupée
The songwriter is describing his ukulele and how it seems like a shrimp or a tadpole and that it is small like a keychain and is suitable for children.

Musèle ton chien de garde Ouvre les yeux et regarde Au fond de la grotte Habite un génie Qui sort de la nuit Lorsque je le frotte
The songwriter is asking the customs officer to keep his dog quiet and look at the bottom of the bag because that is where his artistic talent comes from, and it often appears unexpectedly like a genie from a bottle.

Le représentant de l'ordre Ne veut pas se faire mordre Il me prend pour un fêlé Au son du ukulélé
The customs officer, upon hearing the sound of the ukulele, thinks the songwriter is crazy and that he might bite him.

Il est saisi d'épouvante 'Cette bûche est bien vivante!' 'C'est ma crevette, mon têtard Mon avorton de guitare C'est ma guitare porte-clefs Veux-tu l'essayer?'
The customs officer is fearful of the ukulele and believes it is alive. Meanwhile, the songwriter asks him if he wants to try playing it since it is harmless.

Le douanier n'y prend pas garde Et il se plante une écharde Un éclat de bois Dans le petit doigt Ça s'est infecté Hélas, il nous a quittés
The customs officer does not pay close attention and ends up getting a splinter in his finger, which gets infected shortly after. Sadly, he dies from it.

Le voilà dans les nuages Avec mon petit bagage Il arrive au paradis Et voilà c' qu'il dit 'Bonjour douanier, je suis le barde Relève ta hallebarde Cette petite mallette Ce petit étui Ce n'est pas celui D'une mitraillette
The customs officer is now in heaven, and the songwriter imagines him being there with his small bag. He then tells the customs officer that the bag contains a ukulele and not a gun.

Quand le monde est trop couillon Je sors mon petit grillon Quand le monde est barbelé Je sors mon ukulélé
The songwriter says that when the world is too stupid, he takes out his little cricket, and when the world has too many obstacles, he takes out his ukulele to help him navigate it.

Contributed by Liliana L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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