Feeding on a diet of The Pogues, Paul Kelly, and whatever else was playing, Joy cut his teeth performing at open mic nights in Melbourne. His style is folk music with pop influences. His songs capture the familiar pulse of everyday experiences in a unique and celebratory manner. His lyrics reach out to you and hold on for a moment.
La mer
Vance Joy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Qu'on voit danser le long des golfes clairs
A des reflets d'argent
La mer
Des reflets changeants
Sous la pluie
La mer
Ses blancs moutons
Avec les anges si purs
La mer bergere d'azur
Infinie
Voyez
Pres des etangs
Ces grands roseaux mouilles
Voyez
Ces oiseaux blancs
Et ces maisons rouillees
La mer
Les a berces
Le long des golfes clairs
Et d'une chanson d'amour
La mer
A berce mon coeur pour la vie
Vance Joy's song "La mer" is a poetic tribute to the beauty and power of the sea. The lyrics describe the shimmering silver reflections on the water's surface, the changing patterns of light and shadow under the rain, and the sea's ability to merge with the sky in a seamless blur of white and blue. The song also references the natural habitat that surrounds the sea, such as the wetlands with their tall, swaying reeds and the white birds that flock around rusty old houses.
Throughout the song, the sea is portrayed as a comforting and nurturing force, one that has cradled and soothed the singer's soul with a lullaby of love. The repeated line "la mer a berce mon coeur pour la vie" emphasizes the idea that the sea has had a profound and lasting impact on the singer's emotional well-being. Overall, "La mer" is a lyrical celebration of the romantic and spiritual power of nature, particularly as embodied by the vast and mysterious sea.
Line by Line Meaning
La mer
The sea
Qu'on voit danser le long des golfes clairs
That we see dancing along the clear bays
A des reflets d'argent
Has silver reflections
Des reflets changeants
Changing reflections
Sous la pluie
Under the rain
Au ciel d'ete confond
Confuses with the summer sky
Ses blancs moutons
Its white sheep
Avec les anges si purs
With the very pure angels
La mer bergere d'azur
The blue shepherdess sea
Infinie
Infinite
Voyez
See
Pres des etangs
Near the ponds
Ces grands roseaux mouilles
These large wet reeds
Voyez
See
Ces oiseaux blancs
These white birds
Et ces maisons rouillees
And these rusted houses
La mer les a berces
The sea has rocked them
Le long des golfes clairs
Along the clear bays
Et d'une chanson d'amour
And with a love song
La mer
The sea
A berce mon coeur pour la vie
Has rocked my heart for life
Contributed by Joseph B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@giphk2449
shame its removed from spotify
@autumn9454
I DON'T KNOW WHAT HE'S SAYING BUT I'M IN LOVE
@sunnybaudelaire9384
This is so beautiful and Vance is so talented <3
@amelialmao2593
La mer
La mer
qu'on voit danser le long des golfes clairs
a des reflets d'argent,
la mer,
des reflets changeants
sous la pluie.
La mer
au ciel d'été confond
ses blancs moutons
avec les anges si purs,
la mer bergère d'azur
infinie.
Voyez,
près des étangs,
ces grands roseaux mouillés.
Voyez,
ces oiseaux blancs
et ces maisons rouillées.
La mer
les a bercés
le long des golfes clairs
et d'une chanson d'amour,
la mer
@creativecompanion
I wish I could get my mouth to form these beautiful lyrics so I could sing this lovely song.... La Mer is all my tongue will agree to.
@yumin-3398
Honestly I'm French and I didn't understand the lyrics the first time I listened to this song, maybe he had trouble with these words too! ;) doesn't stop me from loving this song though!