C'est ma volonté
Yael Naim Lyrics

The lyrics of Yael Naïm's song "C'est ma volonté" express the desire for power and control. The opening lines, "Bâtir des monuments de fer et d’or / Qui se voient / C'est ma volonté" translate to "Build monuments of iron and gold / That are seen / It is my will." The singer wants to create visible structures that demonstrate their power and influence. They continue, "Jeter des pierres et en faire des météores / Qui flamboient / C'est ma volonté," which means "Throw stones and turn them into meteors / That blaze / It is my will." The use of the word "météores" (meteors) adds a sense of drama and spectacle to the imagery, as if the singer wants their power to be felt throughout the universe.

The chorus, "Brûler le vent et les soleils du Nord / Faire s'agenouiller le faible et le fort / C'est mon droit / C'est ma volonté / Mon réconfort / Et ma liberté / C'est mon droit / Et ma volonté," translates to "Burn the wind and the northern suns / Make the weak and strong kneel / It’s my right / It’s my will / My comfort / And my freedom / It’s my right / And my will." The singer's desire for power and control is seen as a right that brings them comfort and freedom. They want to have the ability to make others kneel before them, highlighting a sense of superiority and dominance.

In the next verse, the singer questions their own desire for power, asking, "Mais pourquoi vouloir tant de pouvoir? / Il y a des larmes / Que même un empire / Ne peut payer," which means "But why want so much power? / There are tears / That even an empire / Cannot pay." This suggests that despite the singer's desire for power, there are certain things that cannot be bought or controlled. The line "Doit on le dire / Avec des larmes / Ou des soupirs?" means "Should we say it / with tears / or with sighs?" This line suggests that perhaps the singer is coming to realize that their desire for power is empty and that their emotions and the emotions of others are more important than their fleeting desire for control.