01/26/26

Renée Claude (1939-2020)

Renée Claude (1939-2020) was a Canadian actress and singer from Montreal, Québec, known for her interpretation of songs by Québec writers. Growing up, she studied piano at the École Vincent-d’Indy and took singing lessons with Alphonse Ledoux. As a teenager, she already decided that her life would be dedicated to singing. In 1960, she made her first television appearance on Radio-Canada television and quickly became known for her elegant and sensuous singing and deep respect for lyricists and composers. While her early repertoire focused on French chansons, she turned towards the work of local Québec writers, helping shape a distinctly Québécois song culture during the 1960s and 1970s.

Renée Claude was primarily an interpreter, devoting her career to performing the songs of others rather than composing her own material. She transitioned from performing at the boîte à chansons in Québec City, covering songs by French singer-songwriters like George Brassens and Leo Ferré, to working with local lyricists such as Jean-Pierre Farland, Stéphane Venne, Clemence Desrochers, and Luc Plamondon. Her major hits included “Tu es noire,” “C’est notre fête aujourd’hui,” and “Le début d’un temps nouveau.” Despite her shyness, she forged her own artistic path and earned widespread recognition, winning numerous awards, including the best song of the year in 1965. She also toured extensively across Europe, Québec, Ontario, and America, performing and representing Canada at international festivals and competitions.

Renée Claude brought honour to Québecers by performing and respecting local songwriters, never altering the songs. She was perceived as “the supreme interpreter,” with a tender voice, good taste, and intelligence of the lyrics. In the 1970s, Renée Claude embodied the liberated woman in Québec culture with her long black hair, large eyes, gypsy-style dresses, and sensual voice. She embodied the spirit of a society in transformation, representing the “beginning of a new time,” shaped by Québec’s Quiet Revolution, the liberalization of morals, women’s emancipation, and the growing assertion of Québec identity.

Renée Claude made incredible artistic choices, not only performing songs but also poems and monologues. In addition to her singing career, she had a talent for acting, pursuing it in theatre, opera, television, and film from the 1980s. She participated in the 1980 show, “Moi c’est Clémence que j’aime les mieux,” and the 1981 international success, “George Brassens, j’ai rendez-vous avec vous.” When asked to reflect on her life, she described her greatest achievement in life as being able to sing with sincerity. Renée Claude passed away on May 12, 2020, leaving behind a legacy defined by artistic integrity, elegance, and profound respect for the words of others.

Sources:

Ménard, Denise , and Suzanne Thomas, , and Benoît L’Herbier. “Renée Claude.” The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Article published January 20, 2010; Last Edited October 27, 2014. https://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/renee-claude-emc

ICI.Radio-Canada.ca, Zone Arts -. 2020. “Renée Claude : Chanter Les Autres Avec Élégance et Douceur.” Radio. Radio-Canada.ca. May 12, 2020. https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1685647/renee-claude-interprete-chanteuse-quebec-carriere-archives

Taylor, Rachelle , and Hélène Plouffe. “Renée Claude.” The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Article published January 29, 2008; Last Edited July 17, 2015. https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/renee-claude

Vigneault, Alexandre. 2020. “Renée Claude – Donne-Moi Le Temps: ‘L’interprète Suprême.’” La Presse. March 9, 2020. https://www.lapresse.ca/arts/litterature/2020-03-09/renee-claude-donne-moi-le-temps-l-interprete-supreme

Songs:

01/26/26

Notre Sentier (1934)

Notre sentier près du ruisseau
Our path by the stream 
Est déchiré par les labours.
is ravaged up by the ploughs.
Si tu venais, dis-moi le jour,
If you came, tell me the day,
Je t′attendrai sous le bouleau.
I will wait for you beneath the birch tree.

Les nids sont vides et décousus
The nests are empty and frayed
Le vent du nord chasse les feuilles
The north wind sweeps the leaves
Les alouettes ne volent plus
The larks no longer fly
Ne dansent plus les écureuils
The squirrels no longer dance
Même les pas de tes sabots
Even the steps of your clogs
Sont agrandis en flaques d'eau.
are spread into puddles of water.

Notre sentier près du ruisseau
Our path by the stream
Est déchiré par les labours.
is ravaged up by the ploughs.
Si tu venais, fixe le jour,
If you came, mark the day
Je guetterai sous le bouleau.
I will keep watch beneath the birch tree.

J′ai réparé un nid d'oiseau
I have mended a bird's nest
Je l'ai cousu de feuilles mortes
I have stitched it with dead leaves
Mais si tu vois sur tous les clos
But if you see on every field
Les rendez-vous de noirs corbeaux,
the gather of black crows,
Vas-tu jeter aux flaques d′eau
Will you cast into puddles
Tes souvenirs et tes sabots
your memories and your clogs?

Tu peux pleurer près du ruisseau
You can weep by the stream
Tu peux briser tout mon amour
you can shatter all my love
Oublie l′été, oublie le jour
Forget the summer, forget the day,
Oublie mon nom et le bouleau.
forget my name and the birch tree.
Author + Music: Félix Leclerc
Translation: Lyricfluent (edited by Francis Reyes with the help of ChatGPT to improve upon original translation.)
01/25/26

Félix Leclerc (1914-1988)

Félix Leclerc (1914-1988) was a true icon in Québec. As a singer, songwriter, playwright, poet, novelist, actor and broadcaster, he was the pioneering musician who influenced the development of the Québec chanson and the overall chansonnier movement both in Québec and France after World War II. As Christian Larsen nicely putted, “Félix Leclerc is to the Canadian chanson what Trenet was to the French chanson: a revolutionary, a turning point, and a leader.” His original and evocative style made him immensely popular for French-Canadian songwriters, having a huge influence on even songwriters in France such as Georges Brassens, Jacques Brel and many others. Leclerc’s contribution to postwar Québec music further fueled the already growing Québec nationalism which helped formed one collective identity and unity of the Québecois.

Born into a highly musical family, Leclerc was the sixth of eleven children. He was exposed to classical music of Mozart and Schubert by his mother and older sister, who played the piano. Nevertheless, Leclerc’s true passion was literature, and so he enrolled into the University of Ottawa, where he wrote his first song, “Notre sentier”. The Great Depression in the early 1930s cut short his academic studies and Leclerc soon found himself working at a farm. His experience working there gave him several inspirations for his later songs. After bouncing around between various odd jobs, Leclerc worked at a few radio stations in Québec where at the same time, he learned to play the guitar, which served him a very important purpose later in life. During World War II, Leclerc became an actor and radio scriptwriter for Radio-Canada. The scripts he wrote for many drama series became popular, so much so that the famous writer and filmmaker Albert Tessier, encouraged their publication. Leclerc even had his own program in Radio-Canada called Félix Leclerc et ses chansons, where he sang several of his songs that were popular in Québec such as “Le train du nord” and “Bozo”. From this point on, Leclerc’s career continued to further grow, and his music became internationally known. He toured in France, Belgium and Switzerland, and even shared a bill with Édith Piaf, while performing in the ABC, a music hall in Paris where he made his sensational debut as a singer there in 1950.

Leclerc’s song lyrics drew much inspiration from the elements of the world such as water, earth, fire and wind, in combination with themes that reflect his love for animals and nature. He reflects the characteristics of humanity as being rooted in nature. As for Leclerc’s music especially for his use of the guitar, he tunes all strings lower by 1½ tones. He employs many virtuosic techniques such as artificial harmonics, fast arpeggios and tremolos, showcasing his true skill and talent.

Leclerc was a huge supporter of Québec nationalism even though he wasn’t a part of any political party. Several of his written plays and songs such as “Le père” and “Les rogations”, contained hints of French-Canadian nationalism as well as hidden messages of radicalisation and political power. In his song “L’Alouette en colère”, written after the October Crisis in 1970, Leclerc presented his view of Québec as having been stolen and oppressed. As stated before, this idea roughly translates to how his contributions to the Québec chanson and the chansonnier movement in general gave the Québecois a sense of identity and unity to further ride the waves of Québec nationalism with pride.

Given his extensive and highly successful entertainment career particularly in music, Leclerc was awarded some of the highest and most prestigious awards in France such as the Légion d’honneur and the Grand prix du disque, l’Académie Charles-Cros of which Leclerc was a three-time recipient. He was also awarded the Order of Canada, the Calixa Lavallée award of the Société Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Montréal, the Award of the Canadian Conference of the Arts and held an honorary doctorate from the University of Québec.

Sources:

  1. Roy, Bruno, Christian Rioux, Denise Ménard and Hélène Plouffe. “Félix Leclerc.” The Canadian Encylopedia. Historica Canada. Article published February 25, 2008; Last Edited December 10, 2024.
  2. “Félix Leclerc.” Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame. https://www.cshf.ca/songwriter/felix-leclerc/
  3. Brouillard, Marcel. Félix Leclerc: l’homme derrière la légende. Québec: Éditions Québec/Amérique inc., 1994.

Songs:

  1. “L’Alouette en colère” (1973): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxYa3gztBys
  2. “Notre Sentier” (1934): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlICQFFD4k0
  3. “Le train du nord” (1950): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NhNO6WQSm8

 

01/25/26

Chasse-galerie (2014)

Le froid mordait mon coeur gelé,
The cold has bit my frozen heart,

Le vent hurlait ma solitude,
The wind screams my solitude,

J'aurais au diable vendu mon âme
I'd have sold the devil my soul

Pour sentire la chaleur de ma douce compagne.
to feel the warmth of my sweet companion.


Le malin vit belle occasion
The clever man saw a great opportunity

De tenter mes rêves, d'ouvrire l'horizon,
To chase my dreams, to broaden my horizons,

De faire miroiter la chaleur de mon ange,
To bathe in the warmth of my angel,

Inaccessible en cette morte saison.
Inaccessible in this dead season.


Il m'apparut coiffé de cornes,
He appeared wearing horns,

Son feu brûla mon visage morne.
His fire burned my gloomy face.

La terreur laissa place à mon fol Espoir,
The terror left room for false hope,

Car ma douce compagne je mourrais de revoir.
For I'd kill to see my sweet companion.


Son marché fut fort equitable,
His market was very fair,

Ce démon ne semblait pas mauvais diable.
This demon didn't seem like an evil devil.

Dans un canot vers elle pourrais-je voler
I could fly to her in a canoe,

Sans toutefois d'aucune croix m'approcher,
As long as no cross approaches me,

Et vers le ciel je partis,
And I took off into the sky,

Soutenus par tous les feux de l'enfer réunis,
Suspended by all the fires of hell.


Au bord du rivage je l'avais quittée,
At the edge of the riverbank I left it,

Je vis son dernier souffle s'envoler,
I saw his last breath fly off,

Mon canot frappa la croix du clocher,
My canoe struck the the bell tower's cross,

Dans ses bras je suis tombé.
Into his arms I fell.


Music and Lyrics: Laurent Guardo (Source: Discogs)
Translation and editing: Aaron Gascon

 

01/25/26

Moi, Mes Souliers (1966)

Moi, mes souliers ont beaucoup voyagés

Me, my good old shoes travelled a lot

Ils m’ont porté the l’école à la guerre

They carried me from school to war

J’ai traversé sur mes souliers ferrés

With my hobnailed shoes I crossed

Le monde et sa misère

The world and its misery

 

Moi, mes souliers ont passé dans les prés

Me, my good old shoes crossed through the field

Moi, mes souliers ont piétiné la lune

Me, my good old shoes trampled the moon

Puis mes souliers ont couché chez les fées

Then, my good old shoes slept with fairies

Et fait danser plus d’une

And danced more than one of them

 

Sur mes souliers y a de l’eau des rochers,

Rock water is on my good old shoes,

D’la boue des champs et des pleurs de femme

Land’s mud and women’s tears

J’peux dire qu’ils ont respecté le curé

I can say they respected the priest

L’pays, l’Bon Dieu et l’âme

The country, the Lord and one’s soul

 

S’ils ont marché pour troucer l’débouché

As they walked to find a way through

S’ils ont traîné de village en village,

As they haul from county to country,

Suis pas rendu plus loin qu’à mon lever

I ain’t no further from this morning

Mais devenu plus sage.

But ‘came wiser

 

Tous les souliers qui bougent dans les cités,

All these shoes walking the big towns,

Souliers de gueux et souliers de reine,

Beggar and Queen’s shoes,

Un jour cesseront d’user les planchers,

Will sometime stop wear out the floor,

Peut-être cette semaine.

Maybe this week.

 

Non, mes souliers n’ont pas foulé Athènes,

No, my good old shoes didnt walk Athens

Moi, mes souliers ont préféré les plaines

Me, my good old shoes chose lowlands

Quand mes souliers iront dans les musées

When good old shoes thand in museums

Ce s’ra pour s’y, s’y accrocher

It’ll be for, for hanging on

 

Au paradis, paraît-il, mes amis

In Heaven they say my friends

C’est pas las place pour les souliers vernis

There’s no place for shiny shoes

Dépêchez-vous de salir vos souliers

Hurry up to soil your shoes

Si vous voulez êrtre pardonnrés…

If you want to be forgiven…

…Si vous voulez être pardonnés.

… If you want to be forgiven

 

Paroles et musique : Félix Leclerc

Source : Lyrictranslate

01/5/26

La langue de chez nous (1986)

( à Félix )

C'est une langue belle avec des mots superbes
Il is a beautiful language with superb words
Qui porte son histoire à travers ses accents
That carries its history across its accents
Où l'on sent la musique et le parfum des herbes
In which one smells the music and perfume of herbs
Le fromage de chèvre et le pain de froment
Goat cheese and wheat bread

Et du Mont-Saint-Michel jusqu'à la Contrescarpe
And from Mont-Saint-Michel to Contrescarpe
En écoutant parler les gens de ce pays
While listening the people from that country speak
On dirait que le vent s'est pris dans une harpe
It would seem that the wind got caught in a harp
Et qu'il en a gardé toutes les harmonies
And that it kept all of its harmonies

Dans cette langue belle aux couleurs de Provence
In this beautiful language of Provence's colours
Où la saveur des choses est déjà dans les mots
When the taste of things is already in the words
C'est d'abord en parlant que la fête commence
It is first by speaking that the feats begins
Et l'on boit des paroles aussi bien que de l'eau
And one drinks the words as well as water

Les voix ressemblent aux cours des fleuves et des rivières
Elles répondent aux méandres, au vent dans les roseaux
Parfois même aux torrents qui charrient du tonnerre
En polissant les pierres sur le bord des ruisseaux

C'est une langue belle à l'autre bout du monde
Une bulle de France au nord d'un continent
Sertie dans un étau mais pourtant si féconde
Enfermée dans les glaces au sommet d'un volcan

Elle a jeté des ponts par-dessus l'Atlantique
Elle a quitté son nid pour un autre terroir
Et comme une hirondelle au printemps des musiques
Elle revient nous chanter ses peines et ses espoirs

Nous dire que là-bas dans ce pays de neige
Elle a fait face aux vents qui soufflent de partout,
Pour imposer ses mots jusque dans les collèges
Et qu'on y parle encore la langue de chez nous

C'est une langue belle à qui sait la défendre
Elle offre les trésors de richesses infinies
Les mots qui nous manquaient pour pouvoir nous comprendre
Et la force qu'il faut pour vivre en harmonie

Et l'Île d'Orléans jusqu'à la Contrescarpe
En écoutant chanter les gens de ce pays
On dirait que le vent s'est pris dans une harpe
Et qu'il a composé toute une symphonie

Et de l'Île d'Orléans jusqu'à Contrescarpe
En écoutant chanter les gens de ce pays
On dirait que le vent s'est pris dans une harpe
Et qu'il a composé toute une symphonie. 

Paroles et musique: Yves Duteil
Source: Liriz
04/15/25

Clémence DesRochers (1933–)

Clémence DesRochers, born on November 23, 1933, in Sherbrooke, Québec, is a versatile artist known for her work as a comedian, singer-songwriter and broadcaster. She studied at the Conservatoire de Musique et d’Art Dramatique de Montréal, which helped refine her skills for a career that began in the late 1950s. Her early performances in cabarets, such as Montréal’s St-Germain-des-Prés, established her as a significant figure in Québec’s entertainment scene. DesRochers was also part of the influential group Les Bozos and created her own cabarets, including La Boîte à Clémence and Le Fournil, which were vital in shaping Québec’s cultural landscape.

Throughout her career, DesRochers became known for her unique combination of monologue, song, satire, and poetry, often focusing on women’s lives. Her shows, including Les Girls (1968), marked a cultural turning point, addressing feminist themes and offering a critical yet playful look at societal norms. Her work was bold, and Les Girls made history as the first all-female produced show to challenge traditional portrayals of women in entertainment. Her poems, short stories, songs, and monologues continued to reflect the realities of Québécois women, with her works being performed by various artists, including Edith Butler and Renée Claude.

DesRochers became renowned for presenting both humorous and poignant reflections on Québec’s identity, culture, and the role of women in society in her role as a host on CBC for many years. She continued to tour and make recordings with LP Pro-Culture as well as work with Radio-Canada throughout her career. Her performances gained widespread acclaim for their candid, tender, and sometimes caustic nature, making her one of the most influential figures in Québécois entertainment.

Over the years, DesRochers’ contributions to music and theatre earned her numerous accolades, including the Prix Denise-Pelletier (2005), the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award (2009), and multiple honors from SOCAN and the Société professionnelle des auteurs et des compositeurs du Québec. She was named a Chevalier de l’Ordre national du Québec (2001) and an Officer of the Order of Canada (2010), securing her place as one of Quebec’s most beloved and impactful cultural icons.

Sources:

  1. Church, Sarah , and Christian Rioux, , and Hélène Plouffe. “Clémence DesRochers.” The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Article published July 28, 2010; Last Edited March 02, 2014. https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/clemence-desrochers-emc
  2. Clémence DesRochers Official Website. “Biographie.” Accessed March 23, 2025. http://www.clemencedesrochers.ca/html/biographie.html
  3. National Film Board of Canada. “Clémence DesRochers: Among the Gods.” Accessed March 23, 2025. https://www.nfb.ca/film/clemence_desrochers_among_the_gods
  4. “La vie d’factrie, Clémence DesRochers.” La trame sonore du Québec. Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-Etbe6rOC8

Songs:

Related Blog Contents:

 

04/15/25

Fiddling in Canada

The Evolution of Fiddling in Canada: A Musical Tradition Rooted in History

One of Canada’s most resilient and dynamic folk traditions is the practice of playing the fiddle. Canada’s rich history of fiddling stretches back to the 17th century and has played a pivotal role in shaping the cultural identity of rural communities across the country. Until around 1960, fiddling was the dominant medium of dance music in Canada, providing a soundtrack for social gatherings, celebrations, and community events. Rooted in the musical practices of the British Isles, French-Canada, and various Indigenous communities, fiddling has not only reflected the nation’s diverse cultural heritage but has also served as a lens through which the development of Canadian society can be viewed. Through its continuous evolution, fiddling has remained the nation’s premier instrumental folk tradition, with more practitioners today than ever before in history.

The history of fiddling in Canada is marked by early written records that date back to 1645, when violins were first documented in New France. In the following centuries, fiddle music was interwoven with social events such as dances and veillées, or evening gatherings, where fiddlers provided the lively rhythms for popular European dances. By the 18th century, the influx of Scottish, Irish, English, and French immigrants to Canada further enriched the fiddle repertoire, as various musical traditions from the British Isles and beyond were introduced and adapted. Scottish and Irish immigrants, in particular, played a key role in spreading fiddling traditions across the country, with distinctive regional styles emerging in places like Cape Breton, Newfoundland, and parts of Québec.

A significant aspect of Canadian fiddling history lies in its interaction with Indigenous and Métis communities. As European settlers introduced fiddling to the continent, fiddling became a central to many diverse communities, particularly in northern Ontario, the Prairies, and the northern territories. Métis fiddling, which blended Indigenous, French, and Scottish musical influences, flourished as a unique tradition that quickly spread and ultimately developed its own distinct sound. By the late 19th century, Canada had developed many broad regional styles of fiddling, each shaped by the unique cultural influences of its inhabitants such as: French-Canadian, Scottish, Irish, and Métis. Despite the interactions and cross-pollination of these styles, each maintained its distinct characteristics, which continue to be celebrated in contemporary Canadian fiddling. There are over ten Canadian regional fiddle styles recognized today.

Fiddling remains an active and vibrant practice in Canada. The rise of formal instruction and modern media, such as recordings, radio, and television, has brought new audiences to the tradition, while the influence of earlier fiddlers can still be heard in performances across the country. From its origins in 17th-century New France to its modern-day revival, fiddling has endured as a testament to Canada’s diverse and rich cultural tapestry, offering a window into the social and historical forces that have shaped the nation. As more Canadians take up the fiddle, this tradition will continue to evolve, ensuring that the music of the past remains alive and relevant to the present day.

 

Related Contents: Voyageurs, Les Rats d’Swompe, Red River, Manitoba, Québec, Acadia

 

Suggested Sources:

Canada’s History. “Métis Violin,” Canada’s History, last modified December 11, 2019, https://www.canadashistory.ca/explore/arts-culture-society/metis-violin.

The Canadian Encyclopedia. “Fiddling,” The Canadian Encyclopedia, accessed March 10, 2025, https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/fiddling-emc.

Burnyeat, Michael. “Fiddling in Canada.” YouTube, October 29, 2017. https://youtu.be/2LBOUB2PWfo?feature=shared.

“Fiddling Around the World: Canada,” Fiddling Around, accessed March 10, 2025, https://www.fiddlingaround.co.uk/canada/.

04/15/25

Angèle Arsenault (1943–2014)

Angèle Arsenault, a pioneering Acadian singer, songwriter, and broadcaster, made significant contributions to both the music world and her community. Born in Abrams Village, Prince Edward Island, on October 1, 1943, Arsenault’s career spanned several decades, blending her natural talent with her commitment to promoting the Acadian culture. Throughout her life, she was celebrated for her infectious energy, distinctive humor, and captivating melodies. Her 1977 album Libre, which sold over 200,000 copies, earned her the prestigious Félix Award for Best-Selling LP.

From a young age, Arsenault demonstrated her musical talents as a pianist guitarist and by winning a televised singing contest at 14. Her academic background and interest in literature, paired with her passion for traditional Acadian songs, helped shape her distinctive style. Arsenault’s bold move to write and perform her own songs in both French and English was a defining moment in her career, thanks to the encouragement of impresario Lise Aubut. She became known for her ability to blend playful social commentary with upbeat tunes, which resonated widely with audiences across Canada and beyond.

Beyond music, Arsenault was a gifted broadcaster and actor, hosting several television programs and acting in popular films and series. She brought a warmth and relatability to every role, becoming a beloved figure in the Acadian community. Her shows, including Avec Angèle and Le Radio-café Provigo, showcased her multifaceted talents, while her appearances in television commercials and as a cultural ambassador only solidified her place in Canadian entertainment history.

Arsenault’s legacy continues to inspire generations. Her awards, including the Officer of the Order of Canada and the Member of the Order of Prince Edward Island, highlight her lasting impact on the cultural landscape. With her music, her advocacy for French language and culture, and her joyful spirit, Angèle Arsenault remains an iconic figure who celebrated her Acadian heritage by sharing it with the world.

Sources:

  1. Taylor Rachelle, Durrell Bowman, Suzanne Thomas, and Hélène Plouffe. “Angèle Arsenault.” The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Article published June 10, 2008; Last Edited July 17, 2015. https://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/angele-arsenault

Related Blog Contents:

04/2/25

Québec Love (1969)

Paranoid, complains and fartsParanoïaque, rouspète pis pèteAnd fart of hash, that is rubbishPis pet de hasch, ça, c'est d'la mardeChalice pis pet don't smokeDes Calisse pis pet fume pasWell, I don't care, smoke or don't smokePis moé, j'm'en crisse, fume ou fume pasIt's the same problem, me, I don't have oneC'est l'même problème, moé, j'en ai pasDo you understand that, do you understand thatComprends-tu ça, comprends-tu ça
To me it's crystal clearPour moi, c'est clair comme de l'eau d'rocheRocher Percé, do you rememberRocher Percé, t'en souviens-tuIt's still there and it doesn't moveY est toujours là pis y bouge pasThere's only one eye, but it's looking at youY a rien qu'un oeil, mais y te r'gardeThat's me, you, you don't see meÇa, c'est moé, toé, tu m'vois pasDo you understand that, do you understand thatComprends-tu ça, comprends-tu ça
It's like your shadow, you look, thinking it's youC'est comme ton ombre, tu regardes, pensant qu'c'est toéBut it's not you, your shadow follows you, so don't follow itMais c'est pas toé, ton ombre te suit, suis-la donc pasIt's my toy, it's our toyC'est ma bébelle, c'est not' bébelleMoé, I'll take care of it, don't worryMoé, j'm'en occupe, occupe-toé pasDo you understand that, do you understand thatComprends-tu ça, comprends-tu ça
It's sunny even if it rainsY fait soleil même si ça pleutEven if it blows, even if it thundersMême si ça pète, même si ça tonneThat doesn't surprise me, me, I have peaceÇa m'étonne pas, moé, j'ai la paixYou, you don't have it, but it will comeToé, tu l'as pas, mais ça viendraMoé, I feel myself coming and I'm going to come backMoé, j'me sens v'nir pis j'vas rev'nirDo you understand that, do you understand thatComprends-tu ça, comprends-tu çaI'm cleared, not defrockedJ'suis défriché, pas défroquéBesides my hair, I have my headEn d's'our de mes ch'veux, j'ai ma têteA Quebec love, that’s my bagUn Québec love, ça, c'est mon bagWe have to do something, let's go, it's urgentFaut faire quelqu'chose, aweille, ça presseDon't give up man, it'll be your partyLâche pas bonhomme, ça sera ta fêteDo you understand that, do you understand thatComprends-tu ça, comprends-tu çaAnd the States, it's nobody'sPis les États, c'est à personneIt belongs to Babel, it's not our toyC'est à Babel, c'pas not' bébelleLet them fight for it as for me I don't give a damn (I don't give a damn)Qu'ils se l'arrachent pis moé, j'm'en sacre (j'm'en sacre)I have my ark, Noah's arkMoi, j'ai mon arche, arche de NoéMerry Christmas Tremblay, that’s oursJoyeux Noël Tremblay (?), ça, c't à nous autresDo you understand that, do you understand thatComprends-tu ça, comprends-tu çaThere's no more Christ, there's no more ChristmasY en a pu d'Christ, y a pu d'ChristmasLet them fight for it, their Santa ClausQu'ils se l'arrachent, leur Santa ClausFrom Simpson and from EatonDe chez Simpson pis d'chez EatonMoé, I'm happy with Dupuis FrèresMoé, j'me contente de Dupuis FrèresMoé, I'm happy with Omer DesserresMoé, j'me contente d'Omer DesserresDo you understand that, do you understand thatComprends-tu ça, comprends-tu çaPacific Plant crunch the EnglishPacifique Plante crounche les AnglaisPeacefully, if possiblePacifiquement, si c'est possibleIf it is possible peacefullySi c'est possible pacifiquementIf it's not, give me a gunSi ça l'est pas, donne-moé un gunGive me a gun, me I'll take care of itDonne-moé un gun, moé, j'm'en occupeDo you understand that, do you understand thatComprends-tu ça, comprends-tu ça 

Author: Robert Charlebois
Lyrics source: Musixmatch
Edited lyrics: Ève Poudrier