Si les bateaux que nous avons bâtis If the ships that we builtPrennent la mer avant que je revienne Take to the sea before I should returnCargue ta voile, aussi la mienne Furl your sail, and mine tooFais comme si, fais comme si Act as if, act as ifNous en étions toujours les capitaines We were always its captainsNous en étions toujours les capitaines We were always its captains Profond comme au large de l'île Deep as the waters off the coast of the islandDoux comme une aile d'istorlet Soft as the wing of a tern Loin comme l'Angleterre As far as EnglandJe t'aimerai I’ll love youJe t'aimerai I’ll love you Si les trésors dont nous avions la clef If the treasures to which we hold the keyLe plan, la carte et la belle aventure The chart, the map, and the great adventureN'étaient que rêve et qu'imposture Were all but dreams and deceptionÉvoque-les, évoque-les Recall them, recall themPar des drapeaux de plus dans les mâtures Through flags added on the mastsPar des drapeaux de plus dans les mâtures Through flags added on the masts Profond comme au large de l'île Deep as the waters off the coast of the islandDoux comme une aile d'istorlet Soft as the wing of a tern Loin comme l'Angleterre As far as EnglandJe t'aimerai I’ll love youJe t'aimerai I’ll love you Si je me fais facteur ou jardinier If I become a postman or gardenerNe me viens plus parler de contrebande Never speak to me again of smugglingMais si tu veux que je me pende But, if you would like me to hang myselfAu grand hunier, au grand hunier From the topsail, from the topsailRaconte-moi que tu as vu l'Irlande Tell me that you’ve seen IrelandRaconte-moi que tu as vu l'Irlande Tell me that you’ve seen Ireland Profond comme au large de l'île Deep as the waters off the coast of the islandDoux comme une aile d'istorlet Soft as the wing of a tern Loin comme l'Angleterre As far as EnglandJe t'aimerai I’ll love youJe t'aimerai I’ll love you Translated by: Jason, Isaac, and Simon
Interpretation based on translation:
An ode to the sea, to love, and to travel. Expresses love, nostalgia, and melancholic memories. Maybe the “ships” are metaphors for dreams and aspirations.
Author: Gilles Vigneault
Lyrics Source: Musxmatch
Suggested Sources:
Recording by Gilles Vigneault: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ti4JEaLX4WU
Isaac’s Narrative Interpretation: This piece hints tantalisingly at the sea, painting a vague, romantic picture. As Vigneault was the son of a fisherman, he was of course in touch with the small-town culture of his native Côte-Nord; the final two verses possibly allude to the decline of the Atlantic fishing trade during the 20th century. Despite the apparent popularity of this song, there is very little specific background information available, so it’s hard to guess why he alludes to Ireland (is this part of a conjectural adventure? Wasn’t migration mostly from Ireland to Quebec and not the other way around? Why would spotting Ireland cause Vigneault to hang himself, if I’m interpreting that correctly?) He also views the sea, interestingly, from the perspective of an adventurer/pirate rather than a fisherman (perhaps he’s signifying rather ordinary work with romantic meaning).
I know this song since childhood and always have wondered about the sense of the last verses. Maybe I should ask the author (if I can find a way to reach him).