"Papaoutai" is a song written and performed by Belgian musician Stromae. Chords ratings, diagrams and lyrics. The speaker then launches into the chorus, the bridge, and the chorus a final time – always asking the same question “Dad, where are you?”. Oui, parle pour prononcer de justes verdicts. Should it be sucked out of the thumb or what? From this, it goes back to the chorus and ends with a repetition of the song before the first chorus, going back to his interaction with his mother about the whereabouts of his father. She is saying “he’s never very far” and “it’s good to work!” “Bien mieux qu’étre mal accompagné” is a play on a French expression. Required fields are marked *. Serons-nous détestables ? Will we be admirable? , Your email address will not be published. Let’s break it down! C'est une chanson qui traite de l'absence du père. Here the speaker is essentially saying that if these guys (Mr. Know It All) were so smart they would have inherited the knowledge of how to be a father. Quoi qu'on y croit ou pas Y aura bien un jour où on y croira plus Un jour ou l'autre on sera tous papa Et d'un … . 1 talking about this. In this section the speaker becomes noticeably angrier. This expression means “it’s better to be alone than in bad company” (as in: accompanied by someone you don’t like or who isn’t a good companion). This is another example of Stromae using childish expressions – this one refers of course to playing hide and seek and the habit that young children have of counting on their fingers. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! "Pentatonix to release first single and video from 'PTX Vol. Implicitly he seems to ask, will they be good fathers or bad fathers? I cried so much doing this translation. I’m not sure who’s supposed to be suffering consequences in this context — perhaps the people who have children irresponsibly. The music video leaves you speechless. Papa où t'es ? A francophone colleague told me that “bouffer ses doigts” means to suffer the consequences of previous actions, as in “Tu n’a pas ecouté alors, bouffé tes doigts”. Quoi, qu'on y croit ou pas Y aura bien un jour où on y croira plus Un jour ou l'autre on sera tous papa Et d'un jour à l'autre on aura disparu Serons-nous détestables? This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. This makes the “sacré papa” a lot more ambiguous, especially as he follows it up by asking his father where he is hiding. in a positive way, as a complement. Capo 1 Am G Dites-moi d'où il vient, Am G Enfin je saurais où je vais, Am G Maman dit que lor Thank you for your comment! Here the speaker is asking the world (and himself) what kind of people they will be – and seemingly what kind of father? Papaoutai est une chanson du chanteur belge Stromae extraite du second album studio, intitulé Racine carrée. I still love the song but if I dance to it I have to block out the lyrics. French Lyrics Translations WordPress Theme by Darby. French-Speaking Artists, Albums, and Track Lists, Tous les Mêmes Lyrics & Translation / Stromae, Stromae – Formidable Lyrics and English Translation, Alors On Danse – Stromae / French Lyrics and English Translation, Dernière Danse Lyrics & Translation – Indila, Ça doit, faire au moins mille fois que j'ai, It must be at least a thousand times that I. Serons-nous admirables? Serons-nous admirables? 3, released on 23 September 2014. Tell us who gives birth to the irresponsible? In these two lines the speaker sounds like he is throwing up his hands after years of trying to figure out where his Dad is and what he means to him, he is giving up by saying “we’re all going to be Dads and any one of us could disappear overnight.” He sounds like a man who has given up trying to understand why his father disappeared from his own life, and his reflection on his own father has turned to a reflection on fatherhood in general. I love too. Papa où t’es ? Fantastic translation and interpretation! Such a powerful wonderful song. His worries also consist of whether he will be loved or hated by his children and how he will be able to take up the role. The vocabulary is more “grown up” compared to the first verse. Quoi? The title of the song is an intentionally misspelled form of the phrase Papa, où t'es?, which translates as "Dad, where are you?". Où t'es, où t'es, où, papa où t'es? Thank you for taking the time to explain the song. 3, Pour tourner le clip de "Lamaoutai", Serge le lama est amené en boîte de nuit à Cannes, "Stromae Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)", "Stromae Chart History (Euro Digital Song Sales)", Offiziellecharts.de – Stromae – Papaoutai", "Top Digital Download - Classifica settimanale WK 27 (dal 30-06-2014 al 06-07-2014)", "Luxembourg Digital Songs - August 31, 2013", "SloTop50: Slovenian official singles weekly chart", "Stromae Chart History (Hot Dance/Electronic Songs)", "Das österreichische Hitparaden- und Musik-Portal", "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2013 – hitparade.ch", "Ukrainian Top Year-End Radio Hits (2013)", "FIMI - Classifiche Annuali 2014 "TOP OF THE MUSIC" FIMI-GfK: un anno di musica italiana", "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2014 – hitparade.ch", "Ukrainian Top Year-End Radio Hits (2014)", "Hot Dance/Electronic Songs – Year-End 2014", "Top AFP/AudioGest – Top 3000 Singles + EPs Digitais", "Austrian single certifications – Stromae – Papaoutai", "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – singles 2013", "Danish single certifications – Stromae – Papaoutai", "French single certifications – Stromae – Papaoutai", Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique, "Italian single certifications – Stromae – Papaoutai", "Dutch single certifications – Stromae – Papaoutai", Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers, "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards (Stromae; 'Papaoutai')", "American single certifications – Stromae – Papaoutai", Recording Industry Association of America, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Papaoutai&oldid=1012606612, Ultratop 50 Singles (Wallonia) number-one singles, Singlechart usages for Billboardcanadianhot100, Singlechart usages for Billboardeurodigital, Singlechart usages for Billboarddanceelectronic, Certification Table Entry usages for Austria, Pages using certification Table Entry with sales figures, Certification Table Entry usages for Belgium, Certification Table Entry usages for Denmark, Pages using certification Table Entry with streaming-only figures, Certification Table Entry usages for France, Certification Table Entry usages of salesamount without salesref, Certification Table Entry usages for Italy, Certification Table Entry usages for Netherlands, Pages using certification Table Entry with shipments figures, Certification Table Entry usages for Switzerland, Certification Table Entry usages for United States, Pages using certification Table Entry with streaming figures, Pages using certification Table Entry with sales footnote, Pages using certification Table Entry with shipments footnote, Pages using certification Table Entry with streaming footnote, Pages using certification Table Entry with streaming-only footnote, Articles with French-language sources (fr), Wikipedia articles with MusicBrainz release group identifiers, Wikipedia articles with MusicBrainz work identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 17 March 2021, at 09:21. [5], Erza Muqoli performed this song with self-accompaniment on piano for her audition for the ninth season (2014–2015) of the French television show La France a un incroyable talent. Papaoutai = “Papa où t'es ?”. Have questions? Où, t'es où, t'es où, papa où t'es ? Proverbe 31.8-9 Nous sommes devenus des orphelins de père . French lyrics and English translation after the jump. If someone is complaining about their boyfriend’s bad behaviour, you can say “what a guy” sarcastically to show your disapproval. Quoi, qu’on y croit ou pas /Y aura bien un jour où on n’y croira plus, Whether we believe or not / There will surely be a day when we no longer believe, Un jour ou l’autre on sera tous papa / Et d’un jour à l’autre on aura disparu, One day or another we will all be Dad / And from one day to the next we will all disappear. Notre association veut : Préserver les liens entre enfants et parents. I’ve always thought the “eating fingers” part referred to a grown man anxiously biting his fingernails. So the best translation I believe is “what a dad!” I was going to translated it as “good old Dad” or “dear old dad” but those weren’t quite right because they are uniformly positive. Thank you very much for your work.It gives me absolutely understanding of this song.I am A big fan of Stromae,I’m from Ukraine,and can’t find good translation before. / Dites-nous qui donne naissance aux irresponsables ? Qu'on y croie ou pas, Am G/A Y aura bien un jour où on y croira plus, Am G/A Un jour ou l'autre on sera tous papa, Am G/A Et d'un jour à l'autre on aura disparu, Esus E7sus2 Serons-nous détestables? Will they be “breeders” or geniuses? Papaoutai was a huge international hit for Stromae, the popular singer from Belgium who sings in French. Father and son are dressed in identical outfits consisting of garishly patterned aqua shirts and shorts, knee socks, and orange bowtie. The word “breeder” was likely chosen because of its similarity to the word for “genius” in French. "Papaoutai" (pronounced [papautɛ], Papa, où t'es ?, French for "Dad, where are you?") » est le refrain entêtant d'une chanson à texte qui n'en porte pas le nom, si répétitif qu'il se transforme en « Enpapaouter » qui veut dire « duper quelqu'un » en argot. Learn how your comment data is processed. The full expression (which is not in the song but is well known in French) is: Mieux vaut être seul que mal accompagné. The song was performed live at the 2013 NRJ Music Awards, where it featured will.i.am. Où t'es, papa, où t'es? 1,095 likes. Let’s look at each group of questions. In this verse Stromae tells the story of a young boy whose father is absent from his family. He sounds like he is demanding answers, and this section is much more of a critique of the state of fatherhood in society than an actual inquiry. Quoi, qu’on y croit ou pas, Il y aura bien un jour où on n’y croira plus Un jour où l’autre on sera tous papa Et d’un jour à l’autre, on aura disparu Serons-nous détestables? The mother tries to make up excuses to prevent the narrator from discovering the truth about the whereabouts of his father of which the mother is even unaware. The tone is noticeably angrier. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Ça doit, faire au moins mille fois que j'ai Compté mes doigts Où t'es Papaoutai Où t'es Papaoutai Où t'es Papaoutai Où t'es, où t'es Papaoutai Où t'es Papaoutai Où t'es Papaoutai Où t'es Papaoutai Où t'es, où t'es Papaoutai Quoi, qu'on y croit ou pas Y … Presumably the speaker who is a young boy in the first verse is now all grown up, and yet still asking the same question “where are you dad?”. In this line the speaker takes on the voice of his mother speaking to her son – he has likely been told “cherche bien tu vas trouver” many times, and now he is applying the saying to his search for his absent father. Où t'es, papa, où t'es? Although this song is a great song to dance to, I personally find it very sad. Où Papa où t’es? Serons-nous admirables? Vaut is from valloir but “il vaut mieux” means more like “it’s better to…” in the sense of giving advice or making a recommendation. Ouvre la bouche pour défendre ceux qui ne peuvent parler, pour défendre les droits de tous ceux qui sont délaissés. or sucking/eating his fingers desperately for more information/knowledge – knowledge that should be passed on by fathers since it’s obvious it’s not inherently built-into man, as mentioned “faut l’sucer d’son pouce ou quoi”: thank you or the explanation of that saying! Y aura bien un jour où on n'y croira plus, There will surely be a day when we no longer believe, And from one day to the next we will have disappeared. Quoi qu'on y croit ou pas Y aura bien un jour où on y croira plus Un jour ou l'autre on sera tous papa Et d'un … Especially as he follows it up with “isn’t that right?” which can be interpreted here as a bit of a sarcastic or angry question. The speaker is reflecting on how common it is for men to have children without knowing how to be a father. American A cappella group Pentatonix and violinist Lindsey Stirling covered the song on Pentatonix's album PTX Vol. The song peaked at number one in Belgium and France and became the best selling single of 2013 in Belgium. The song and video refers to the absence of Stromae's father — who had little presence in Stromae's life even before being killed in the 1994 Rwandan genocide — and to Stromae's fear of being unable to be an effective father with no memory of ever having a father of his own. Des géniteurs ou des génies Dites-nous qui donne naissance aux irresponsables? This is often used when someone breaks up or is single as a comforting statement. Breeders or geniuses? The boy wonders where his father is and tries to find him. The vocabulary in this verse is actually quite basic (unsurprising as it seems to be in the voice of a child). Although this hit song is very catchy, it has a *very* deep message about loss and fatherhood. [Verse] Em D Quoi? Maman dit que lorsqu’on cherche bien / On finit toujours par trouverThis is a play on something that parents often tell their children: “cherche bien tu vas trouver,” which translates too “look hard, you’ll find it.” You can imagine parents saying this to children who come to them complaining about not being to find their toy, book, etc even though they haven’t looked that hard and the frustrated parent telling them to “look properly and you’ll find it!”. Alexandre Heitz performed the song on The Voice of Germany on 2 October 2018. Ça doit, faire au moins mille fois que j’ai / Compté mes doigts, Literally “it must be at least a thousand times that I’ve counted on my fingers.”. Et nul n’est dupe : après la PMA sans père viendraient tôt ou tard la PMA post-mortem, la gestation pour autrui (GPA), etc. While we shouldn’t assume this song is 100% autobiographical, the speaker in the song explores themes that clearly Stromae has had to grapple with in his own life. Enter your email address to be the first to know when new translations are posted. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Quoi, qu’on y croit ou pas, Il y aura bien un jour où on n’y croira plus Un jour où l’autre on sera tous papa Et d’un jour à l’autre, on aura disparu Serons-nous détestables? It sounds like boy is wondering if he and his mom are “bad company” and is feeling bad or resenting his father for preferring to work. Des géniteurs ou des génies? « Papa où t'es », raconte l'histoire d'une famille qui ne sait pas encore qu'elle en est une. Où t'es, où t'es, où papa, où t'es? The chorus of the song repeats the words "Où t'es papa, où t'es? I cried a lot during this translation, even though I am lucky to have a wonderful and very present father! If you’d like to support the site (and Stromae) you can buy this song here: After the vocabulary breakdown and explanation below I’ve shared a *great* video of Stromae performing Papaoutai live! It’s such a sad reflection on a man whose father was absent from much of his childhood. Des géniteurs ou des génies? Dites-nous qui donne naissance aux irresponsables ? Et pour cause, le père de Stromae est mort pendant le génocide Rwandais en 1994. Because when we first hear the speaker say “sacré papa” he’s saying it after having said “without even asking, he knows what is wrong.” So it seems like he is saying “sacré papa” (what a Dad!) A remix of the song featuring Angel Haze also appears on the album.[1]. Please leave a comment below! Dites-nous qui donne naissance aux So the line in the song “mieux qu’étre mal accompagné” – is using the latter half of the expression to say “it’s better than your father works than be in bad company.” While the mother is the one saying “it’s good to work,” the son is thinking “better than being in bad company.” It’s not 100% clear who the “bad company” is here. Où t'es, où t'es, où papa, où t'es? The song continues with the narrator pondering about the day he would become a father and the worries that would arise from the pressure of being a parent. This was surprisingly difficult to translate! There is some interesting phrasing and some common French sayings used in this verse. Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. Where are you, where are you, Dad where are you? Free printable and easy chords for song by Stromae - Papaoutai. Copyright © 2021 French Lyrics Translations. The lyrics of the song are about a boy living with his mother who suspects something is wrong when he no longer sees his father. The boy looks longingly through the window at other parents and children who likewise wear matching outfits that identify them as pairs: a mother and daughter dressed similarly to Dorothy Gale in The Wizard of Oz do a dance while walking their identical dogs; a garbageman and his son collect rubbish together while doing another dance; while still another father (played by Ceasare "Tight Eyez" Willis, one of the creators of Krumping) does an aggressive, threatening dance at his reluctant son before the boy finally begins to imitate him. Ah sacré papa Dis-moi où es-tu caché ? Sortie le 13 mai 2013, Stromae y explore une problématique qui lui est chère, celle de la paternité . [6], Lamaoutai (Llama, where are you?) Or if the knowledge isn’t inherited maybe it should be “sucked out of the thumb” – a funny way of saying we should somehow acquire the knowledge in early childhood. I shed some tears reading it. Outside, father and son do their own dance together, but it is soon revealed that the boy is dancing alone and his father is still stiff and unresponsive. The song peaked at number one in Belgium and France and became the best selling single of 2013 in Belgium. is a song written and performed by Belgian musician Stromae. Thank you I am a late arrival but I love this, Thank you – I’m glad that you enjoyed it! * Sales figures based on certification alone.^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. Frustrated, the son does various dances in front of his own father until one of his efforts provokes the father to smile. He is trying to figure out where his dad is and has been asking his mother, but he appears to be questioning her explanation for his father’s absence. Will they be terrible or admirable? The song was released as a digital download in Belgium on 13 May 2013 as the lead single from his second studio album Racine carrée (2013). Stromae’s father was later tragically killed in the Rwandan genocide. Et nul n’est dupe : après la PMA sans père viendraient tôt ou tard la PMA post-mortem, la gestation pour autrui (GPA), etc. Thank you for this helpful translation. / Des géniteurs ou des génies ? Papaoutai was a huge international hit for Stromae, the popular singer from … And knowing that Stromae’s father was absent, and then tragically killed in the Rwandan genocide makes this song that much sadder. D Em Où t'es où t'es où papa, où t'es ? Ça doit, faire au moins mille fois que j'ai Compté mes doigts Où t'es Papaoutai Où t'es Papaoutai Où t'es Papaoutai Où t'es, où t'es Papaoutai Où t'es Papaoutai Où t'es Papaoutai Où t'es Papaoutai Où t'es, où t'es Papaoutai The music video accompanying the release of "Papaoutai" was directed by Adam Nael and released on YouTube on 6 June 2013 at a total length of three minutes and fifty-two seconds. He says “We must have eaten our fingers a thousand times,” which harkens back to the bridge where he says “I must have counted on my fingers a thousand times.” This shows an increased desperation (eating one’s fingers is weird!) Ça doit, faire au moins mille fois que j'ai Compté mes doigts Où t'es Papaoutai Où t'es Papaoutai Où t'es Papaoutai Où t'es, où t'es Papaoutai Où t'es Papaoutai Où t'es Papaoutai Où t'es Papaoutai Un jour ou l'autre on sera tous papas Et d'un jour à … is a spoof created in November 2013 about the kidnapping of Serge the Llama from a circus in Bordeaux.[7]. / Serons-nous admirables ? My pleasure Gregor, thank you for commenting! ", translating to "Where are you Dad, where are you?". He’s essentially saying that everyone will be a Dad someday, and anyone could disappear overnight. But the sad subject matter is juxtaposed by a jaunty piano line and upbeat dance beat. Quoi, qu'on y croit ou pas Y aura bien un jour où on y croira plus Un jour ou l'autre on sera tous papa Et d'un jour à l'autre on aura disparu Serons-nous détestables? and also an evolution from naive child playing hide and seek to an angry young man who is desperately looking for answers. Then he asks “who gives birth to these irresponsible people” – the implication being “who is having these children who go on to abandon their own children?”, Ah dites-nous qui, tiens / Tout le monde sait comment on fait les bébés / Mais personne sait comment on fait des papas, Ah tell us who, come on / Everyone knows how babies are made / But no one knows how to make Dads. But we know from the first verse that the speaker’s father is never around. I think of it as Stromae working out his childhood trauma in song. The saying “sacré” means more like “what a…” as in “what a guy” which could be positive or negative depending on the tone and the context. Qu’on y croie ou pas, Y aura bien un jour où on y croira plus, Un jour ou l’autre on sera tous papa, Et d’un jour à l’autre on aura disparu, Serons-nous détestables? Dans ce refrain, «papa où t’es», est répété de multiples fois, donnant le titre «Papaoutai», une transformation d’un mot par abus de langage. Stromae’s father was often working in Rwanda during his childhood while he remained home in Belgium with his mother. Tout le monde sait comment on fait les bébés, Mais personne sait comment on fait des papas, Monsieur Je-sais-tout en aurait hérité, c'est ça, Mr. Know-it-all would have inherited it, that's it. A remix of the song featuring Angel Haze also appears on the album. Faire au moins mille fois qu'on a, bouffé nos doigts, Be a thousand times that we've eaten our fingers. See if you notice the change in body language and tone between the first and second verses. Streaming-only figures based on certification alone. The song is also featured on the 2014 dancing game Just Dance 2015 for PAL regions and is available as DLC for NTSC regions. Did you like this translation? Your email address will not be published. The second verse contrasts the first, as it seems to be in the voice of a grown man. Sensibiliser aux problématiques des modes de garde. Kenza Blanka covered the song on series 8 of The Voice UK on 9 February 2019, singing it in English and Arabic, and French. The video has the ambiance and decor of the 1950s. ... Cliquez sur chaque finalité de cookies pour activer ou désactiver le dépôt de cookies, étant entendu que lorsque le oui apparait le dépôt de cookies est désactivé et vice versa. https://frenchcrazy.com/2014/10/papaoutai-english-translation-stromae.html Le titre est sorti en tant que premier single de l'album le 13 mai 2013. In the first verse the speaker sounds quite naive, childlike and bewildered (especially compared to the second verse). Serons-nous admirables? où t’es? Des géniteurs ou des génies, En effet, si l’on en arrive à nier qu’un père est essentiel dans la vie d’un enfant, demain, on prétendra aussi que des femmes se sentent utiles et s’épanouissent en … Sans même devoir lui parler Il sait ce qui ne va pas Ah sacré papa Dis-moi où es-tu caché ? « Papa ou t'es? I believe the choice of an ambiguous phrase (one that could be used as a complement/positive or an insult/negative) was deliberate. Ça doit, faire au moins mille fois que j'ai Compté mes doigts Où t'es Papaoutai Où t'es Papaoutai Où t'es Papaoutai Où t'es, où t'es Papaoutai Où t'es Papaoutai Où t'es Papaoutai Où t'es Papaoutai Où t'es, où t'es Papaoutai Quoi, qu'on y croit ou pas Y … Ah sacré papa Dis-moi où es-tu caché ? Papa où t'es Lyrics: Ok , c'est pour mes petits bébés ça / Que j'aime / C'est ma vie , c'est ma vie ! The video shows a young boy (played by Karl Ruben Noel[2]) trying to interact with his father (played by Stromae), who sits motionless, his expression and body resembling that of a mannequin. Monsieur Je-sais-tout en aurait hérité, c’est ça / Faut l’sucer d’son pouce ou quoi ?/ Dites-nous où c’est caché, ça doit / Faire au moins mille fois qu’on a, bouffé nos doigts, Mr. Know-it-all would have inherited it, that’s it / Should it be sucked out of the thumb or what?Tell us where it’s hidden, it must / Be a thousand times that we’ve eaten our fingers, Sucer: to suckBouffer: to eat (slang term – a bit impolite). Un remix en featuring avec la rappeuse Angel Haze a également été réalisé . I indeed am grateful for your walking me through this song. Papa où t'es ? Qu'on y croie ou pas, Em D Y aura bien un jour où on y croira plus, Em D Un jour ou l'autre on sera tous papa, C#m F#m Et d'un jour à l'autre on aura disparu, Em Am Serons-nous détestables? In frustration, the son joins Stromae on the sofa, assuming a rigid, lifeless position identical to his father's. Tell us who gives birth to the irresponsible? So when he says “without even asking, he knows what’s wrong” it sounds like he is fantasizing about the role his father would play in his life, rather than commenting on the role that he plays in reality. [3] The video has received over 780 million views on YouTube, and is the most popular Francophone video on the platform.[4]. / Elle dit qu’il n’est jamais très loin / Maman dit “travailler c’est bien” / Bien mieux qu’être mal accompagné / Pas vrai ? Will we be detestable? Ah sacré papa Dis-moi où es-tu caché ? The speaker is angrily demanding answers (from whom we’re not sure – the universe?)