Let’s face it : songs, sometimes, no matter what the language is, do not mean that much and can sound like gibberish… Of course, they can be poetic or can sound beautiful to your ear, but they might be hard to understand. I selected, for you, 10 songs that are actually built like stories and that you can understand (yihoo!).
Le dîner, Bénabar
Le dîner is the prime example of French songs that are telling a story. It is about a man begging his wife not to go to a dinner (Le dîner) at their friends’ house, and trying to find pretexts to stay in bed, watch a movie and order pizza instead. Everyone can identify to this song. Honestly, who has never pretended not to feel unwell to avoid going somewhere ? Yes, sometimes, laziness wins… And it feels good !
La lettre, Renan Luce
You can listen to la lettre, just like you would listen to a story or to a podcast, in which the end is surprising. Without revealing the climax, it is about a man who is receiving a letter, not knowing whom it comes from… Any guess ?
Cendrillon, Téléphone
Cendrillon (French translation for Cinderella) is a song that everybody in France knows by heart and that is in the playlist of every party ! The band, Téléphone, was one of the most popular French band in the 80’s. The song itself is about the deprivation of a lady, a dream life turning into a nightmare. The song actually represents the exact opposite story of Cinderella.
Le chanteur, Daniel Balavoine
Le chanteur (the singer) is a classic French song. I don’t know a single French person who doesn’t like this song and who does not sing like crazy when hearing it. The story is about a man dreaming of becoming famous and dreaming of girls dreaming about him. Truly… Which man does not dream about that?!
Désolé pour hier soir, Tryo
Désolé pour hier soir (translated as Sorry about yesterday evening) is about a man reminiscing the night before, when he drank a little bit too much. The language in this song is very informal, and even slang. Tryo is a French band, that was particularly famous in the 2000’s. They play French Reggae (if we can call it this way). Did you enjoy this song ? Let me know in the comments !
La place des Grands Hommes, Patrick Bruel
Patrick Bruel was an icon in the 80’s in France and all the french girls loved him so much, that during all of his concerts, ladies were screaming Patriiiiiiiiiiiiick. It’s even like that that people keep addressing him. Personally, I love this song, I know it by heart, and yes I also love Patriiiiiiiiiiiiiiick ! The song is about a man remembering his high school’s friends and meeting them again 10 years later.
Comme d’habitude, Claude François
THIS SONG IS A LEGEND ! Listen to it… Can you recognize it ? Yes, My Way is the adaptation of the French song Comme d’habitude, by Claude François. He was a huge star in France in the 60’s and 70’s and all French people like all of his songs and listen to it to parties !
Bye-Bye, Ménélik
Find the lyrics here (sorry, couldn’t find the video clip with the lyrics on it). Bye-Bye marked my whole youth, I know it by heart (still do!). This song is the rap version of an argument in a couple. I can tell you, when I have an argument with my boyfriend, it is not that kind of song that I want to sing to him, but rather this song!
Read also: Top 9 sentences you will hear in France
Les divorcés, Michel Delpech
Les divorcés (the divorced people) was released in 1973, and sounds today like a vision of what the future would be like. This song is about a couple that is divorcing and that is struggling to find the best solution for their children.
Confessions Nocturnes, Diams et Vitaa
Least but not last : Confessions Nocturnes really is the anthem for a whole generation. It was released in 2006 and came from the collaboration between a female rap singer, Diam’s (super popular at that time) and a RnB singer, Vitaa. This song is a dialogue between a girl figuring out that her boyfriend is cheating on her and her best friend listening to her and trying to help.
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