...with two songs.Gagnants - Perdants.mp3Le temps des Cerises.mp3I translated Gagnants / Perdants the best I could. It's always a bit difficult to translate songs, or litterature in another language, don't you think ? You're so very likely to lose some of the meanings, or misunderstand the author's intent. Well, I kept the French version as well, so depending on which you prefer... Context is delicate as well, I tried to put links & notes where it was needed.Gagnants/PerdantsWinners / LosersTous ces beaux jeux inventésPour passer devant les premiersPour que chacun soit écraséS'il refuse encore de plierLes dégâts, les excèsIls vont vous les faire payerLes cendres qui resterontC'est pas eux qui les ramasserontMais les esclaves et les consQui n'auront pas su dire nonNous on n'veut pas être des gagnantsMais on acceptera jamais d'être des perdantsAll these nice games inventedTo go past the firstTo crush everyoneShould they refuse once more to bendThe damages, the excessThey will make you pay for itThe remaining ashesThey won't be the ones picking them upBut the slaves and the foolsWho won't have been able to say noWe don't want to be winnersBut we will never agree to be losersPimprenelle et NicolasVous nous endormez comme çaLe marchand de sable est passéNous on garde un oeil éveilléÔ la peur, Ô le vide Ô la victoire des avidesFaut pas bouger une oreilleToutes sortes de chiens nous surveillentPas un geste, une esquisseSinon on tourne la visNous on n'a rien à gagnerMais on ne peut plus perdre puisque c'est déjà faitPimprenelle et Nicolas (1)You lull us to sleepThe sandman has comeWe are keeping an eye openOh fear, Oh emptiness, Oh victory of the greedyCan't move an earAll sorts of dogs are watchingNot a move, a hintOr else the screws are put (2)We don't have anything to gainBut we can't lose anymore since it's already doneToi qui viens de loin d'iciAvec Ta peau et Tes osOn t'a parlé du paradisOn t'a menti, tout est fauxÔ mon ami, ô mon frère, tout ce nerfPerdu pour la guerreTu vas voir tout l'amourQui traîne au fond du discoursDis, t'en veux des papiers ?Dis, tu l'as vu mon palais ?T'auras rien, c'est ainsiC'est pas fait pour les perdants, le paradisYou who have come from a long way (3)With your skin and your bonesYou have been told about HeavenYou have been lied to, it's all wrongOh friend, Oh brother, all this nerveLost for warYou will see all the loveLurking at the bottom of speechesSay, you want papers ?Say, you saw my palace ?You won't have nothing, that's itHeaven is not made for losersIl y a la chair à canonIl y a la chair à spéculationIl y a la chair à publicitéY a tout ce que vous aimezVous et moi on le saitLe spectacle est terminéPourtant c'était presque idéalC'était loin du féodalOh maint'nant c'est foutuÇa fait joli dans ton…For intérieur c'est gênantDe rejoindre comme ça la cohorte des perdantsThere is cannon fodderThere is speculation fodderThere is advertisement fodderThere's all you likeYou and I we know itThe show is overStill it was almost idealIt was far from feudal timesOh now it's all messed upIt looks nice in your...Deep down inside it's embarassingTo join this way the crowd of losersIl faut pas se faire d'illusionsMais c'est mieux debout pour l'actionEt pour nos âmes, c'est égalDieu n'est pas dans la batailleÔ messieurs les décideursDe toutes parts, de tous côtésSachez que profond dans nos coeursOn n'arrête pas le progrèsSous l'Iris, sous la peauSous les ongles et dans l'étauOn pourra toujours refuserDe devenir les premiers ou les derniersLet's not get fooledBut it's better to stand up for action (4)And it's all the same for our soulsGod does not belong in this fightOh deciding gentlemenOf all parts, of all sidesKnow that deep in our heartsProgress never stops (5)Under the iris, under the skinUnder nails and in the strangleholdWe will always be able to refuseTo be the first or the lastPas de leaders triomphantsOn s'ra jamais des gagnants ni des perdantsNo triumphing leadersWe'll never be winners nor losers(1). Here is a hint to a French TV show called Bonne nuit les Petits (goodnight, little ones). It was very popular and aimed at children (more here in French). Kids used to watch it before going to bed (it was scheduled just before the evening news program). The heroes of the show were a bear & two kids called Pimprenelle and Nicolas. Nicolas is also the first name of the actual French President, whose main opponent is Segolene Royal. The "Pimprenelle et Nicolas" Cantat is singing about are Royal and Sarkozy, and brings up the reference of an old TV show conditionning children to bed, probably to enhance the idea of lulling us.(2) Couldn't translate this any better... It's not really putting the screws but rather tightening their grip.(3) This part is about immigration (easy to understand), but you need to take a look at the French government's politics concerning immigration these last few years (chosen immigration and suchlike, I'll let you google it).(4) Bad translation for this line as I have not been able to understand properly what is meant here.(5) Translation problem here too. "On n'arrête pas le progrès" is a common way in French to talk about an evolution leading to a more scientific world, but is also very commonly used with irony, about something inducing a trivial progress. Different ways to read the line, and translation is problematic here too.Definitely not the best Cantat text I have read. It's far from the quality of their album "Des visages, Des figures" - btw, how can you translate this title without losing the pun ? - which is, imho, one of the best things they have managed to do so far. Still, it's a pleasant way to get back in business. And, yeah, fuck the gossip.Read more…
