Balayé literally means "swept away" or "swept clean." It's a vivid and active verb that goes beyond a simple "forgotten" or "gone."
In the context of Édith Piaf's iconic song, she uses balayé repeatedly to emphasize her complete and utter dismissal of past regrets, sorrows, and even loves. It paints a powerful picture of her actively clearing away everything from her past to start anew, making it a memorable and impactful word in the lyrics.
Piaf was 44 and already in poor health when she recorded this in 1960, and she sings it like someone closing a ledger. The lyric refuses both halves of her life in one breath, "Ni le bien qu'on m'a fait / Ni le mal" [Not the good I've been given / Nor the bad], and then waves the whole question away with "Tout ça m'est bien égal" [It's all the same to me]. Most songs about the past want something from it, an apology or another chance. This one wants it gone.
Then she does something colder than forgetting. "Avec mes souvenirs / J'ai allumé le feu" [With my memories / I lit the fire] turns the memories into fuel, which is a strange and very good image, and "C'est payé, balayé, oublié" [It's paid for, swept away, forgotten] lands like three items being ticked off a list. The last verse explains why she bothered with any of it. After all that clearing out she arrives at "Ça commence avec toi" [It starts with you]. The burning was never the point. She was making space for someone.
Édith Piaf, from France, had a life story as dramatic as her songs. She rose from poverty to become one of her country's most beloved voices, often called "the Little Sparrow."
Her performances were full of passion, making her a powerful presence on stage. Many remember her for classics like "La Vie en rose" and "Non, je ne regrette rien," which continue to move listeners today.