Tonitrue is the French verb for "to thunder". It's a powerful, dramatic word that you wouldn't expect to find in a love song.
Julien Clerc uses it in a beautiful and surprising metaphor: "Un oiseau / Qui me tonitrue qu'il fait beau" (A bird that thunders to me that the weather is beautiful). Instead of just singing, the bird's joyous song is so loud and overwhelming it feels like thunder, perfectly capturing the intensity of his love.
Ever felt a love so big that just saying 'I love you' doesn't feel like enough? That's the heart of Julien Clerc's beautiful song, 'Je T'aime Etc.' The singer feels like these three little words are all he has, flowing from him like a river. He adds a curious little word at the end: 'etc.' This isn't because he's bored; it's the opposite! His 'I love you' means so much more. It means 'I love everything about you,' 'I love our memories,' and 'I love our future.' It's a love that fills his world with light and makes him feel like a bird is singing inside his chest.
But the song takes a sudden, heartbreaking turn. The happy days fly by, and suddenly, the lovers are at a train station, saying goodbye. The joyful declaration of love becomes a desperate plea. He can no longer say the words out loud, so he asks if he can write them instead. The song becomes a promise to care for their memories and a hopeful wish that one day they can 'love etc.' together again. It’s a powerful reminder that love isn’t just about the happy moments, but also about holding on through the difficult goodbyes.