Below, I translated the lyrics of the song Tous Les Mêmes by Stromae from French to English.
These lyrics have verified word for word translations. Click any lyric word to see the translation and hear the pronunciation!
Verse 1
You men are all the same
Macho but cheap
This likely has 2 meanings, cheap meaning frugal, and also cheap as in looking for relationships without commitment
Bunch of unfaithful wimps
Or: Bunch of cheating fools
So predictable
No I'm not certain
That you deserve me
You're lucky that we love you
Tell me 'Thanks'
Chorus 1
See you, see you
Rendez-vous means appointment / date, a noun derived from the second person plural imperative of se rendre ('to go to'), literally '[you (imperative)] go to, get yourself to [a place]
See you at the next argument
Or: The date is fixed for the next rumbl
See you, see you
See you surely at the next period
Or: Save the date, that time of the month
Verse 2
This time was the last
You can believe that it's just a crisis
Or: You may think that I'm throwing a fit
Take a last look at my behind
Or: Check out my butt one last time
It is next to my suitcases
You'll say goodbye to your mother
Meaning she is tired of acting like his mother in the relationship
She who idealizes you
Or: Who puts you on a pedestal
You don't even see everything that you lose
Or: You have no idea what you are losing
With another it would be worse
Or: Believe me, it will be worse with anyone else
What, you also want to finish now?
Or: What, do you want to break up now also?
It's the world upside down
Or: You've got it all wrong!
I said it to make you react only
You were thinking about it
Chorus 2
See you, see you
Rendez-vous means appointment / date, a noun derived from the second person plural imperative of se rendre ('to go to'), literally '[you (imperative)] go to, get yourself to [a place]
See you at the next argument
Règlement literally means 'settlement' (as in the legal sense of paying cash as compensation at the end of a lawsuit). Stromae refers to a long argument as a legal battle
See you, see you
See you surely at the next period
Aux prochaines règles – these words are related to the French expression 'T'as tes règles?' ('Are you on your period?') often said when someone is particularly irritated
Verse 3
Easy to say, I'm emotional
Or: It's easy to say that I'm too whiny
And that I love too much blah-blah-blah
Or: And that I love to talk too much
But no no no, it's important
What you call the menstruation
Les ragnagnas is a very slang term for menstruation
You know life is for children
Or: You know that life is for having children
But as always it's not the right time
Or: But like always, it's never the right moment
Ah yes to make them, there, you are present
But to raise them there will be absentees
Or: But to raise them, you'll be absent
Verse 4
When I'm no longer beautiful
Or: When my beauty will fade
Or at least natural
Or: Or at least without make-up
Stop I know that you lie
Or: Stop it I know you're lying
Only Kate Moss is eternal
Or: Only Kate Moss will stay forever beautiful
Ugly or stupid, it's never good!
Stupid or beautiful, it's never good!
Or: Beast or beauty, it ain't right
Beauty or me, it's never good!
Me or her, it's never good!
Chorus 3
See you, see you, see you at the next argument
Règlement literally means 'settlement' (as in the legal sense of paying cash as compensation at the end of a lawsuit). Stromae refers to a long argument as a legal battle
See you, see you, see you surely at the next period
Aux prochaines règles – these words are related to the French expression 'T'as tes règles?' ('Are you on your period?') often said when someone is particularly irritated
All the same, all the same
All the same and we're fed up
Or: All the same and so tired of it
All the same, all the same
All the same and we're fed up
Lyrics and Translations Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ragnagnas is a fantastic, informal French word that means 'nagging' or 'whining.' It's an expressive word that sounds exactly like what it means!
In this song, Stromae uses it from the male perspective to dismiss a woman's complaints as unimportant. What makes it especially brilliant is that ragnagnas is also a slang term for a woman's period, which connects to other clever wordplay in this iconic song about the battle of the sexes.
Belgian artist Stromae gives us a masterclass in clever, funny songwriting with "Tous Les Mêmes". The song is a huge list of complaints from a woman who is completely fed up with her man, and men in general. She calls them all the same: "Macho mais cheap" (Macho but cheap), "bande de mauviettes infidèles" (bunch of unfaithful wimps), and just so predictable. In the music video, Stromae plays both the man and the woman, switching between them to show both sides of the argument. It's a fantastic performance that makes the song's message even clearer.
The lyrics are full of brilliant, sharp lines. She threatens to leave, telling him to "Mate une dernière fois mon derrière / Il est à côté de mes valises" (Look at my butt one last time / It's next to my suitcases). But when he seems to agree with the breakup, she immediately backtracks, saying "Moi je le disais pour te faire réagir seulement" (I was only saying it to get a reaction from you). The chorus is a fantastic play on words, promising to see him at the "prochain règlement" (next settling of scores) and the "prochaines règles" (next period). It's a blunt, witty, and totally danceable song about relationship stereotypes.
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