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 we love you
Say 'thank you'
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 showdown
Or: The date is fixed for the next rumbl
See you, see you
See you, surely, at my next period
Or: Save the date, that time of the month
Verse 2
This was the last time
You can think it's just a tantrum
Or: You may think that I'm throwing a fit
Take one last look at my behind
Or: Check out my butt one last time
It's right 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 you're losing
Or: You have no idea what you are losing
With another woman it would be worse
Or: Believe me, it will be worse with anyone else
What, you want to end it now too?
Or: What, do you want to break up now also?
The world's turned upside down!
Or: You've got it all wrong!
I only said it to get a reaction out of you
But you were actually 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 showdown
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 my 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
It's easy to say I'm soppy
Or: It's easy to say that I'm too whiny
And that I love the blah-blah-blah too much
Or: And that I love to talk too much
But no no no, it's important
What you call my time of the month
Les ragnagnas is a very slang term for menstruation
You know, life is about having kids
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
Oh yeah, when it comes to making them, you're there
But when it comes to raising them, you'll be nowhere to be found
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 not naturally
Or: Or at least without make-up
Stop, I know you're lying
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
The pretty one or me, it's never good!
Me or her, it's never good!
Chorus 3
See you, see you, see you at the next showdown
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 my 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
They're all the same and I'm fed up
Or: All the same and so tired of it
All the same, all the same
They're all the same and I'm 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 delivers a sharp, funny dance track that takes aim at relationship clashes. Singing from a frustrated partner's point of view, he calls men "macho mais cheap" (macho but cheap) and "mauviettes infidèles" (unfaithful wimps). The narrator threatens to pack up and leave, telling their partner to look at their backside one last time while it is right beside their luggage ("Mate une dernière fois mon derrière / Il est à côté de mes valises"). Things backfire hilariously when the guy agrees to break up too, leaving the narrator shocked: "Moi je le disais pour te faire réagir seulement / Toi t'y pensais" (I only said it to get a reaction out of you, but you were actually thinking it!).
Stromae uses plenty of everyday French slang to bring the argument to life. The narrator complains about being dismissed as "gnangnan" (corny or sappy) and talks about "ragnagnas", an informal French slang term for menstrual periods. There is also a clever line about beauty standards: "Il n'y a que Kate Moss qui est éternelle" (Only Kate Moss is eternal), referencing the famous supermodel to mock false compliments about aging gracefully. Between arguments about who will raise future kids and endless cycles of bickering, the song turns relationship exhaustion into an energetic dance beat.
Did you know?
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Yes, including Tous Les Mêmes by Stromae!
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