L'homme À La Moto Lyrics in English Édith Piaf

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Below, I translated the lyrics of the song L'homme À La Moto by Édith Piaf 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

He wore pants, motorcycle boots

A black leather jacket with an eagle on the back

His bike that took off like a cannonball

Spread terror throughout the whole region

He never combed his hair, he never washed

Fingernails full of grease but on his bicep he had

A tattoo with a blue heart on his pale skin

And right inside, it read, 'Mom I love you'

Verse 2

He had a girlfriend named Marie-Lou

People pitied her, a child her age

For everyone knew that above all else he loved

His b*tch of a bike much more

Chorus 1

He wore pants, motorcycle boots

A black leather jacket with an eagle on the back

His bike that took off like a cannonball

Spread terror throughout the whole region

Verse 3

Poor Marie-Lou implored him, begged him

Said, 'Don't leave tonight, I'll cry if you go'

But the words were lost, and her tears as well

In the noise of the engine and the exhaust pipe

Bridge

He leaped like a devil with flames in his eyes

At the railroad crossing, it was like a flash of fire

Against a locomotive speeding south

And when they cleared the wreckage

Outro

They found his pants, his motorcycle boots

His black leather jacket with an eagle on the back

But nothing left of the bike and nothing of that demon

Who spread terror throughout the whole region

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Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller, Jean (jean Andre Brun) Drejac

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cambouis — grease / grime

Cambouis refers specifically to the greasy, grimy oil found on mechanical parts, especially in engines. It's a vivid and somewhat rare word that paints a clear picture.

In the song, it describes the motorcycle man's hands: "Les ongles pleins de cambouis" (his nails full of grease). This detail immediately characterizes him as a rough, hands-on biker, deeply connected to his machine, making the word central to understanding his persona and the song's gritty atmosphere.

Get ready to meet the ultimate bad boy in Édith Piaf's classic, "L'homme À La Moto" (The Man on the Motorcycle). This song paints a vivid picture of a fearsome biker who terrorizes his town, dressed in his signature black leather jacket with an eagle on the back. He's a true rebel who doesn't care about his appearance, but look closer and you'll find a surprising detail: a tattoo that reads, "Maman je t'aime" (Mom, I love you). This tough guy has a soft spot, but it's not for his poor girlfriend, Marie-Lou.

This is a classic story of doomed love and obsession. Marie-Lou begs her biker boyfriend not to ride out one fateful night, but he loves his motorcycle more than anything or anyone. He ignores her tears and speeds off like a "devil with flames in his eyes." The story ends in tragedy as he crashes into a train, leaving behind nothing but his iconic clothes. It's a powerful tale about a rebel whose greatest love was also his greatest downfall.