Les Passantes Lyrics in English by Georges Brassens
Below, I translated the lyrics of the song Les Passantes by Georges Brassens from French to English.
These English lyric translations are not yet verified.
Je veux dédier ce poème
I want to dedicate this poem
A toutes les femmes qu'on aime
To all the women we love
Pendant quelques instants secrets
For a few secret moments
À celles qu'on connait à peine
To those we barely know
Qu'un destin différent entraîne
Whom a different destiny carries away
Et qu'on ne retrouve jamais
And whom we never find again
À celle qu'on voit apparaître
To the one we see appear
Une seconde à sa fenêtre
For a second at her window
Et qui, preste, s'évanouit
And who, quickly, vanishes
Mais dont la svelte silhouette
But whose slender silhouette
Est si gracieuse et fluette
Is so graceful and delicate
Qu'on en demeure épanoui
That we remain enchanted
À la compagne de voyage
To the travel companion
Dont les yeux, charmant paysage
Whose eyes, a charming landscape
Font paraître court le chemin
Make the journey seem short
Qu'on est seul, peut-être, à comprendre
Whom we are perhaps alone in understanding
Et qu'on laisse pourtant descendre
And whom we nevertheless let get off
Sans avoir effleuré la main
Without having touched her hand
À celles qui sont déjà prises
To those who are already taken
Et qui, vivant des heures grises
And who, living gray hours
Près d'un être trop différent
Near a being too different
Vous ont, inutile folie
Have, useless folly
Laissées voir la mélancolie
Let you see the melancholy
D'un avenir désespérant
Of a despairing future
Chères images aperçues
Dear glimpsed images
Espérances d'un jour déçues
Hopes of a day disappointed
Vous serez dans l'oubli demain
You will be forgotten tomorrow
Pour peu que le bonheur survienne
As soon as happiness comes
Il est rare qu'on se souvienne
It's rare that we remember
Des épisodes du chemin
The episodes of the journey
Mais si l'on a manqué sa vie
But if one has missed one's life
On songe avec un peu d'envie
One thinks with a little envy
À tous ces bonheurs entrevus
Of all these glimpsed joys
Aux baisers qu'on n'osa pas prendre
Of the kisses we didn't dare to take
Aux cœurs qui doivent vous attendre
Of the hearts that must be waiting for you
Aux yeux qu'on n'a jamais revus
Of the eyes we never saw again
Alors, aux soirs de lassitude
Then, on evenings of weariness
Tout en peuplant sa solitude
While populating one's solitude
Des fantômes du souvenir
With the ghosts of memory
On pleure les lèvres absentes
We mourn the absent lips
De toutes ces belles passantes
Of all these beautiful passers-by
Que l'on n'a pas su retenir
Whom we couldn't keep
Lyrics and Translations Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
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passantes — passers-by
Passantes refers to "passers-by" or "women passing by." It's a central and evocative word in the song, giving it its title and theme.
Brassens uses it to describe the fleeting encounters with women who leave a lasting impression, even if only for a moment. It captures the bittersweet nature of missed connections and the beauty found in transient interactions, making it a poignant and memorable choice.
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