Grand Mère Lyrics in English Jacques Brel

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Below, I translated the lyrics of the song Grand Mère by Jacques Brel from French to English.

Faut voir grand-mère

Grandma must be seen

Grand-mère et sa poitrine

Grandma and her bosom

Grand-mère et ses usines

Grandma and her factories

Et ses vingt secrétaires

And her twenty secretaries

Faut voir mère-grand

We must see Granny

Diriger ses affaires

Directing her affairs

Elle vend des courants d'air

She sells gusts of wind

Déguisés en coups de vent

Disguised as gusts of wind

Faut voir grand-mère

We must see Grandma

Quand elle compte son magot

When she counts her fortune

Ça fait des tas de zéros

It makes heaps of zeros

Pointés comme son derrière

Pointed like her behind

Mais pendant c'temps-là

But in the meantime

Grand-père court après la bonne

Grandpa runs after the maid

En lui disant

Telling her

Que l'argent ne fait pas le bonheur

That money doesn't buy happiness

Comment voulez-vous

How do you expect

Bonnes gens que nos bonnes bonnes

Good people, that our good maids

Et nos petits épargnants

And our small savers

Aient le sens des valeurs?

Have a sense of values?

Faut voir grand-mère

We must see Grandma

C'est une tramontane

She's a north wind

Qui fume le Havane

Smoking Havana cigars

Et fait trembler la Terre

And making the Earth tremble

Faut voir grand-mère

We must see Grandma

Cerclée de généraux

Surrounded by generals

Être culotte de peau

Wearing leather pants

Et gagner leur guéguerre

And winning their little wars

Faut voir grand-mère

We must see Grandma

Dressée sous son chapeau

Standing tall under her hat

C'est Waterloo

It's Waterloo

Où serait pas venu Blücher

Where Blücher wouldn't have come

Mais pendant c'temps-là

But in the meantime

Grand-père court après la bonne

Grandpa runs after the maid

En lui disant

Telling her

Que l'armée elle bat l'beurre

That the army churns butter

Comment voulez-vous

How do you expect

Bonnes gens que nos bonnes bonnes

Good people, that our good maids

Et que nos chers pioupious

And our dear soldiers

Aient le sens des valeurs?

Have a sense of values?

Faut voir grand-mère

We must see Grandma

S'assurer sur la mort

Insuring herself against death

Un p'tit coup d'presbytère

A little bit of presbytery

Un p'tit coup de r'mords

A little bit of remorse

Faut voir grand-mère

We must see Grandma

Et ses ligues de vertu

And her leagues of virtue

Ses anciens combattants

Her old combatants

Ses anciens combattus

Her old combat victims

Faut voir grand-mère

We must see Grandma

Quand elle se croit pécheresse

When she thinks she's a sinner

Un grand verre de grand-messe

A large glass of high mass

Et un doigt de couvent

And a touch of convent

Mais pendant c'temps-là

But in the meantime

Grand-père court après la bonne

Grandpa runs after the maid

En lui disant

Telling her

Que les curés sont farceurs

That priests are jokers

Comment voulez-vous

How do you expect

Bonnes gens que nos bonnes bonnes

Good people, that our good maids

Et nos petits incroyants

And our little unbelievers

Aient le sens des valeurs?

Have a sense of values?

Mais il faut voir grand-père

But you have to see Grandpa

Dans les bistrots bavards

In chatty bistros

Où claquent les billards

Where billiards clack

Et les chopes de bière

And beer mugs clink

Faut voir père-grand

We must see Grandpa

Caresser les roseaux

Caressing the reeds

Effeuiller les étangs

Plucking the ponds

Et pleurer du Rimbaud

And crying over Rimbaud

Faut voir grand-père

We must see Grandpa

Dimanche finissant

As Sunday draws to a close

Honteux et regrettant

Ashamed and regretting

D'avoir trompé grand-mère

Having cheated on Grandma

Mais pendant c'temps-là

But in the meantime

Grand-mère se tape la bonne

Grandma is hitting on the maid

En lui disant

Telling her

Que les hommes sont menteurs

That men are liars

Comment voulez-vous

How do you expect

Bonnes gens que nos bonnes bonnes

Good people, that our good maids

Et notre belle jeunesse

And our beautiful youth

Aient le sens des valeurs?

Have a sense of values?

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Lyrics © WARNER CHAPPELL MUSIC FRANCE

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SONG MEANING

The song "Grand Mère" by Jacques Brel from France paints a vivid picture of societal hypocrisy and generational conflicts through the lens of a dysfunctional family. The lyrics delve into the complexities of family dynamics, with sharp observations on greed, power struggles, and moral decay. Brel's poignant storytelling captures the essence of human nature, exposing the contradictions and struggles within relationships and society as a whole. Through a blend of satire and introspection, "Grand Mère" challenges listeners to reflect on the values and ethics that shape our lives and interactions with others.

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Jacques Brel Grand Mère Lyrics