Voir Un Ami Pleurer Lyrics in English Jacques Brel

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Below, I translated the lyrics of the song Voir Un Ami Pleurer by Jacques Brel from French to English.

Bien sûr, il y a les guerres d'Irlande

Of course, there are the wars of Ireland

Et les peuplades sans musique

And the tribes without music

Bien sûr, tout ce manque de tendre

Of course, all this lack of tenderness

Et il n'y a plus d'Amérique

And there is no more America

Bien sûr, l'argent n'a pas d'odeur

Of course, money has no smell

Mais pas d'odeur vous monte au nez

But a smell rises to your nose

Bien sûr, on marche sur les fleurs, mais

Of course, we walk on flowers, but

Mais, voir un ami pleurer

But, to see a friend cry

Bien sûr, il y a nos défaites

Of course, there are our defeats

Et puis la mort qui est tout au bout

And then death, which is at the end

Nos corps inclinent déjà la tête

Our bodies already bow their heads

Étonnés d'être encore debout

Surprised to still be standing

Bien sûr, les femmes infidèles

Of course, unfaithful women

Et les oiseaux assassinés

And murdered birds

Bien sûr, nos cœurs perdent leurs ailes, mais

Of course, our hearts lose their wings, but

Mais, voir un ami pleurer

But, to see a friend cry

Bien sûr, ces villes épuisées

Of course, these exhausted cities

Par ces enfants de cinquante ans

By these fifty-year-old children

Notre impuissance à les aider

Our helplessness in aiding them

Et nos amours qui ont mal aux dents

And our loves with toothaches

Bien sûr, le temps qui va trop vite

Of course, time goes too fast

Ces métro remplis de noyés

These metros filled with drowned people

La vérité qui nous évite, mais

The truth that avoids us, but

Mais, voir un ami pleurer

But, to see a friend cry

Bien sûr, nos miroirs sont intègres

Of course, our mirrors are intact

Ni le courage d'être juif

Neither the courage to be Jewish

Ni l'élégance d'être nègre

Nor the elegance to be black

On se croit mèche, on n'est que suif

We think we're a wick, but we're only tallow

Et tous ces hommes qui sont nos frères

And all these men who are our brothers

Tellement qu'on n'est plus étonné

So much that we're no longer surprised

Que, par amour, ils nous lacèrent, mais

That, out of love, they tear us apart, but

Mais, voir un ami pleurer

But, to see a friend cry

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Lyrics © WARNER CHAPPELL MUSIC FRANCE

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SONG MEANING

The song "Voir Un Ami Pleurer" by Jacques Brel reflects on the various struggles and hardships of life. The lyrics touch upon themes such as war, the absence of music, the lack of tenderness, the loss of America, the scentless nature of money, walking over flowers, defeats, death, infidelity, the killing of birds, the loss of love, exhausted cities, the inability to help, the passing of time, crowded subways, evading truth, the integrity of mirrors, the courage to be Jewish, the elegance of being Black, the fragility of human existence, and the pain of witnessing a friend's tears. Through poetic and introspective verses, Brel captures the complexities and sorrows of the human experience.

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Jacques Brel Voir Un Ami Pleurer Lyrics