Below, I translated the lyrics of the song Papaoutai 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
Tell me where he comes from
The first verse seems to be in the voice of a child, confused about his dad's absence
Finally, I'll know where I'm going
Mom says that when you look hard enough
Or: Mama says that when you look hard enough
You always end up finding it
She says that he's never very far
That he very often goes to work
Or: That he goes to work a lot
Mom says, "Working is good"
Much better than being in bad company
French expression: Mieux vaut être seul que mal accompagné = Better to be alone than in bad company
Prechorus 1
Right? Where's your dad?
Tell me, where is your dad?
Without even having to talk to him
He knows what's wrong
One heck of a dad
Or: One hell of a dad / A great dad
Tell me, where are you hiding?
It must be at least a thousand times
That I've counted my fingers
Chorus 1
Where are you? Dad, where are you?
Where are you? Dad, where are you?
Where are you? Dad, where are you?
Verse 2
Whether we believe in it or not
The second verse seems to be in the tone of the father, contrasting the first verse, which is in the tone of a boy
There will surely come a day when we won't believe in it anymore
Sooner or later, we'll all be dads
And from one day to the next, we'll have disappeared
Will we be detestable?
Or: Will we be detestable?
Will we be admirable?
Procreators or geniuses
Tell us who gives birth to the irresponsible?
Ah, tell us who, then
Everyone knows how babies are made
Lit: All the world knows how are made babies
But nobody knows how dads are made
Or: But nobody knows how to be a dad
Mr Know-it-all would have inherited it, right?
Or: These smart guys would have inherited (the knowledge of how to be dad)
Do we just have to make it up, or what?
Or: Should we learn how to be a dad when we are children?
Tell us where it's hidden?
Or: Tell us where (the knowledge) is hidden?
It must be at least a thousand times
That we've chewed our fingers off
Bouffer: to eat (slang term – impolite)
Chorus 2
Where are you? Dad, where are you?
Where are you? Dad, where are you?
Where are you? Dad, where are you?
Prechorus 2
Where is your dad?
Tell me, where is your dad?
Without even having to talk to him
He knows what's wrong
One heck of a dad
Tell me, where are you hiding?
It must be at least a thousand times
That I've counted my fingers
Where is your dad?
Tell me, where is your dad?
Without even having to talk to him
He knows what's wrong
One heck of a dad
Tell me, where are you hiding?
It must be at least a thousand times
That I've counted my fingers
Chorus 3
Where are you? Dad, where are you?
Where are you? Dad, where are you?
Where are you? Dad, where are you?
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Did you like this lyrics translation?
géniteurs — procreators / biological fathers
Géniteurs is a formal French word for "procreators" or "biological fathers," as opposed to papa (dad), which implies a loving, present parent. It's a very specific and impactful word choice you won't hear in most pop songs.
In "Papaoutai," Stromae asks a powerful question: will future fathers be géniteurs (men who simply create children) or génies (geniuses/great fathers)? This clever wordplay forces us to think about the true meaning of fatherhood, which is the central theme of this emotional song.
Belgian artist Stromae gives us a dance track with a surprisingly heavy heart. The title "Papaoutai" is a clever play on words, sounding like how a child would say "Papa, où t'es?" (Dad, where are you?). The song is a direct question from a child to his absent father, and it's a question Stromae himself asked. His own father was mostly absent and was killed during the Rwandan genocide when Stromae was a boy.
The song starts from this child's point of view, asking his mom where his dad is. She gives vague answers: "Elle dit qu'il n'est jamais très loin / Qu'il part très souvent travailler" (She says he's never very far / That he often leaves for work). But the chorus is just the child's simple, repeated question: "Où t'es? Papa où t'es?" (Where are you? Dad, where are you?). Later, the song's perspective widens to ask a much bigger question about fatherhood itself. Stromae points out that while "Tout le monde sait comment on fait des bébés" (Everyone knows how to make babies), "personne ne sait comment on fait des papas" (no one knows how to make dads). It's a sad thought wrapped in an amazing beat.
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