Quand C'est ? Lyrics in English Stromae

Below, I translated the lyrics of the song Quand C'est ? by Stromae from French to English.
But yes, we know each other well
You even wanted to f*ck my mother, huh?
You started with her breasts
And then to my father's lungs
Do you remember
Cancer, cancer
Tell me when it is
Cancer, cancer
Who's next
Cancer, cancer
tell me when it is
Cancer, cancer
Who's next
And you like little children
Clearly, nothing stops you
And stop acting innocent
On cigarette packs
'Smoking kills', no kidding
But you help me
Cancer, cancer
Tell me when it is
Cancer, cancer
Who's next
Cancer, cancer
tell me when it is
Cancer, cancer, cancer
When is it, when is it
That you stop your advances
When is it, when is it
That you go on vacation
When is it, when is it
When do you think about it
When is it, when is it
That will give us a break
Cancer, cancer
Tell me when it is
Cancer, cancer
Who's next
Cancer, cancer
tell me when it is
Cancer, cancer
Outro
Who's next
Who's next
Who's next
Who is, who is, who's next
Who is, who is, who's next
Who is, who is, who's next
Who is, who is, who's next
Who is, who is, who's next
Who is, who is, who's next
Who is, who is, who's next
Who is, who is, who's next
Lyrics and Translations Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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SONG MEANING

Stromae turns a deeply personal struggle into art that sticks in your head and your heart. In “Quand C’est ?”, the Belgian hit-maker plays on the near-homophone of the title and the word cancer, transforming the disease into a shadowy character he confronts face-to-face. With sharp, almost conversational lyrics, he reminds us how this invisible enemy creeps from one family member to another, from “ses seins” to “du poumon à mon père,” never satisfied, always hunting for its next victim. The repeated plea “Dis-moi quand c’est” (“Tell me, when is it?”) captures that helpless wait for bad news that so many people know too well.

Behind the pulsing beat lies a raw commentary on mortality, addiction, and resilience. Stromae mocks the hypocritical “innocent” warning on cigarette packs while acknowledging how tobacco feeds the very monster he is denouncing. By personifying cancer as an uninvited guest who refuses to take a holiday—“Quand c’est que tu pars en vacances?”—he exposes both fear and defiance, turning the song into a cathartic shout for anyone touched by the illness. It is a danceable yet sobering reminder that life is fragile, urging us to cherish every healthy moment before the chorus asks again, almost breathlessly: “Qui est le prochain?”—Who’s next?

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