L'éléphant

Lyrics for L'éléphant

(transcription by Stephane Osstyn corrections, notes and English translation by Tina Weymouth) L'éléphant et l'hippopotame (Se) Sont déguisés en hommes. (Ils) Ont marché au beau village, Marché, marché, marché, marché. Sur le chemin, (ils) ont rencontré Des enfants des hommes, Et des femmes qui courraient Courraient, courraient, courraient, courraient. Tout en courrant, les femmes pleuraient Pleuraient des grosses larmes Grosses gouttes, grosses larmes Tombaient, tombaient, tombaient, tombaient. L'éléphant et l'hippopotame Voulaient savoir ce qu'elles avaient Voulaient savoir la raison qu'elles Pleuraient, pleuraient, pleuraient, pleuraient. Un enfant, tout terrifié, S'est arrêté pour leur parler. Sa bouche ouvrait, mais il est resté Muet, muet, muet, muet. *Enlevez vos costumes bêtes, Leur chantaient les oiseaux. **Gobe-mouches pipits, chouettes et hiboux Chantaient, chantaient, chantaient, chantaient: C'est la guerre, la guerre des hommes. Ils se sont disputés. Tout autour, ils veulent tuer, Tuer, tuer, tuer, tuer. Tuer, tuer, tuer, tuer. Tuer, tuer, tuer, tuer. Tuer, tuer, tuer, tuer. Tuer, tuer, tuer, tuer. ************************************************** *Bêtes is plural for bête, which means beast, animal, or dumb creature. It also means silly, stupid, dumb, or idiotic. Since the animals are dressed as men, this is a play on words. **In ornithology, gobe-mouches pipits are fly-catching tit-larks, or pipits, a species of bird. In botany, un gobe-mouches is defined as a fly-trap. Gobe-mouches also translates into simpleton, fool, gull, dupe, sap or, in slang, as sucker. This is another play on words. ************************************************** THE ELEPHANT (translation into English) The elephant and the hippopotamus Disguised themselves as men. They walked to the beautiful village, Walked, walked, walked, walked On the path, they met The children of men And women, who were running, Running, running, running, running As they ran, the women were crying, Crying fat tears. Large drops, big fat tears, were Falling, falling, falling, falling The elephant and the hippopotamus Wanted to know what was the matter, Wanted to know the reason they were Crying, crying, crying, crying. A terrified child Stopped to speak with them. His mouth opened, but he remained Mute, mute, mute, mute. *"Take off your foolish/beastly costumes," Sang to them the birds. **Pipits, screech owls, and owls were Singing, singing, singing, singing: "It is war, the war of men. They have quarreled among themselves. All around, they want to kill, Kill, kill, kill, kill" Kill, kill, kill, kill Kill, kill, kill, kill Kill, kill, kill, kill Kill, kill, kill, kill