It’s summer, which means in a normal context that I’m off from work and have tons of free time on my hands.

This year, this has yet to be the case, but at least there’s no more papers around waiting to be corrected. Which means there’s more time for the little things, like dancing around in your living room singing along to whatever song suits you at any given moment.

I’ve decided to share with you, my readers (if any of you are still out there after months of silence), some of the songs you may find me jumping around to in the coming weeks. Sometimes in the company of Liam (he’s got some good taste, although he has his father’s dance moves).

First up, Tété. Tété is a musical poet, and most of his songs are littered with readapted idioms and plays on words that are completely impossible to explain to any non-French speaker. Thankfully, this one is more straightforward. Lyrics after the jump for those who are curious.

En revenant de bon matin
De chez le boulanger chercher mon pain
Je tombe sur Mia, une amie qui me dit:
‘Tu as l’air en paix avec toi-même aujourd’hui’
Puis elle me parle de yoga, de tai-chi,
Alors là je lui dis:
‘Non, non, non non, tu n’y es pas baby,
C’est juste que je me laisse un peu pousser les envies.’
Je me laisse pousser les envies.

Coming home early one morning
From the baker’s to get my bread
I run into Mia, a friend who tells me
“You look at peace with yourself today”
Then she speaks about yoga, about tai chi,
So I tell her
“No, no, no no, that’s not it baby,
It’s just that I’m letting my desires grow out.”
I’m letting my desires grow.

Je me les suis coupées pendant longtemps,
Consciencieusement,
Moi je trouvais que ça m’allait pas
Mais eux disait que ça
Fait plus propre sur soi, t’sais,
Ma vie est plus drôle qu’avant maintenant,
Et bien plus jolie aussi
Oui bien plus drôle qu’avant maintenant
Et bien plus jolie depuis que je me laisse pousser les envies
Je me laisse pousser les envies.

I cut them for a long while
Meticulously
I didn’t think it suited me
But they said that
Looks more clean-cut, ya know
My life is more fun than before now
And more lovely too
My life is more fun than before now
And more lovely too since
I’ve been letting my desires grow.
I’m letting my desires grow.

Hier
Pas plus tard qu’hier dans la cage d’escalier,
Je croise la vieille fille du premier:
L’acariâtre Sacha et ses six chats,
Celle qui ne me salue pas.
Et alors que je la dépasse,
Je vois bien qu’y a un truc qui dépasse
La pauvre dans son empressement
Ne s’aperçoit même pas
Qu’y a un truc qui pend
Alors moi,
Bon comme le pain,
Je me dévoue, j’interviens:
‘Mam’selle! S’il vous plait, j’sais pas si vous avez vu mais
Mam’selle vous avez un balai
Coincé dans le…’
L’ingrate ne m’a même pas répondu,
Pas très civil de sa part.
Note que,
C’est vrai qu’elle me mate bizarre
Depuis que je me laisse pousser les envies.
Je me laisse pousser les envies.

Yesterday
No later than yesterday in the stairway
I ran into the spinster from the second floor
Grumpy Sacha and her six cats
The one who never says hello
So when I’m passing her
I notice that something’s sticking out
The poor lady in her hurry
Didn’t even notice
That something’s hanging out
So I
Good samaritan that I am
I make the effort, I tell her
“Miss, excuse me, I don’t know if you noticed but
Miss, you have a broom
Stuck in your…”
Ungrateful, she doesn’t reply
Not very polite of her
Then again
It’s true she’s been eyeing  me funny
Ever since I’ve started growing out my desires.
I’m letting my desires grow.