Allons voir – Bilingual Lyrics French/English

• By: Feu! Chatterton
• Album: Allons Voir - Single

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the poetic world of French with Feu! Chatterton's "Allons voir." This vibrant pop-rock track offers a unique opportunity to grasp evocative French phrasing and expressions related to hope, exploration, and embracing life, all while enjoying the band's distinctive blend of lyrical depth and captivating soundscapes. Its clear message and accessible lyrics make it an excellent entry point for language learners to connect with contemporary French music and culture.

[English]

No matter what people around here think,

If it's not the same time everywhere.

Maybe there's a chance

That the grass is greener elsewhere.

Often you wait for the night,

When nothing hurts anymore.

And you dream of escaping

By swimming through the canal.

You dream of a big country,

Of a life that intoxicates.

Like the one you read about

In the pages of books.

It's time to live.

Let's go see,

What life has in store for us.

What life has in store for us.

Let's not be afraid of anything.

Let's go see,

What life has in store for us.

What life has in store for us.

Let's not be afraid of anything.

Take my hand.

You're dying to go see

For yourself, to prove yourself.

And if it’s a big risk,

May the sea drown you.

The sky will always be low

For those who live without courage.

You don't listen

When they say "It's not your age."

And you're going to that country,

To that life that intoxicates.

Like the one you read about

In the evening, in the pages of books.

It's time to live.

Let's go see,

What life has in store for us.

What life has in store for us.

Let's not be afraid of anything.

Let's go see,

What life has in store for us.

What life has in store for us.

Let's not be afraid of anything.

Take my hand.

Let's go see,

What life has in store for us.

What life has in store for us.

Let's not be afraid of anything.

Let's go see,

What life has in store for us.

What life has in store for us.

Let's not be afraid of anything.

Take my hand.

Let's go see,

What life has in store for us.

What life has in store for us.

Let's not be afraid of anything.

Let's go see,

What life has in store for us.

What life has in store for us.

Let's not be afraid of anything.

Take my hand.

Let's go see,

What life has in store for us.

What life has in store for us.

Let's not be afraid of anything.

Let's go see,

What life has in store for us.

What life has in store for us.

Let's not be afraid of anything.

Take my hand.

Let's go see,

What life has in store for us.

What life has in store for us.

Let's not be afraid of anything.

Let's go see,

What life has in store for us.

What life has in store for us.

Let's not be afraid of anything.

Take my hand.

[French]

Quoi que les gens d'ici pensent,

S'il n'est pas partout la même heure.

Il y a peut-être une chance

Que l'herbe soit plus verte ailleurs.

Souvent tu attends la nuit,

Quand plus rien ne fait mal.

Et tu rêves que tu t'enfuis

À la nage par le canal.

Tu rêves d'un grand pays,

D'une vie qui enivre.

Comme celle que tu lis

Dans les pages des livres.

Il est temps de vivre.

Allons voir,

Ce que la vie nous réserve.

Ce que la vie nous réserve.

N'ayons peur de rien.

Allons voir,

Ce que la vie nous réserve.

Ce que la vie nous réserve.

N'ayons peur de rien.

Prends-moi la main.

Tu meurs d'envie d'aller voir

Par toi-même faire tes preuves.

Et si c'était la mer à boire,

Et bien que la mer t'abreuve.

Le ciel sera toujours bas

À ceux qui vivent sans courage.

Tu ne les écoutes pas

Quand ils disent « Ce n'est pas de ton âge ».

Et tu vas vers ce pays,

Vers cette vie qui enivre.

Comme celle que tu lis

Le soir dans les pages des livres.

Il est temps de vivre.

Allons voir,

Ce que la vie nous réserve.

Ce que la vie nous réserve.

N'ayons peur de rien.

Allons voir,

Ce que la vie nous réserve.

Ce que la vie nous réserve.

N'ayons peur de rien.

Prends-moi la main.

Allons voir,

Ce que la vie nous réserve.

Ce que la vie nous réserve.

N'ayons peur de rien.

Allons voir,

Ce que la vie nous réserve.

Ce que la vie nous réserve.

N'ayons peur de rien.

Prends-moi la main.

Allons voir,

Ce que la vie nous réserve.

Ce que la vie nous réserve.

N'ayons peur de rien.

Allons voir,

Ce que la vie nous réserve.

Ce que la vie nous réserve.

N'ayons peur de rien.

Prends-moi la main.

Allons voir,

Ce que la vie nous réserve.

Ce que la vie nous réserve.

N'ayons peur de rien.

Allons voir,

Ce que la vie nous réserve.

Ce que la vie nous réserve.

N'ayons peur de rien.

Prends-moi la main.

Allons voir,

Ce que la vie nous réserve.

Ce que la vie nous réserve.

N'ayons peur de rien.

Allons voir,

Ce que la vie nous réserve.

Ce que la vie nous réserve.

N'ayons peur de rien.

Prends-moi la main.

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
vie /vi/ A1	noun - life
vivre /vivʁ/ A1	verb - to live
voir /vwaʁ/ A1	verb - to see
peur /pœʁ/ A1	noun - fear
main /mɛ̃/ A1	noun - hand
rêver /ʁɛve/ A2	verb - to dream
pays /pei/ A1	noun - country
réserver /ʁezɛʁve/ B1	verb - to reserve, to book; to hold back, to keep for
enivrer /ɑ̃nivʁe/ B2	verb - to intoxicate, to make drunk; (figuratively) to enthrall, to fill with delight
courage /kuʁaʒ/ B1	noun - courage, bravery
preuve /pʁœv/ B1	noun - proof, evidence; test, trial (e.g., 'faire ses preuves' - to prove oneself)
mer /mɛʁ/ A1	noun - sea
attendre /atɑ̃dʁ/ A1	verb - to wait for, to expect
lire /liʁ/ A1	verb - to read
livre /livʁ/ A1	noun - book
gens /ʒɑ̃/ A1	noun - people
temps /tɑ̃/ A1	noun - time; weather
boire /bwaʁ/ A1	verb - to drink
ciel /sjɛl/ A1	noun - sky; heaven
bas /bɑ/ A1	adjective - low

Key Grammar Structures

• Quoi que les gens d'ici pensent,

  ➔ Concessive conjunction 'Quoi que' + Subjunctive

  ➔ The conjunction "Quoi que" (whatever, no matter what) introduces a concessive clause and always requires the subjunctive mood for the verb, here "pensent". It expresses that something happens regardless of the action in the subordinate clause.

• Que l'herbe soit plus verte ailleurs.

  ➔ Subjunctive after expression of possibility/wish (following 'Il y a une chance')

  ➔ The subjunctive verb "soit" (from 'être') is used here because it follows an expression of possibility, "Il y a peut-être une chance que..." (There is perhaps a chance that...). The subjunctive highlights the uncertainty or potential nature of the statement.

• Quand plus rien ne fait mal.

  ➔ Complex negative expression 'plus rien ne'

  ➔ The expression "plus rien ne" means "nothing anymore" or "no longer anything". It combines the negative adverb "plus" (no longer/more) with the negative pronoun "rien" (nothing), both requiring "ne" before the verb "fait".

• Et tu rêves que tu t'enfuis

  ➔ Reflexive verb 's'enfuir' and verb complement 'rêver que' + indicative

  ➔ "Tu t'enfuis" uses the reflexive verb "s'enfuir" (to run away/escape), indicated by the reflexive pronoun "t'" before the verb. "Rêver que" (to dream that) is typically followed by the indicative mood when expressing a dream as a concrete event or a perceived reality.

• Comme celle que tu lis

  ➔ Demonstrative pronoun 'celle' + direct object relative pronoun 'que'

  ➔ "Celle" is a demonstrative pronoun (singular feminine) that refers back to a previously mentioned noun, in this case, "une vie". "Que" is a direct object relative pronoun that replaces the direct object of the verb "lis" (from 'lire'), allowing the two clauses to be linked.

• Ce que la vie nous réserve.

  ➔ Indefinite relative pronoun 'ce que'

  ➔ "Ce que" means "what" or "that which". It is an indefinite relative pronoun used to refer to an unspecified thing or idea, acting as the direct object of the verb "réserve" (reserves). It introduces a nominal clause.

• N'ayons peur de rien.

  ➔ Negative imperative with negative pronoun 'rien'

  ➔ "N'ayons" is the negative imperative form of "avoir" (to have) for the first-person plural ("Let's not have..."). "Rien" (nothing) is a negative pronoun that, combined with "ne" before the verb, forms the complete negation "ne... rien", meaning "nothing at all" or "anything". The full idiomatic expression is "n'avoir peur de rien" (to not be afraid of anything).

• Tu meurs d'envie d'aller voir

  ➔ Idiomatic expression 'mourir d'envie de' + infinitive

  ➔ The expression "mourir d'envie de" literally means "to die of desire to" but is an idiom meaning "to be dying to" or "to be very eager to" do something. It is always followed by an infinitive verb, here "aller voir" (to go see).

• Et si c'était la mer à boire,

  ➔ Hypothetical conditional clause ('Si' + Imperfect)

  ➔ This is a hypothetical conditional clause (often called the second conditional). "Si" (if) is followed by the imperfect tense "c'était" (it was), indicating an unreal or hypothetical condition in the present or future. It suggests a situation that is unlikely or contrary to fact, often leading to a main clause in the conditional mood (implied here). The phrase "la mer à boire" is an idiom for a very difficult task.

• Et bien que la mer t'abreuve.

  ➔ Concessive conjunction 'bien que' + Subjunctive

  ➔ The conjunction "bien que" (although, even though) introduces a subordinate clause expressing a fact or idea that contrasts with the main clause. Like "quoi que", it always requires the subjunctive mood for the verb in the subordinate clause, here "t'abreuve".