Angela – Bilingual Lyrics French/English

• By: Yannick Noah

Lyrics & Translation

Explore Yannick Noah's powerful song "Angela," a moving tribute to activist Angela Davis that delves into the history of the civil rights movement. Through its blend of French pop with reggae and gospel influences, "Angela" offers a message of hope and solidarity, inviting listeners to connect with important historical struggles and the ongoing fight for human rights.

[English]

In 1968, America is frozen in time

An angel protests, the nuts are rusty

I'm black and I'm proud, the breath of ghettos

Black gloves rise one night in Mexico City

Martin Luther King's tortured dream

A naked child, Bobby, was murdered

Black panthers hunted, lessons in intolerance

This woman is guilty, guilty of hope

Oh Angela, Angela

My home is your home

Oh Angela, Angela

You know you'll never walk alone

In November 2008, one night in Chicago

The states unite and change their skin

If the world bows down and speaks of luck

Tonight, Angela, I think of you

Oh Angela, Angela

My home is your home

Oh Angela, Angela

You know you'll never walk alone

Angela, my sister, Angela, my sister

My home is your home

Angela, my sister, Angela, my sister

Your name echoes in our lives

Oh Angela, Angela

My home is your home

Oh Angela, Angela

Your name echoes in our lives

Oh Angela, Angela

My home is your home

Oh Angela, Angela

You know you'll never walk alone

Oh Angela, Angela

My home is your home

Oh Angela, Angela

You know you'll never walk alone

...

[French]

Dix-neuf-cent-soixante-huit l'Amérique est figée

Un ange proteste les écrous sont rouillés

I'm black and I'm proud le souffle des ghettos

Des gants noirs se lèvent un soir à Mexico

Le rêve martyrisé de Martin Luther King

Une enfant nue brûlée Bobby qu'on assassine

Panthères noires traquées leçon d'intolérance

Cette femme est coupable coupable d'espérance

Oh Angela Angela

My home is your home

Oh Angela Angela

You know you'll never walk alone

En novembre 2008 un soir à Chicago

Les États qui s'unissent et changent de peau

Si le monde s'incline et nous parle de chance

Ce soir Angela c'est à toi que je pense

Oh Angela Angela

My home is your home

Oh Angela Angela

You know you'll never walk alone

Angela my sister Angela my sister

My home is your home

Angela my sister Angela my sister

Ton nom dans nos vies résonne

Oh Angela Angela

My home is your home

Oh Angela Angela

Ton nom dans nos vies résonne

Oh Angela Angela

My home is your home

Oh Angela Angela

You know you'll never walk alone

Oh Angela Angela

My home is your home

Oh Angela Angela

You know you'll never walk alone

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
ange /ɑ̃ʒ/ A2	noun - angel
protester /pʁɔ.tɛs.te/ B1	verb - to protest
rêve /ʁɛv/ A2	noun - dream
enfant /ɑ̃.fɑ̃/ A1	noun - child
brûler /bʁy.le/ A2	verb - to burn
coupable /ku.pabl/ B1	adjective - guilty noun - guilty one
espérance /ɛs.pe.ʁɑ̃s/ B2	noun - hope
monde /mɔ̃d/ A1	noun - world
chance /ʃɑ̃s/ A2	noun - chance
nom /nɔ̃/ A1	noun - name
vie /vi/ A1	noun - life
ghetto /ɡɛ.to/ B1	noun - ghetto
noir /nwaʁ/ A1	adjective - black
souffle /sufl/ B1	noun - breath

Key Grammar Structures

• Dix-neuf-cent-soixante-huit l'Amérique est figée

  ➔ Present tense of the verb 'être' used for describing a state

  ➔ 'Est' is the third person singular form of 'être' (to be) in present tense.

• Un ange proteste les écrous sont rouillés

  ➔ Present tense to express a general fact or ongoing action

  ➔ 'Proteste' is the third person singular form of 'protester' in present tense.

• My home is your home

  ➔ Simple present tense of 'to be' to indicate identity or equality

  ➔ 'Is' is the third person singular form of 'to be' in present tense.

• Les États qui s'unissent et changent de peau

  ➔ Present tense for habitual or ongoing actions with reflexive pronoun 's''

  ➔ The verb 's'unissent' is in the present tense, indicating an ongoing or habitual action.

• Oh Angela Angela

  ➔ Repetition for emphasis, using proper noun as a form of address

  ➔ Repetition of the name 'Angela' emphasizes importance and emotional expression.

• You know you'll never walk alone

  ➔ Use of future tense 'will' + 'never' to express certainty about a future action

  ➔ 'Will' indicates future tense, 'never' emphasizes certainty about never being alone.

• My name dans nos vies résonne

  ➔ Use of 'dans' as a French preposition meaning 'in' to show location/context

  ➔ 'Dans' is a French preposition meaning 'in,' used here to indicate 'in our lives.'