Ella, elle l'a – Bilingual Lyrics French/English

• By: France Gall

Lyrics & Translation

Discover "Ella, elle l'a" by France Gall, a vibrant French pop song that not only pays homage to the legendary Ella Fitzgerald but also carries powerful messages of empowerment and anti-racism. Through its infectious rhythm and evocative lyrics, you can delve into the beauty of French music and explore themes of artistic brilliance and resilience.

[English]

It's like a cheer, like a smile

Something in the voice seems to say "Come"

That makes us feel strangely good

...

It's like the whole story of the black people

Swinging between love and despair

Something that dances in you

If you have it, you have it

Ella, she has it

Hou hou houhou hou houhou

This I don't know what

Hou hou houhou hou houhou

That others don't have

That puts us in a funny state

Ella, she has it

Ella, she has it (she has it)

Houhou houhou hou houhou

This funny voice (she has it)

Hou hou houhou hou houhou

This funny joy

This gift from heaven that makes her beautiful

Ella, she has it

Ella, she has it (she has it)

Houhou houhou hou houhou

Ella, she has it (she has it)

Houhou houhou hou houhou

She has

This tiny little extra soul

This indefinable charm

This little flame

Tap on barrels, on pianos

On everything God can put in your hands

Show your laughter or your sorrow

...

But whether you have nothing, whether you are a king

Whether you are still searching for the powers that sleep in you

You see, that can't be bought

When you have it, you have it

Ella, she has it

Houhou houhou hou houhou

This I don't know what

Houhou houhou hou houhou

That others don't have

That puts us in a funny state

Ella, she has it

Ella, she has it (she has it)

Houhou houhou hou houhou

Ella, she has it (she has it)

Houhou houhou hou houhou

Ella, she has it

...

Ella, she has it

Ella, she has it

...

Ella, she has it

Ella, she has it

...

Ella, she has it

...

Ella, she has it

Houhou houhou hou houhou

This I don't know what

That others don't have

...

That puts us in a funny state

Ella, she has it (she has it)

Ella, she has it

Houhou houhou hou houhou

This funny voice

This funny joy

This gift from heaven that makes her beautiful

Ella, she has it (she has it)

Ella, she has it

Houhou houhou hou houhou

Ella, she has it

...

Ella, she has it

That puts us in a funny state

...

[French]

C'est comme une gaieté, comme un sourire

Quelque chose dans la voix qui paraît nous dire "Viens"

Qui nous fait sentir étrangement bien

C'est comme toute l'histoire du peuple noir

Qui se balance entre l'amour et le désespoir

Quelque chose qui danse en toi

Si tu l'as, tu l'as

Ella, elle l'a

Hou hou houhou hou houhou

Ce j'n'sais quoi

Hou hou houhou hou houhou

Que d'autres n'ont pas

Qui nous met dans un drôle d'état

Ella, elle l'a

Ella, elle l'a (elle l'a)

Houhou houhou hou houhou

Cette drôle de voix (elle l'a)

Hou hou houhou hou houhou

Cette drôle de joie

Ce don du ciel qui la rend belle

Ella, elle l'a

Ella, elle l'a (elle l'a)

Houhou houhou hou houhou

Ella, elle l'a (elle l'a)

Houhou houhou hou houhou

Elle a

Ce tout petit supplément d'âme

Cet indéfinissable charme

Cette petite flamme

Tape sur des tonneaux, sur des pianos

Sur tout ce que Dieu peut te mettre entre les mains

Montre ton rire ou ton chagrin

Mais que tu n'aies riens, que tu sois roi

Que tu cherches encore les pouvoirs qui dorment en toi

Tu vois ça ne s'achète pas

Quand tu l'as, tu l'as

Ella, elle l'a

Houhou houhou hou houhou

Ce j'n'sais quoi

Houhou houhou hou houhou

Que d'autres n'ont pas

Qui nous met dans un drôle d'état

Ella, elle l'a

Ella, elle l'a (elle l'a)

Houhou houhou hou houhou

Ella, elle l'a (elle l'a)

Houhou houhou hou houhou

Ella, elle l'a

Ella, elle l'a

Ella, elle l'a

Ella, elle l'a

Ella, elle l'a

Ella, elle l'a

Ella, elle l'a

Houhou houhou hou houhou

Ce j'n'sais quoi

Que d'autres n'ont pas

Qui nous met dans un drôle d'état

Ella, elle l'a (elle l'a)

Ella, elle l'a

Houhou houhou hou houhou

Cette drôle de voix

Cette drôle de joie

Ce don du ciel qui la rend belle

Ella, elle l'a (elle l'a)

Ella, elle l'a

Houhou houhou hou houhou

Ella, elle l'a

Ella, elle l'a

Qui nous met dans un drôle d'état

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
sourire /suʁiʁ/ A2	noun - smile
voix /vwa/ A2	noun - voice
amour /amuʁ/ A2	noun - love
espoir /ɛs.pwaʁ/ B1	noun - hope
danse /dɑ̃s/ A2	noun - dance
ciel /sjɛl/ A2	noun - sky
flamme /flam/ B1	noun - flame
charmé /ʃaʁ.me/ B2	adjective - charmed, enchanted
pouvoirs /puvwaʁ/ B2	noun - powers
rires /ʁiʁ/ A2	noun - laughter
drôle /dʁɔl/ A2	adjective - funny
joie /ʒwa/ A2	noun - joy
ciel /sjɛl/ A2	noun - sky

Key Grammar Structures

• C'est comme une gaieté, comme un sourire

  ➔ Use of 'c'est' + adjective/noun to describe a quality or state

  ➔ 'C'est' is a French construction meaning 'it is' used with nouns or adjectives.

• Elle l'a

  ➔ Use of direct object pronoun 'l'' + verb to indicate possession

  ➔ In French, 'l'' is a contraction of 'le' or 'la', used as a direct object pronoun before a verb.

• Que d'autres n'ont pas

  ➔ Negative expression with 'ne' + auxiliary verb + 'pas' to indicate 'not having'

  ➔ 'Ne' + verb + 'pas' forms the standard French negation meaning 'not'.

• Ce j'n'sais quoi

  ➔ Expression meaning 'I don't know what' indicating an indefinable quality

  ➔ 'Je ne sais quoi' is a French phrase meaning 'I don't know what', used to describe an indefinable charm or quality.

• Montre ton rire ou ton chagrin

  ➔ Imperative form of 'montrer' + possessive pronoun + noun, giving a command

  ➔ 'Montre' is the imperative form of 'montrer' meaning 'to show', used here as a command to 'show your laughter or sorrow'.