Hors Piste – Bilingual Lyrics French/English

• By: Poupie
• Album: Enfant Roi

Lyrics & Translation

Explore the French language through Poupie's captivating song "Hors Piste." This track offers a powerful message of self-reliance and navigating life's uncertainties, making it a great entry point for language learners seeking to connect with contemporary French culture and expression.

[English]

I can't see the road two meters ahead

I’m picking up speed without thinking

Seriously, I was just a moment away

From making a sensible decision

I don’t want to hear "maybe" anymore

Or "probably" or "if ever"

I’ll think about later

Only when it’s all over

There are too many people in a hurry

Who would want to put pressure on you

Just because they broke

Parts during the mission

But you’re in the passenger seat

I don’t have a license to drive

You say I’m not wise

But I don’t allow myself that much

I took the longest road

To get there without rushing

My free will is my shadow

So I take care of it like a treasure

I can't see the road two meters ahead

I’m picking up speed without thinking

I’ll think about later

Only when it’s all over

I’m just passing through and I know it

For that, I’ve tightened the bonds

Do you know how much you love me?

Are you sure it’s certain?

I can't see the road two meters ahead

I can't see the road two meters ahead

I can't see the road two meters ahead

And if I could see a hundred meters ahead

Not sure I would have done all this

I’d rather not know what awaits me

In case I wouldn’t like it

Besides, no one knows what awaits them

But we still make plans

Just in case our existences

Don’t boil down to memes

I can't see the road one meter ahead

Right there, and I believe I’ll never falter

I won’t slow down my quest

Even if it starts to lean

Knowing how to lose but wanting to win

Ending up shot down, losing my mind

Going through the worst but healing

I’ve seen hope in parties

I’ve seen history in my head

It’s all blurry but so well-kept

I can't see the road one meter ahead

I’ve lost everything but I’ve won

I can't see the road one meter ahead

I’ve lost everything but I’ve won

I can't see the road two meters ahead

I can't see the road two meters ahead

I can't see the road two meters ahead

[French]

J’vois plus la route à 2 mètres

J’prends d’la vitesse sans penser

Sans rire j’étais à deux doigts

D’prendre une décision censée

J’aime plus entendre que « peut-être »

Que « sans doute » que « si jamais »

J’repenserai à plus tard

Seulement quand ça sera passé

Y’a trop de gens pressés

Qui voudraient te mettre la pression

Juste parce que se sont cassé

Des parties pendant la mission

Mais t’es sur le siège passager

J’ai pas le permis au volant

Tu dis que j’suis pas sage

Mais moi je m’permets pas autant

J’ai pris la route la plus longue

Pour y arriver sans me presser

Mon libre arbitre c’est mon ombre

Donc j’en prends soin comme d’un trésor

J’vois plus la route à 2 mètres

J’prends d’la vitesse sans penser

J’repenserai à plus tard

Seulement quand ça sera passé

J’suis que d’passage et j’le sais

Pour ça j’ai resserré les liens

Est-ce que tu sais combien tu m’aimes ?

Est-ce t’es sûr que c’est certain ?

J’vois plus la route à 2 mètres

J’vois plus la route à 2 mètres

J’vois plus la route à 2 mètres

Et si j’voyais 100 mètres devant

Pas sûre qu’j’aurais fait tout ça

J’préfère pas savoir ce qui m’attend

Au cas où ça m’plairait pas

D’ailleurs personne sait c’qui l’attend

Mais on fait des plans quand même

Juste au cas où nos existences

Se résumeraient pas en memes

J’vois plus la route à 1 mètre

Là et j’crois bien j’vais jamais flancher

J’vais pas ralentir ma quête

Même si ça commence à pencher

Savoir perdre mais vouloir gagner

Finir flinguée perdre la tête

Passer par le pire mais soigner

J’ai vu l’espoir dans des fêtes

J’ai vu l’histoire dans ma tête

C’est tout flou mais c'est si soigné

J’vois plus la route à 1 mètre

J’ai tout perdu mais j’ai gagné

J’vois plus la route à 1 mètre

J’ai tout perdu mais j’ai gagné

J’vois plus la route à 2 mètres

J’vois plus la route à 2 mètres

J’vois plus la route à 2 mètres

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
route /ruːt/ A2	noun - a way or course taken in getting from a starting point to a destination
vitesse /viˈtɛs/ B1	noun - the speed of something in a given direction
décision /de.si.zjɔ̃/ B1	noun - a conclusion or resolution reached after consideration
pression /pʁe.sjɔ̃/ B2	noun - the exertion of force upon a surface by an object, fluid, etc.
ombre /ɔ̃bʁ/ B2	noun - a dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface
libre arbitre /libʁ aʁbitʁ/ C1	noun - the ability to make choices free from external constraints
espoir /ɛs.pwaʁ/ B2	noun - a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen
gagner /ɡa.ɲe/ A2	verb - to win or achieve something
perdre /pɛʁdʁ/ A2	verb - to lose something
flancher /flɑ̃.ʃe/ B2	verb - to weaken or fail in strength
mission /mi.sjɔ̃/ B1	noun - an important assignment or task

Key Grammar Structures

• J’vois plus la route à 2 mètres

  ➔ Negation with 'plus' to express 'no longer' or 'not anymore'.

  ➔ 'Plus' is used in French as a negation word in colloquial speech, similar to 'no longer' or 'not anymore'.

• J’prends d’la vitesse sans penser

  ➔ Using the verb 'prendre' in the present tense with a contracted form, meaning 'to take' or 'to accelerate'.

  ➔ 'Prends' is the conjugated form of 'prendre' (to take) in the present tense, often used colloquially for 'I take' or 'I am taking'.

• J’voir la route à 2 mètres

  ➔ Using the regular verb 'voir' in the present tense with contractive forms, meaning 'to see'.

  ➔ 'Voir' is a verb meaning 'to see', conjugated here in the first person singular present tense as 'j’voir' in informal speech.

• J’vais jamais flancher

  ➔ Using the near-future tense 'je vais' + infinitive, combined with 'jamais' for 'never'.

  ➔ 'Vais' is the conjugation of 'aller' in the present tense used to form the near future, and 'jamais' means 'never'.

• Passer par le pire mais soigner

  ➔ Using the preposition 'par' with the verb 'passer' to indicate going through a difficult experience.

  ➔ 'Passer par' is a French idiomatic expression meaning 'to go through' or 'to experience,' often in the context of difficulty.

• J’voir tout perdu mais j’ai gagné

  ➔ Using 'tout perdu' with the verb 'avoir' in passé composé to mean 'everything lost', contrasted with 'gagné' (won) to express overcoming loss.

  ➔ 'Tout perdu' is an idiomatic expression using the past participle of 'perdre' (to lose), used with 'avoir' in passé composé, to describe having lost everything.