Je sais pas jouer – Bilingual Lyrics French/English

• By: Pierpoljak
• Album: La roue tourne Igo

Lyrics & Translation

Discover "Je sais pas jouer" by Pierpoljak, a quintessential reggae track that embodies the artist's authentic commitment to his musical roots. Through its catchy rhythm and straightforward lyrics, the song celebrates individuality and staying true to one's passion, offering a glimpse into the heart of French reggae.

[English]

I don't know how to play

Anything but reggae

I don't know how to dance

I only move to reggae

I don't know how to sing

Anything but reggae

I don't know how to dance

I only move to reggae

The artistic directors

Have the science of music

They know what's good or not

Oh, they say, Mr. Pekah

You have a nice voice

But why be so stubborn?

Rather grab an acoustic guitar

Let your hair grow long

And your rating will skyrocket

Whohoho

Blah blah blah

They say yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Blah blah

Yes, I let them talk (talk)

And waste their time

They talk all the time

Yes, I let them talk (I let them talk)

And wear out their saliva

They talk all the time

I don't know how to play

Anything but reggae

I don't know how to dance

I only move to reggae

I don't know how to play

Anything but reggae

I don't know how to dance

I only move to reggae

In politics it's easy

Oh, you just have to be clever

To lead the cattle to graze

But I'm not the kind of bison

Who likes sticks

Barbed wire as a horizon

I don't know how to play

Anything but reggae

I don't know how to sing

I only move to reggae

I don't know how to play

Anything but reggae

I don't know how to dance

I only move to reggae

I even tried business

But I'm not good at being a gangster

I get ripped off every time

At the factory and on the construction site

It's not that I'm bad

But I break everything I touch

I don't know how to play

Anything but reggae

I don't know how to dance

I only move to reggae

I don't know how to play

Anything but reggae

I don't know how to dance

I only move to reggae

...

[French]

J'sais pas jouer

Autre chose que du reggae

J'sais pas danser

J'remue que sur le reggae

J'sais pas chanter

Autre chose que du reggae

J'sais pas danser

J'remue que sur le reggae

Les directeurs artistiques

Ont la science en musique

Ils savent ce qui est bon ou pas

Oh, ils disent monsieur Pekah

Tu as une jolie voix

Mais pourquoi t'entêter comme ça

Prends plutôt une gratte sèche

Laisse-toi pousser la mèche

Et ta cote va monter en flèche

Whohoho

Blah blah blah

Ils disent des ouais, ouais, ouais, ouais

Blah blah

Oui, je les laisse parler (parler)

Et perdre leur temps

Ils parlent tout le temps

Oui, je les laisse parler (je les laisse parler)

Et user leur salive

Ils parlent tout le temps

Moi j'sais pas jouer

Autre chose que du reggae

J'sais pas danser

J'remue que sur le reggae

J'sais pas jouer

Autre chose que du reggae

J'sais pas danser

J'remue que sur le reggae

En politique c'est facile

Oh, il suffit d'être habile

Pour emmener brouter les bœufs

Mais j'suis pas le genre de bison

Qui aime les bâtons

Les barbelés pour horizon

Moi j'sais pas jouer

Autre chose que du reggae

J'sais pas chanter

J'remue que sur le reggae

J'sais pas jouer

Autre chose que du reggae

J'sais pas danser

J'remue que sur le reggae

J'ai même essayé les affaires

Mais j'suis pas bon en gangster

J'me fais avoir à tous les coups

À l'usine et au chantier

C'est pas qu'je sois mauvais

Mais je casse tout ce que je touche

J'sais pas jouer

Autre chose que du reggae

J'sais pas danser

J'remue que sur le reggae

J'sais pas jouer

Autre chose que du reggae

J'sais pas danser

J'remue que sur le reggae

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
jouer /ʒwe/ A1	verb - to play
chanter /ʃɑ̃te/ A1	verb - to sing
danser /dɑ̃se/ A1	verb - to dance
temps /tɑ̃/ A1	noun - time
musique /myzik/ A1	noun - music
voix /vwa/ A2	noun - voice
cote /kɔt/ B1	noun - rating, popularity
science /sjɑ̃s/ B1	noun - knowledge, science
bon /bɔ̃/ A1	adjective - good
affaire /afɛːʁ/ B1	noun - business, matter
facile /fasil/ A2	adjective - easy
genre /ʒɑ̃ʁ/ A2	noun - type, kind
salive /saliv/ B2	noun - saliva
usine /yzin/ A2	noun - factory
chantier /ʃɑ̃tje/ B1	noun - building site
politique /pɔlitik/ B1	noun - politics adjective - political

Key Grammar Structures

• J'sais pas jouer Autre chose que du reggae

  ➔ "Autre chose que" + noun

  ➔ This structure means "nothing else but" or "only". It specifies the only thing the subject can do or is associated with.

• J'remue que sur le reggae

  ➔ "Ne ... que" (implied here: "je ne remue que")

  ➔ This means "I only move to reggae." The "ne" is often dropped in spoken French, making it "je remue que sur le reggae", but the meaning remains the same: restriction. It emphasizes that he only moves to reggae music.

• Ils disent monsieur Pekah, Tu as une jolie voix, Mais pourquoi t'entêter comme ça

  ➔ Use of "s'entêter" + "comme ça"

  ➔ "S'entêter" means "to be stubborn" or "to insist". "Comme ça" means "like that" or "in that way". Here, "pourquoi t'entêter comme ça" means "Why are you being so stubborn?" or "Why do you insist on it that way?".

• Prends plutôt une gratte sèche, Laisse-toi pousser la mèche

  ➔ Imperative mood with reflexive verb "se laisser"

  ➔ "Laisse-toi pousser la mèche" translates to "Let your hair grow long." The verb "se laisser" in this context means "to let oneself". It is used in the imperative mood to give advice.

• Et ta cote va monter en flèche

  ➔ Future tense using "aller" + infinitive. Idiomatic expression "monter en flèche".

  ➔ "Va monter" is the near future tense, indicating something that will happen soon. "Monter en flèche" means to increase sharply or skyrocket. The sentence means "And your popularity will skyrocket."

• Pour emmener brouter les bœufs

  ➔ Infinitive of purpose after 'pour'

  ➔ "Pour" indicates the purpose or reason for an action. In this case, "pour emmener brouter les bœufs" explains the purpose: to lead the oxen to graze. It means in order to lead the oxen to graze.

• C'est pas qu'je sois mauvais, Mais je casse tout ce que je touche

  ➔ "Ce n'est pas que" + subjunctive + "mais"

  ➔ This structure means "It's not that... but". It is used to introduce a statement that clarifies or corrects a previous assumption. Note the use of the subjunctive ("sois") after "ce n'est pas que".