Le petit cheval – Bilingual Lyrics French/English

• By: Georges Brassens

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the poignant beauty of Georges Brassens's "Le petit cheval." This beloved French chanson, set to Paul Fort's poem, uses the story of a courageous little horse to explore themes of struggle, hope, and mortality. Through its simple yet profound lyrics and Brassens's distinctive musicality, you can delve into the heart of French poetry and experience a song that resonates with deep emotion, making it a special piece for appreciating the nuances of the French language and its artistic expression.

[English]

The little horse in bad weather

He certainly had courage

He was a little white horse

All behind, all behind

He was a little white horse

All behind and him in front

There was never nice weather

In this poor landscape

There was never spring

Neither behind, nor behind

There was never spring

Neither behind, nor in front

But always, he was happy

Leading the village boys

Through the black rain of the fields

All behind, all behind

Through the black rain of the fields

All behind and him in front

His cart was moving forward

His beautiful little wild tail

That's when he was happy

All behind, all behind

That's when he was happy

All behind and him in front

But one day, in bad weather

One day when he was so wise

He died by a white lightning

All behind, all behind

He died by a white lightning

All behind and him in front

He died without seeing nice weather

He certainly had courage

He died without seeing spring

Neither behind, nor behind

He died without seeing nice weather

Neither behind, nor in front

...

[French]

Le petit cheval dans le mauvais temps

Qu'il avait donc du courage

C'était un petit cheval blanc

Tous derrière, tous derrière

C'était un petit cheval blanc

Tous derrière et lui devant

Il n'y avait jamais de beau temps

Dans ce pauvre paysage

Il n'y avait jamais de printemps

Ni derrière, ni derrière

Il n'y avait jamais de printemps

Ni derrière, ni devant

Mais toujours, il était content

Menant les gars du village

À travers la pluie noire des champs

Tous derrière, tous derrière

À travers la pluie noire des champs

Tous derrière et lui devant

Sa voiture allait poursuivant

Sa belle petite queue sauvage

C'est alors qu'il était content

Tous derrière, tous derrière

C'est alors qu'il était content

Tous derrière et lui devant

Mais un jour, dans le mauvais temps

Un jour qu'il était si sage

Il est mort par un éclair blanc

Tous derrière, tous derrière

Il est mort par un éclair blanc

Tous derrière et lui devant

Il est mort sans voir le beau temps

Qu'il avait donc du courage

Il est mort sans voir le printemps

Ni derrière, ni derrière

Il est mort sans voir le beau temps

Ni derrière, ni devant

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
cheval /ʃəval/ A2	noun - horse
paysage /paizɑʒ/ B1	noun - landscape
printemps /pʁɛ̃.tɑ̃/ A2	noun - spring
courage /ku.ʁaʒ/ B2	noun - courage, bravery
temps /tɑ̃/ A1	noun - weather or time
temps /tɑ̃/ A1	noun - weather or time
mauvais /movɛ/ A2	adjective - bad, poor
content /kɔ̃.tɑ̃/ B2	adjective - happy, satisfied
sage /sɑʒ/ B2	adjective - wise
mort /mɔʁ/ A2	verb - to die
éclair /ek.lɛʁ/ B2	noun - lightning
derrière /dɛʁjɛʁ/ A2	noun - back, behind
devant /də.vɑ̃/ A2	noun - front, ahead
poursuivant /pu.sɥi.vɑ̃/ C1	verb (participle) - continuing, pursuing
queue /k/ A2	noun - tail, line

Key Grammar Structures

• Le petit cheval dans le mauvais temps

  ➔ Noun phrase with prepositional phrase

  ➔ The phrase "Le petit cheval" (The little horse) is a noun phrase that describes the subject, while "dans le mauvais temps" (in bad weather) provides additional information about the circumstances.

• Il n'y avait jamais de beau temps

  ➔ Imparfait tense for past descriptions

  ➔ The phrase "Il n'y avait jamais de beau temps" (There was never nice weather) uses the imparfait tense to describe a continuous state in the past.

• Mais toujours, il était content

  ➔ Use of 'mais' for contrast

  ➔ The word "Mais" (But) introduces a contrast to the previous statement, emphasizing that despite the circumstances, the horse was happy.

• Il est mort par un éclair blanc

  ➔ Passé composé for completed actions

  ➔ The phrase "Il est mort" (He died) uses the passé composé to indicate a completed action in the past.

• Ni derrière, ni devant

  ➔ Use of 'ni...ni' for negation

  ➔ The structure "Ni derrière, ni devant" (Neither behind nor in front) emphasizes the absence of both conditions.