Londres en Mars – Bilingual Lyrics French/English

• By: Bigflo & Oli

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the lyrical world of French rap with Bigflo & Oli's "Londres en Mars." This song offers an authentic glimpse into contemporary French language and culture through its vivid storytelling and introspective themes. Listen closely to the sharp, rapid-fire flows and clever wordplay to grasp the nuances of French expression, and discover how the duo skillfully blends personal reflections with references to iconic British landmarks. It's a perfect track to experience the dynamism of French rap while learning about a global city.

[English]

Baby, you don't know how to measure it.

I already gotta save myself.

I can't be a savior.

I got into this game without a ticket, we jumped the turnstile.

Like two scammers.

There's a fight in front of the club.

Damn, things are heating up.

Signal the driver.

I'm not interested in their opinions.

They're just jokes, yeah.

They're just bloggers.

I protect my brother for life.

So if I'm Vi.

Then Oli is Powder.

Life is unfair.

If I was born in the States.

I'd probably be on Power.

I didn't want to show you that you were hurting me.

So I kept a straight face.

Like in poker.

Each one's strength, each one's place.

If Oli is the Ace, then I'm the Joker.

Look me in the eyes, tell me the truth.

The older I get, the more I think I deserved it.

There's nothing to gain from it except RIPs.

I'll be dead anyway, fuck posterity.

I start to meditate, soon I'm gonna levitate.

Soon I'm gonna guide them, I'm gonna make them recite.

The machines count the cash, they do it.

The machines count the cash, they do it everyday.

I'm at the age where the young guys want me as a mentor.

I'm watching the hill, waiting for the reinforcements to arrive.

Young crow turned into a great condor.

When you get rich, you get stuck in comfort.

Oli isn't tired, he wants to fuck them over again.

It took me a while to say it but it's true, I was wrong.

I hide my feelings in Pandora's box.

I watch her smiling while she falls asleep.

Oli, my brother, makes art.

Every word is gold.

We come from far, it starts from there.

I've changed, I think I forgive you.

My mom's health.

My reflection in the Garonne River.

Sometimes I tell myself that it is made of tears.

You know the artist but not the man.

I'm gonna ruin the trip for myself if I anticipate the crash.

Curious, I'd like to see everything they're hiding from us.

They're not really fighting, they're doing wrestling.

Close-ups, fake blood, fake trash.

His hand is shaking on the gun during the hostage-taking.

I'm always wary of the hidden side of guys who are too wise.

Ephemeral career, the artists panic.

Like the pianist who played on the Titanic.

Am I mad at life? Like a guy in paradise.

Killed by a rifle? The day I run out of inspiration.

I diversify, I anticipate the end of oil like a Qatari.

If you hate me, it's because we're alike.

Tell me, what's left of adolescence?

Phoenix in my lyrics, I have to mix.

Art with tears, ink with ashes.

Incessant thoughts, strange phenomenon.

Impossible for you to feel the life I lead.

And you're starting to understand.

That you didn't understand?

I avenged my ancestors, we're even.

Fake escape to see who's the traitor in the team.

Is the grass greener on the other side?

If the lawn is synthetic?

London, first school trip, I was counting the coins for a keychain.

Years later, sold-out concert, fulfilled future thirty-year-old.

I've closed the circle of my loved ones, yeah.

It's a feeling, it's not a small whim.

You want to hurt me? That's ugly, when you get close, my scar hurts.

The fans and friends are fast like a cop.

And a pickpocket from Oxford Street.

After myself, big chase.

Where I'm going to make a false lead again.

My elementary school friend just had a kid.

That's it, he's finally touching his dream life.

He tells me about the magic of birth.

Meanwhile, I'm trying to give birth to a mixtape.

Let's go.

[French]

Baby tu sais pas doser

J’dois déjà me sauver

J’peux pas être sauveur

J’suis rentré dans c’game sans ticket, on a sauté le portique

Comme deux fraudeurs

Ça s’tape devant la boîte

Putain c’est en train d’chauffer

Fais signe au chauffeur

Leurs avis m’intéressent pas, eux

C’est que des blagues ouais

C’est que des blogueurs

J’protège mon frère à vie

Donc si je suis Vi

Alors Oli c’est Powder

La vie est mal faite

Si j’étais né aux States

Je serais sûrement dans Power

J’voulais pas te montrer que tu me faisais mal

Donc j’ai gardé la face

Comme au poker

Chacun sa force, chacun sa place

Si Oli c’est l’As, alors moi j’suis le Joker

Regarde-moi dans les yeux, dis-moi la vérité

Plus j’vieillis, plus j’me dis que je l’ai mérité

Y’a rien à y gagner à part des RIP

J’serai mort de toute façon, fuck la postérité

J’me mets à méditer, bientôt j’vais léviter

Bientôt je vais les guider, je vais les faire réciter

Les machines comptent le cash, elles le font

Les machines comptent le cash, elles le font everyday

J’ai l’âge où les petits me veulent comme mentor

Je mate la colline, j’attends l’arrivée des renforts

Jeune corbeau devenu grand condor

Quand tu deviens riche, tu t’enlises dans le confort

Oli est pas fatigué, il veut les niquer encore

J’ai mis du temps à le dire mais c’est vrai j’étais en tort

Je cache mes sentiments dans la boîte de Pandore

Je la regarde en souriant pendant qu’elle s’endort

Oli mon frère fait de l’art,

Chaque parole c’est de l’or

Nous on vient de loin, ça part de là

J’ai changé, j’crois j’vous pardonne

La santé de la daronne

Mon reflet dans la Garonne

Des fois j’me dis qu’elle est faite de larmes

Tu connais l’artiste mais pas l’homme

Je vais me gâcher le voyage si j’anticipe le crash

Curieux, j’aimerais voir tout ce qu’ils nous cachent

Ils se battent pas vraiment, ils font du catch

Des gros plans, du faux sang, du faux trash

Sa main tremble sur le gun pendant la prise d’otage

Je me méfie toujours de la face cachée des types trop sages

Carrière éphémère, les artistes paniquent

Comme le pianiste qui jouait sur le Titanic

J’en veux à la vie ? Comme un type au paradis

Tué par une carabine ? Le jour où j’ai plus d’inspi

Je me diversifie, j’anticipe la fin du pétrole comme un Qatari

Si tu me détestes, c’est qu’on se ressemble

Dis-moi, qu’est-ce qu’il reste de l’adolescence ?

Phénix dans mes textes, faut que je mélange

L’art avec les larmes, l’encre avec les cendres

Pensées incessantes, étrange phénomène

Impossible que tu ressentes la vie que je mène

Et tu commences à comprendre

Que t’avais pas compris ?

J’ai vengé mes ancêtres, on est quitte

Fausse fuite pour voir qui est le traître dans l’équipe

Est-ce que l’herbe est plus verte chez le voisin

Si le gazon est synthétique ?

London, premier voyage scolaire, je comptais les pièces pour un porte-clés

Des années plus tard, concert complet, futur trentenaire comblé

J’ai refermé le cercle de mes proches, ouais

C’est du feeling, c’est pas un petit caprice

Tu me veux du mal ? C’est moche, quand tu t’approches, j’ai mal à ma cicatrice

Les fans et les potes sont speed comme un flic

Et un pickpocket de Oxford Street

Après moi-même, grosse course poursuite

Où je vais encore faire fausse piste

Mon pote de la primaire vient d’avoir un enfant

Ça y est, il touche enfin du doigt sa vie de rêve

Il me raconte la magie de la naissance

Pendant ce temps, j’essaye de mettre au monde une mixtape

Let's go

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
sauver /so.ve/ A1	verb - to save, rescue
vie /vi/ A1	noun - life
yeux /jø/ A1	noun - eyes
frère /fʁɛʁ/ A1	noun - brother
fois /fwa/ A2	noun - time, instance
vérité /ve.ʁi.te/ A2	noun - truth
argent /aʁ.ʒɑ̃/ A2	noun - money
temps /tɑ̃/ A2	noun - time
mal /mal/ A2	noun - pain, evil
cacher /ka.ʃe/ B1	verb - to hide
changer /ʃɑ̃.ʒe/ B1	verb - to change
voyage /vwa.jaʒ/ B1	noun - travel, journey
approche /a.pʁɔʃ/ B2	noun - approach
comprendre /kɔ̃.pʁɑ̃dʁ/ B2	verb - to understand
ressentir /ʁə.sɑ̃.tiʁ/ B2	verb - to feel, experience
anticiper /ɑ̃.ti.si.pe/ C1	verb - to anticipate
inspi /ɛ̃spi/ C1	noun - inspiration
phénomène /fe.nɔ.mɛn/ C1	noun - phenomenon

Key Grammar Structures

• J’dois déjà me sauver

  ➔ Use of 'devoir' + infinitive expressing obligation or necessity (slightly less formal than 'il faut')

  ➔ 'J'dois' is a shortened, colloquial version of 'Je dois.' It indicates 'I have to' or 'I must' save myself.

• Si j’étais né aux States, Je serais sûrement dans Power

  ➔ Second conditional: 'Si' + imperfect subjunctive, then conditional present. Expressing a hypothetical situation in the present or future.

  ➔ This line uses the second conditional to imagine a different life if he were born in the United States. 'Si j'étais né' (if I were born) and 'Je serais' (I would be).

• Plus j’vieillis, plus j’me dis que je l’ai mérité

  ➔ Comparative structure 'Plus...plus' expressing increasing correlation: 'The more...the more...'

  ➔ This line uses 'Plus...plus' to show that as he gets older, he increasingly feels he deserves something (perhaps the success or hardships he's experiencing).

• J’ai changé, j’crois j’vous pardonne

  ➔ Use of 'croire' + indicative to express a belief or opinion. The 'j'crois' is a shortened, colloquial form of 'je crois'.

  ➔ 'J'crois' means 'I think' or 'I believe'. It's followed by 'j'vous pardonne' (I forgive you), showing a shift in his perspective.

• Je vais me gâcher le voyage si j’anticipe le crash

  ➔ Future proche ('vais' + infinitive) to express an immediate future action. Conditional sentence using 'si' + present indicative, then future proche.

  ➔ This line says that he will ruin the trip if he anticipates the crash. The 'si' clause expresses the condition: If he anticipates the crash, then the result will be that he will ruin the trip.