Mon amant de Saint-Jean – Bilingual Lyrics French/English

• By: Patrick Bruel

Lyrics & Translation

Explore the timeless French chanson "Mon amant de Saint-Jean" as interpreted by Patrick Bruel. This song, with its evocative lyrics about love and loss, offers a window into French culture and the enduring power of romantic melodies, making it a beautiful piece to connect with the language.

[English]

I don’t know why she went dancing

In Saint Jean at the musette

But when that guy took her a kiss

She shivered, was so caught up

How can you not lose your mind

Held tight by daring arms

Because we always believe

In gentle words of love

When they’re spoken with the eyes

She loved him so much

She thought he was the most handsome in Saint Jean

She remained dazed

Without will

Under his kisses

Without thinking anymore, she gave herself

The best of herself

A smooth talker every time he lied

She knew it, but she loved him

How can you not lose your mind

Held tight by daring arms

Because we always believe

In gentle words of love

When they’re spoken with the eyes

She loved him so much

She thought he was the most handsome in Saint Jean

She remained dazed

Without will

Under his kisses

But alas, in Saint Jean as elsewhere

A promise is just a deception

She was crazy to believe in happiness

And to want to keep her heart

How can you not lose your mind

Held tight by daring arms

Because we always believe

In gentle words of love

When they’re spoken with the eyes

She loved him so much,

She thought he was the most handsome in Saint Jean,

She remained dazed

Without will

Under his kisses

...

She loved him so much

She thought he was the most handsome in Saint Jean,

He no longer loves her

It’s in the past

Let’s not talk about it anymore

He no longer loves her

It’s in the past

Let’s not talk about it anymore

...

[French]

Je ne sais pourquoi elle allait danser

à Saint Jean au musette

Mais quand ce gars lui a pris un baiser

Elle frissonnait, était chipée

Comment ne pas perdre la tête

Serré par des bras audacieux

Car l'on croit toujours

Aux doux mots d'amour

Quand ils sont dits avec les yeux

Elle qui l'aimait tant

Elle le trouvait le plus beau de Saint Jean

Elle restait grisée

Sans volonté

Sous ses baisers

Sans plus réfléchir, elle lui donnait

Le meilleur de son être

Beau parleur chaque fois qu'il mentait

Elle le savait, mais elle l'aimait

Comment ne pas perdre la tête

Serré par des bras audacieux

Car l'on croit toujours

Aux doux mots d'amour

Quand ils sont dits avec les yeux

Elle qui l'aimait tant

Elle le trouvait le plus beau de Saint Jean

Elle restait grisée

Sans volonté

Sous ses baisers

Mais hélas, à Saint Jean comme ailleurs

Un serment n'est qu'un leurre

Elle était folle de croire au bonheur

Et de vouloir garder son cœur

Comment ne pas perdre la tête

Serré par des bras audacieux

Car l'on croit toujours

Aux doux mots d'amour

Quand ils sont dits avec les yeux

Elle qui l'aimait tant,

Elle le trouvait le plus beau de Saint Jean,

Elle restait grisée

Sans volonté

Sous ses baisers

Elle qui l'aimait tant

Elle le trouvait le plus beau de Saint Jean,

Il ne l'aime plus

C'est du passé

N'en parlons plus

Il ne l'aime plus

C'est du passé

N'en parlons plus

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
allait /a.lɛ/ A2	verb - was going to
danser /dɑ̃.se/ A2	verb - to dance
frissonnait /fʁi.sɔ.nɛ/ B2	verb - was trembling
chipée /ʃi.pe/ B2	adjective - hooked or entangled
perdre /pɛʁdʁ/ A2	verb - to lose
tête /tɛt/ A2	noun - head
audacieux /o.da.sjø/ B2	adjective - bold or daring
mots /mo/ A2	noun - words
amour /a.muʁ/ A1	noun - love
yeux /jø/ A2	noun - eyes
restait /ʁɛs.tɛ/ A2	verb - was remaining
volonté /vɔ.lɔ̃.te/ B1	noun - will, desire
baisers /bɛ.zɛʁ/ A2	noun - kisses
meilleur /mɛ.jœʁ/ B2	adjective - best
parleur /paʁ.lœʁ/ B2	noun - speaker or talker
mentait /mɑ̃.tɛ/ B2	verb - was lying or lying
passé /pa.se/ A2	noun - past

Key Grammar Structures

• Je ne sais pourquoi elle allait danser

  ➔ Use of the subjunctive mood with 'savoir' to express uncertainty.

  ➔ The phrase "Je ne sais pourquoi" translates to "I do not know why," indicating a lack of knowledge or certainty.

• Elle frissonnait, était chipée

  ➔ Use of the imperfect tense to describe ongoing past actions.

  ➔ The verbs "frissonnait" and "était" are in the imperfect tense, indicating that these actions were ongoing in the past.

• Elle restait grisée

  ➔ Use of the imperfect tense to describe a state of being in the past.

  ➔ The phrase "Elle restait grisée" means "She remained intoxicated," indicating a continuous state in the past.

• Elle qui l'aimait tant

  ➔ Use of relative clauses to provide additional information about a subject.

  ➔ The phrase "Elle qui l'aimait tant" translates to "She who loved him so much," adding context to the subject.

• Il ne l'aime plus

  ➔ Use of the present tense to express a current state or action.

  ➔ The phrase "Il ne l'aime plus" means "He no longer loves her," indicating a change in feelings.