On était beau – Bilingual Lyrics French/English

• By: Louane

Lyrics & Translation

Explore the heartfelt lyrics and electro-pop sound of Louane's "On était beau." This song offers a window into navigating the emotions of past love and cherished memories, making it a relatable and moving experience for listeners.

[English]

On the sidewalks, I think of you

On the boulevards, I think of you

In the dark night, I think of you

Even though it's late

Under the streetlights, I think of you

In the light, I think of you

All over the world, I think of you

Under the dust

We were beautiful

Yet we accelerated without brakes

We loved each other too much

To love each other well

We were beautiful

Often, when we smiled for nothing

We loved each other too much

To love each other well

I wake up, I think of you

Still sleepy, I think of you

Too much sun, I think of you

It's not the same anymore

Like a tightrope walker, I think of you

I get jostled, I think of you

If I back away, I think of you

I'm ridiculous

We were beautiful

Yet we accelerated without brakes

We loved each other too much

To love each other well

We were beautiful

Often, when we smiled for nothing

We loved each other too much

To love each other well

...

I'm sorry, I think of you

Almost obsessed, I think of you

You're possessed, I think of you

Too tired

On all the roads, I think of you

If I listen to myself, I think of you

The shadow of a doubt, I think of you

I disgust myself

We were beautiful

Yet we accelerated without brakes

We loved each other too much

To love each other well

We were beautiful

Often, when we smiled for nothing

We loved each other too much

To love each other well

You know, I'm suffocating, I think of you

When I stay out late, I think of you

I lose my breath, I think of you

At the edge of the abyss

One more night, I think of you

I'm feeling blue, I think of you

In the fog, I think of you

I can't believe it

We were beautiful

Yet we accelerated without brakes

We loved each other too much

To love each other well

We were beautiful

Often, when we smiled for nothing

We loved each other too much

To love each other well

...

[French]

Sur les trottoirs je pense à toi

Sur les boulevards je pense à toi

Dans la nuit noire je pense à toi

Même s'il est tard

Sous les réverbères je pense à toi

Dans la lumière je pense à toi

Tous les hémisphères je pense à toi

Sous la poussière

On était beau

Pourtant on accélérait sans freins

On s'aimait trop

Pour s'aimer bien

On était beau

Souvent, quand on souriait pour rien

On s'aimait trop

Pour s'aimer bien

Je me réveille je pense à toi

Encore sommeil je pense à toi

Trop de soleil je pense à toi

C'est plus pareil

En funambule je pense à toi

On me bouscule je pense à toi

Si je recule je pense à toi

J'suis ridicule

On était beau

Pourtant on accélérait sans freins

On s'aimait trop

Pour s'aimer bien

On était beau

Souvent, quand on souriait pour rien

On s'aimait trop

Pour s'aimer bien

Je suis désolé je pense à toi

Presque obsédée je pense à toi

T'es possédé je pense à toi

Trop fatiguée

Sur toutes les routes je pense à toi

Si je m'écoute je pense à toi

L'ombre d'un doute je pense à toi

Je me dégoûte

On était beau

Pourtant on accélérait sans freins

On s'aimait trop

Pour s'aimer bien

On était beau

Souvent, quand on souriait pour rien

On s'aimait trop

Pour s'aimer bien

Tu sais j'étouffe je pense à toi

Quand je découche je pense à toi

Je perds mon souffle je pense à toi

Au bord du gouffre

Encore un soir je pense à toi

J'ai le cafard je pense à toi

Dans le brouillard je pense à toi

Je peux pas y croire

On était beau

Pourtant on accélérait sans freins

On s'aimait trop

Pour s'aimer bien

On était beau

Souvent, quand on souriait pour rien

On s'aimait trop

Pour s'aimer bien

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
pense /pɑ̃s/ A2	verb - to think
beau /bo/ A2	adjective - beautiful, handsome noun - handsome man
accélérait /a.kɛ.lə.ʁɛ/ B1	verb - was accelerating
souriait /su.ʁi.ɛ/ A2	verb - smiled
boulevard /bule.vaʁ/ A2	noun - boulevard, large street
trottoir /tʁo.twar/ A2	noun - pavement, sidewalk
nuit /nɥi/ A1	noun - night
feu /fø/ A1	noun - fire
lumière /lj‿eʁ/ A2	noun - light
route /ʁut/ A2	noun - road, route
rêver /ʁeve/ B1	verb - to dream
route /ʁut/ A2	noun - path, route
reveille /ʁevjɛ/ B2	verb - to wake up, to wake

Key Grammar Structures

• Sur les trottoirs je pense à toi

  ➔ Preposition + Noun indicating location; Verb "penser à" + pronoun.

  ➔ The sentence uses the preposition "sur" to indicate location ("on the sidewalks"). "Penser à" is a common French expression meaning "to think of." The pronoun "toi" means "you."

• Même s'il est tard

  ➔ Conjunction "même si" (even if) + impersonal verb structure "il est" + adjective

  ➔ "Même si" introduces a concessive clause. "Il est tard" means "it is late" and uses the impersonal pronoun "il" because it doesn't refer to a specific person or thing.

• Pourtant on accélérait sans freins

  ➔ Adverb "Pourtant" (yet, however); Imperfect tense (accélérait) with the pronoun "on" (we/one); Preposition "sans" (without) + noun (freins).

  ➔ "Pourtant" indicates a contrast with what was previously stated. The imperfect tense describes an ongoing action in the past. The expression "sans freins" means "without brakes."

• On s'aimait trop

  ➔ Reflexive verb "s'aimer" (to love each other) conjugated in the imperfect tense; Adverb "trop" (too much).

  ➔ "S'aimer" indicates a reciprocal action – the subjects love each other. "Trop" modifies the verb, indicating an excessive amount of love.

• Pour s'aimer bien

  ➔ Preposition "pour" (in order to/to) + reflexive verb "s'aimer" (to love oneself/each other) + adverb "bien" (well).

  ➔ This clause expresses the purpose of the action. "Pour s'aimer bien" means "in order to love each other well/properly". It contrasts with "s'aimait trop" earlier, implying that their love was excessive and not healthy.

• Souvent, quand on souriait pour rien

  ➔ Adverb "Souvent" (often); Conjunction "quand" (when); Imperfect tense of "sourire" (to smile) - "souriait"; Expression "pour rien" (for nothing/for no reason)

  ➔ This sentence describes a recurring action in the past using the imperfect tense. "Pour rien" emphasizes that the smiling was spontaneous and without a specific cause.

• Je suis désolé je pense à toi

  ➔ "Être désolé" (to be sorry) - Adjective agrees with the subject (je); Present simple tense of "penser à" (to think of) + pronoun "toi" (you).

  ➔ "Désolé" needs to agree in gender with the subject. As the singer is female, the form used is "désolée".