On était beau – Bilingual Lyrics French/English

• By: Louane

Lyrics & Translation

Explore the poignant French lyrics of Louane's "On était beau" to connect with themes of enduring love and the beautiful memories of a past relationship. This song offers a glimpse into the emotional depth of French pop music and Louane's personal expression.

[English]

On the sidewalks, I think of you

On the boulevards, I think of you

In the dark night, I think of you

Even if it's late

Under the streetlights, I think of you

In the light, I think of you

In all the hemispheres, I think of you

Under the dust

We were beautiful

Yet we were speeding without brakes

We loved each other too much

To love each other well

We were beautiful

Often, when we smiled for no reason

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

Like a tightrope walker, I think of you

I'm being pushed, I think of you

If I step back, I think of you

I'm ridiculous

We were beautiful

Yet we were speeding without brakes

We loved each other too much

To love each other well

We were beautiful

Often, when we smiled for no reason

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 were speeding without brakes

We loved each other too much

To love each other well

We were beautiful

Often, when we smiled for no reason

We loved each other too much

To love each other well

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

When I stay out, I think of you

I'm losing my breath, I think of you

On the edge of the abyss

Another evening, I think of you

I'm feeling down, I think of you

In the fog, I think of you

I can't believe it

We were beautiful

Yet we were speeding without brakes

We loved each other too much

To love each other well

We were beautiful

Often, when we smiled for no reason

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 - beauty
accélérait /a.ke.le.tɛ/ B2	verb - was accelerating
souriait /su.ʁi.e/ B1	verb - smiled
ressentir /ʁəsɑ̃tiʁ/ B2	verb - to feel
obscur /ɔb.skyʁ/ B2	adjective - dark, obscure
lumière /lɥi.mɛʁ/ A2	noun - light
dust /dys.tɛʁ/ B1	noun - dust
route /ʁut/ A2	noun - road, route
freins /fʁɛ̃/ B2	noun - brakes
souffle /sufl/ B2	noun - breath, airflow

Key Grammar Structures

• Sur les trottoirs je pense à toi

  ➔ Preposition "sur" + definite article "les" + noun (trottoirs). Use of the preposition "sur" to indicate location.

  ➔ This line indicates that the speaker is thinking about "you" while being on the sidewalks. "Sur" is used to mean "on" in this context.

• Même s'il est tard

  ➔ Subordinating conjunction "même si" (even if) + impersonal verb construction "il est" + adjective "tard" (late). Expressing a concession.

  ➔ This line means "Even if it's late." "Même si" introduces a clause that is true regardless of the main statement (thinking of the person).

• Pourtant on accélérait sans freins

  ➔ Adverb "pourtant" (yet/however) + subject pronoun "on" (we) + verb "accélérait" (was accelerating) in the imperfect tense + preposition "sans" (without) + noun "freins" (brakes). Imperfect tense to describe a continuous action in the past.

  ➔ This translates to "Yet we were accelerating without brakes." The imperfect tense "accélérait" emphasizes the continuous nature of the action.

• On s'aimait trop

  ➔ Subject pronoun "on" + reflexive pronoun "s'" + verb "aimait" (loved) in the imperfect tense + adverb "trop" (too much). Expressing excessive love.

  ➔ This translates to "We loved each other too much." The use of "trop" emphasizes the excessiveness.

• Pour s'aimer bien

  ➔ Preposition "pour" (to/in order to) + reflexive pronoun "s'" + infinitive verb "aimer" (to love) + adverb "bien" (well). Expressing a purpose or goal.

  ➔ This translates to "To love each other well." It indicates the desired way of loving, in contrast to loving too much.

• Souvent, quand on souriait pour rien

  ➔ Adverb "souvent" (often) + subordinating conjunction "quand" (when) + subject pronoun "on" + verb "souriait" (was smiling) in the imperfect tense + preposition "pour" (for) + noun "rien" (nothing). Using the imperfect tense with "quand" to describe a recurring action.

  ➔ This translates to "Often, when we smiled for nothing." It emphasizes the simplicity and joy of the past relationship.

• Je suis désolé je pense à toi

  ➔ Subject pronoun "je" + verb "suis" (am) + adjective "désolé" (sorry - masculine form) + pronoun "je" + verb "pense" (think) + preposition "à" + pronoun "toi" (you). The use of an adjective to describe a state of being.

  ➔ This translates to "I'm sorry, I'm thinking about you." The adjective "désolé" agrees with the subject "je" (even if it is a male form)