Ta Katie t'a quitté – Bilingual Lyrics French/English

• By: Boby Lapointe

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the linguistic brilliance of Boby Lapointe in "Ta Katie t'a quitté." This iconic French song, renowned for its playful puns and clever wordplay, offers a unique window into the art of French language through its intricate lyrics and memorable rhythm. It's a delightful journey into the creative use of language, making it a special song to explore for language enthusiasts.

[English]

Tonight at the train station bar

Igor, dazed, is black

He hardly stops drinking

Because his Katia, his pretty Katia

Just left him

His Katie has left him

He struck out

This great owl with his tricks

His tricks, his ruses of a white Russian

My tactic was a sham

Says Igor as he falls asleep

Dead drunk at the bar counter

A white Russian who is black

What a strange coincidence, they laugh

The partying revelers at the bar

Because Igor is still sleeping there

But near his ear

Wonderful, a bright awakening

Gives him advice

While he sleeps

Tick-tock tick-tock

Your Katie has left you

Tick-tock tick-tock

Your Katie has left you

Tick-tock tick-tock

You're cuckolded, what are you waiting for?

Get drunk, you're cuckolded

You just have to, you just have to get drunk

And leave your neighborhood

Your Katie has left you

Your tactic was a sham

Your tactic was a sham

Your Katie has left you

Take off your hat and trade

Your dirty sweater

And your crust with a knife

That they attacked you so much

Against a battered old car

Four coins all counted

And leave your neighborhood

Your Katie has left you

Your Katie has left you

Your Katie has left you

Your Katie has left you

Right next to

The worn-out prostitutes

Teased a cheeky cocker spaniel

And some skinny coquettes

While knitting

Chattered and discussed and criticized

A quirky count

Who counted while twitching

A whole bunch of platform tickets

When suddenly

Tick-tock-tick

In the morning, what a wake-up

Morning, what a wake-up call

Exclaims the Russian, white with fear

For a ringing

It's a beautiful ringing

...

[French]

Ce soir au bar de la gare

Igor hagard est noir

Il n'arrête guère de boire

Car sa Katia, sa jolie Katia

Vient de le quitter

Sa Katie l'a quitté

Il a fait chou-blanc

Ce grand-duc avec ses trucs

Ses astuces, ses ruses de Russe blanc

Ma tactique était toc

Dit Igor qui s'endort

Ivre mort au comptoir du bar

Un Russe blanc qui est noir

Quel bizarre hasard, se marrent

Les fêtards paillards du bar

Car encore Igor y dort

Mais près de son oreille

Merveille, un réveil vermeil

Lui prodigue des conseils

Pendant son sommeil

Tic-tac tic-tac

Ta Katie t'a quitté

Tic-tac tic-tac

Ta Katie t'a quitté

Tic-tac tic-tac

T'es cocu, qu'attends-tu?

Cuite-toi, t'es cocu

T'as qu'à, t'as qu'à te cuiter

Et quitter ton quartier

Ta Katie t'a quitté

Ta tactique était toc

Ta tactique était toc

Ta Katie t'a quitté

Ôte ta toque et troque

Ton tricot tout crotté

Et ta croûte au couteau

Qu'on t'a tant attaqué

Contre un tacot coté

Quatre écus tout comptés

Et quitte ton quartier

Ta Katie t'a quitté

Ta Katie t'a quitté

Ta Katie t'a quitté

Ta Katie t'a quitté

Tout à côté

Des catins décaties

Taquinaient un cocker coquin

Et d'étiques coquettes

Tout en tricotant

Caquetaient et discutaient et critiquaient

Un comte toqué

Qui comptait en tiquant

Tout un tas de tickets de quai

Quand tout à coup

Tic-tac-tic

Au matin quel réveil

Matin quel réveille-matin

S'écrie le Russe, blanc de peur

Pour une sonnerie

C'est une belle sonnerie

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
quitter /kit.te/ A2	verb - to leave or go away from someone or a place
tac /tak/ B1	noun - a click or ticking sound (as in a clock)
coucou /ku.ku/ A2	interjection - hello or call for attention
victime /vik.tim/ B1	noun - a person harmed or affected by an event
conseil /kɔ̃.sɛj/ B2	noun - advice or recommendation
cœur /kœʁ/ B1	noun - heart (organ or emotion)
danse /dɑ̃s/ A2	noun - dance (movement to music)
nuit /nɥi/ A2	noun - night
fête /fɛt/ A2	noun - celebration or party
noir /nwaʁ/ A1	adjective - black in color
grand-duc /gʁɑ̃ dyk/ B2	noun - great owl or a title for high-ranking nobility
haut /o/ A2	adjective - high or tall

Key Grammar Structures

• Il n'arrête guère de boire

  ➔ Negation with 'ne...guère' to express 'hardly' or 'barely'.

  ➔ The phrase "Il n'arrête guère de boire" means "He hardly stops drinking".

• Ma tactique était toc

  ➔ Use of 'était' for past tense to describe a state.

  ➔ The phrase "Ma tactique était toc" means "My tactic was fake".

• Tic-tac tic-tac

  ➔ Onomatopoeia used to represent the sound of a clock.

  ➔ The repetition of "Tic-tac" mimics the ticking of a clock.

• T'es cocu, qu'attends-tu?

  ➔ Informal contraction 't'es' for 'tu es' (you are).

  ➔ The phrase "T'es cocu, qu'attends-tu?" means "You're cheated on, what are you waiting for?".

• Ôte ta toque et troque

  ➔ Imperative form used for giving commands.

  ➔ The phrase "Ôte ta toque et troque" means "Take off your hat and trade".

• Et quitte ton quartier

  ➔ Use of 'quitte' as an imperative form of 'quitter' (to leave).

  ➔ The phrase "Et quitte ton quartier" means "And leave your neighborhood".

• Quand tout à coup

  ➔ Use of 'quand' to introduce a temporal clause.

  ➔ The phrase "Quand tout à coup" means "When all of a sudden".