Un bateau ivre, sur une mer agitée
Sans capitaine, ni voile et ni gouvernail
(Et tes mots m'étreignent, m'étouffans à grand feu)
Ni destination et ni port d'attache
(Nous ne serions plus à même de digérer, ne serait-ce qu'un peu)

Sur Anne, ma Sur Anne. ne vois-tu rien venir
Qui puissent redonner un peu d'espoir?
(Je suis si près d'atteindre la nouvelle... la nouvelle...)
Non. Les messages d'hermès sont de mauvaise argure

Je vomis le trop plein d'une mélancolie sanguinolente
(Je suis si près d'atteindre la nouvelle... la nouvelle...
Mais trop épuisé, ma tête replonge en arrière)
Elle m'étouffe un peu plus à chaque vague

Je suis tellement fatigué
Je me noie dans ma tempête
Sans vent ni marée
Sans cri ni courage


Lyrics submitted by drzougne

Un Bateau Ivre song meanings
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    General Comment

    And as for the meaning of the song (assuming my translation is mostly accurate), I'd say it's using a sinking ship in a stormy sea as a personal metaphor. The ship, who's name apparently is Anne, is somehow "drunken" (something may be lost in translation with that adjective) and has no captain, crew, sail, rudder, destination or harbor. In other words, it's empty, aimless and essentially doomed to sink. The man in the song appears to be in the ocean, reaching for something new, but doesn't have enough energy, and he sinks below the waves and drowns. I'm not sure about the "vomit too much, full of bloody melancholy" line, but that's its literal translation:

    "Je vomis le trop plein d'une mélancolie sanguinolente"

    -Je vomis = I vomit -trop = too much -plein = full -d'une = of one -mélancolie = melancholy -sanguinolente = bloody, (or blood-stained)

    The overall point of the song seems to be about the man drowning (figuratively) in a stormy ocean (again, figuratively) that he created, and he's too tired to go on (or, metaphorically fight against the waves any longer). Either way, this song is incredible, and the last minute of it is possibly the most intense minute of music ever made.

    Lanimilbuson January 25, 2007   Link

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