L'elephant lyrics

Song information

Artist: Tom Tom Club
Album: Tom Tom Club

Lyrics

[Transcription by stephane osstyn
Corrections, notes and english translation by tina weymouth]

L'éléphant et l'hippopotame
(Se) sont déguisés en hommes
(Ils) ont marché au beau village
Marché, marché, marché, marché

Sur le chemin, (ils) ont rencontré
Des enfants des hommes
Et des femmes qui courraient
Courraient, courraient, courraient, courraient

Tout en courrant, les femmes pleuraient
Pleuraient des grosses larmes
Grosses gouttes, grosses larmes
Tombaient, tombaient, tombaient, tombaient

L'éléphant et l'hippopotame
Voulaient savoir ce qu'elles avaient
Voulaient savoir la raison qu'elles
Pleuraient, pleuraient, pleuraient, pleuraient

Un enfant, tout terrifié
S'est arrêté pour leur parler
Sa bouche ouvrait, mais il est resté
Muet, muet, muet, muet

*Enlevez vos costumes bêtes
Leur chantaient les oiseaux
**Gobe-mouches pipits, chouettes et hiboux
Chantaient, chantaient, chantaient, chantaient:

C'est la guerre, la guerre des hommes
Ils se sont disputés
Tout autour, ils veulent tuer
Tuer, tuer, tuer, tuer

Tuer, tuer, tuer, tuer
Tuer, tuer, tuer, tuer
Tuer, tuer, tuer, tuer
Tuer, tuer, tuer, tuer

**************************************************

*Bêtes is plural for bête, which means beast, animal
Or dumb creature. it also means silly, stupid, dumb
Or idiotic. since the animals are dressed as men
This is a play on words

**In ornithology, gobe-mouches pipits are fly-catching
Tit-larks, or pipits, a species of bird. in botany
Un gobe-mouches is defined as a fly-trap. gobe-mouches
Also translates into simpleton, fool, gull, dupe, sap
Or, in slang, as sucker. this is another play on words

**************************************************
The elephant (translation into english)

The elephant and the hippopotamus
Disguised themselves as men
They walked to the beautiful village
Walked, walked, walked, walked

On the path, they met
The children of men
And women, who were running
Running, running, running, running

As they ran, the women were crying
Crying fat tears
Large drops, big fat tears, were
Falling, falling, falling, falling

The elephant and the hippopotamus
Wanted to know what was the matter
Wanted to know the reason they were
Crying, crying, crying, crying

A terrified child
Stopped to speak with them
His mouth opened, but he remained
Mute, mute, mute, mute

*"Take off your foolish/beastly costumes,"
Sang to them the birds
**Pipits, screech owls, and owls were
Singing, singing, singing, singing:

"It is war, the war of men
They have quarreled among themselves
All around, they want to kill
Kill, kill, kill, kill"

Kill, kill, kill, kill
Kill, kill, kill, kill
Kill, kill, kill, kill
Kill, kill, kill, kill

[from http://lyrics.doheth.co.uk]

"Tom Tom Club" album track list