Jacques Brel — Les Gens song lyrics and translation
The page contains the lyrics and English translation of the song "Les Gens" by Jacques Brel.
Lyrics
Belle Jeanette a fauté, je n’en dis pas davantage
Car cela peut arriver à toutes les filles de son âge
Mais lorsque sa mère apprit qu’elle allait être grand-mère
Retentirent tous les cris d’une majuscule colère
Vous parlez, ma bonne dame, de vice, d’immoralité
Mais faites-vous donc un drame des amants que vous avez
Les gens qui ont bonne conscience dans les rues, le soir
Les gens qui ont bonne conscience ont souvent mauvaise mémoire
Et ceux qui se disent beaux parce qu’ils sont des idiots
Et ceux qui se disent malins parce qu’ils ne sont que laids
Et ceux qui se disent heureux parce qu’ils sont des bigots
Et ceux qui se disent bons parce qu’ils sont des niais
Ceux qui ont la tête haute parce qu’ils ont tout appris
Et qui ont l'âme sereine parce qu’ils n’ont rien compris
Les gens qui ont bonne conscience dans les rues, le soir
Les gens qui ont bonne conscience ont souvent mauvaise mémoire
Lyrics translation
Belle Jeanette was wrong, I'm not saying any more
For this can happen to all girls of his age
But when her mother learned that she was going to be a grandmother
Heard all the cries of a capital anger
You speak, my good lady, of vice, of immorality
But do you so make a drama of the lovers you have
People who have good conscience in the streets, in the evenings
People who have good conscience often have bad memory
And those who say they are beautiful because they are idiots
And those who call themselves smart because they're just ugly
And those who say they are happy because they are bigots
And those who say they are good because they are fools
Those who have their heads held high because they have learned everything
And who have a serene soul because they have not understood anything
People who have good conscience in the streets, in the evenings
People who have good conscience often have bad memory