Shape / Préau
Shape begins with a “They said”, which marks a distance from certain things that are commonly accepted: binarity, conventions… It seemed to me that the song talks about the fact that we can’t enclose everything within defined shapes; about the opposition between the natural movement of life and established lines of conduct; about the part of dream and chaos in each of us; about the fragile ground on which collective beliefs and the causes to which we devote ourselves rest. I saw in Shape the expression of an annoyance, of a silent revolt against the things that restrict us, that are imposed on us, that enslave us, that cut us off from our vital impulses. I saw in it, implicitly, a call to defy expectations, to embrace one’s uniqueness. I searched for words to express this call, this feeling of annoyance. The French title, Préau (inner courtyard), evokes a closed, fenced space; here, it represents the space where we remain confined when we do not push against the limitations imposed by society.
Shape
Written by
Sophie Hunger
They said: "Lady or gentleman, you’re either or / It’s morning, it's evening, it’s once or it's more » / What’s the name? what's the name? What's the name again? / When I held up the roof the floor would cave in / Shadowboxing, monologue and we talk and we talk and we talk / Shadowboxing, monologue and we walk and we walk and we walk
Scribbling and coughing a line in the winds / Busy with oiling your sandcastle's hinges / What’s the name? what's the name? What's the name again / Stamp on the ground and the ceiling falls in / Shadowboxing, monologue and we talk and we talk and we talk / Shadowboxing, monologue and we walk and we walk and we walk / Shadowboxing, monologue and we clean and we clean and we clean / Shadowboxing, monologue and we dream and we dream and we dream
And we go down to the beggar, to fight for a queen / And It's now and forever, and we are and we seem / And we sculptured a statue to worship and bear / The chaos that's behind the glass of / Who and what and who and what we are
Shadowboxing, monologue and we talk and we talk and we talk / Shadowboxing, monologue and we walk and we walk and we walk / Shadowboxing, monologue and we dream and we dream and we dream
Préau
French kiss by
François Godin
On me dit : « Sait-on jamais ce qui est bon pour soi / Un tien vaut mieux que deux tu l’auras » / Il me reste, il me reste, il me reste quoi ? / Je redresse la tête, on me lance la pierre / Chacun se replie sur soi, fait sa vie, fait sa vie, fait sa vie / Chacun se replie sur soi, fait son nid, fait son nid, fait son nid
​
On me dit : « Fais à ta guise, mais voici ton parcours / Choisis tes couleurs, mais suis bien les contours » / Il me reste, il me reste, il me reste quoi ? / Un mot plus haut que l’autre, on m’enjoint de me taire / Chacun se replie sur soi, fait sa vie, fait sa vie, fait sa vie / Chacun se replie sur soi, fait son lit fait son lit fait son lit / Chacun fait comme il se doit, prend la pose, prend la pose, prend la pose / Chacun fait comme il se doit et chacun s’ankylose, s’ankylose, s’ankylose
​
Et on se serre les coudes, et on serre les dents / On tempête, mais en douce, on tempête gentiment / Et on adhère à son moule, tout comme à son rang / Chacun rêve d’embrasser le monde et reste dans son préau
​
Chacun se replie sur soi, fait sa vie, fait sa vie, fait sa vie / Chacun se replie sur soi, fait son nid, fait son nid, fait son nid / Chacun fait comme il se doit et chacun s’ankylose s’ankylose s’ankylose
Yard
Translation of the
French adaptation
They tell me: "You never know what's good for you / A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush" / What do I have, what do I have, what do I have left? / I lift my head, they throw stones at me / Everyone withdraws into themselves, cares about nothing but their own life, their own life, their own life / Everyone withdraws into themselves, makes their nest, makes their nest, makes their nest
They tell me: "Do as you please, but follow this path / Select your colours, but be sure to follow the outlines" / What do I have, what do I have, what do I have left? / One word louder than the other, I am ordered to be silent / Everyone withdraws into themselves, cares about nothing but their own life, their own life, their own life / Everyone withdraws into themselves, makes their bed, makes their bed, makes their bed / Everyone does as they should, strikes a pose, strikes a pose, strikes a pose / Everyone does as they should and everyone stiffens, stiffens, stiffens
And we stick together, and we grit our teeth / We rant, but quietly, we rant gently / And we adhere to our mold, just as to our rank / Everyone dreams of embracing the world and stays in their courtyard
Everyone withdraws into themselves, lives their life, lives their life, lives their life / Everyone withdraws into themselves, makes their nest, makes their nest, makes their nest / Everyone does as they should and everyone stiffens, stiffens, stiffens
The voice/piano demos of the French versions were recorded for the strict purpose of presenting my adaptation work. No broadcasting or public sharing on social networks, media or any other platform is authorized.
Any recording or public presentation by third parties of the songs in their French version is subject to my authorization as well as that of the rights holders of the original song.
