Paroles et traduction Guy Béart - Le quidam

Le quidam

Ecoutez l'histoire à coup sûr obscure
D'un pauvre quidam et de ses tourments
Tout ce qu'il subit comme mésaventure
Pour connaître enfin la gloire du moment

Il était simple quidam, son père était quidam
Son frère était quidam et lui était quidam aussi

Pour gagner l'appui de quelque mécène et l'actualité par action d'éclat
Il commença par se jeter dans la Seine
Mais aucun canard ne passait par là
Il fut repêché grelottant de gouttes
Par un vieux passant, un quidam parfait
Qui le réchauffa, lui paya la goutte
Et lui dit "Adieu!" sans s'être nommé

Il était simple quidam, son père était quidam
Son frère était quidam et lui était quidam aussi

Jamais ne parut sa photographie sur aucun placard, sur aucun trottoir
Alors une nuit, pour corser sa vie, il brûla le siège d'un journal du soir
Il eut beau clamer qu'il était coupable
On l'ignora car il était trop pâle
Puis on arrêta d'autres misérables
Qui tous avouaient comme il était normal

Il était simple quidam, son père était quidam
Son frère était quidam et lui était quidam aussi

Pourtant un beau jour, il fut pris, c'est bête
Pour un crime qu'il n'avait pas commis
Quand le procureur demanda sa tête, il fut condamné par chance inouïe
Ce jour-là, on vit partout sa bobine
Dans tous les journaux de notre contrée
Puis elle parut sous la guillotine, ce fut le début de sa renommée

Il n'est plus simple quidam, son père reste quidam
Son frère reste quidam et lui est mort célèbre, enfin!

Malheureusement une coquille infime
Se glissa dans l'orthographe de son nom
De sorte qu'hélas, toujours anonyme, il mourut quidam et sans rémission

Il était simple quidam, son père était quidam
Son frère était quidam et lui était quidam aussi.

The Nobody

Listen to the story, surely obscure,
Of a poor nobody and his torments,
All the misadventures he endures,
To finally know the glory of the moment.

He was a simple nobody, his father was a nobody,
His brother was a nobody, and he was a nobody too.

To gain the support of some patron and the spotlight with a splash,
He began by throwing himself into the Seine,
But no ducks were passing by,
He was fished out, shivering with drops,
By an old passerby, a perfect nobody,
Who warmed him up, paid for his drink,
And said "Goodbye!" without giving his name.

He was a simple nobody, his father was a nobody,
His brother was a nobody, and he was a nobody too.

His photograph never appeared on any poster, on any sidewalk,
So one night, to spice up his life, he burned down the headquarters of an evening newspaper,
He might as well have claimed he was guilty,
He was ignored because he was too pale,
Then they arrested other wretches,
Who all confessed, as was normal.

He was a simple nobody, his father was a nobody,
His brother was a nobody, and he was a nobody too.

Yet one fine day, he was caught, it's silly,
For a crime he didn't commit,
When the prosecutor asked for his head, he was condemned by incredible luck,
That day, his mugshot was seen everywhere,
In all the newspapers of our country,
Then it appeared under the guillotine, it was the beginning of his fame.

He is no longer a simple nobody, his father remains a nobody,
His brother remains a nobody, and he died famous, finally!

Unfortunately, a tiny typo,
Slipped into the spelling of his name,
So that alas, still anonymous, he died a nobody and without remission.

He was a simple nobody, his father was a nobody,
His brother was a nobody, and he was a nobody too.