J'étais là [English translation]

I was there, you see him standing next to me

We were 6 years old

Like children, we played Doctor, Doctor

I was there, I saw on his body the wounds, the marks, and the bruises

I didn't believe my eyes, my eyes

And he, who told me, I'm a tough boy

You see these burns on my arms?

I don't feel them, I don't feel them.

I was there, I didn't say anything

And then I left his house

Did I ever return?

Never again, never again.

I was there, like him, barely 15 years old,

We were in his parents' basement

I loved him so.

It must be said that he was beautiful, but he, my hero, shot up with heroine

I was there when his mother came to tell me

It's over, we bury him monday, monday

I cried, of course I cried,

But then i continued to go outside, outside

I was there on October of '80, after the Copernic [Synagogue] bombing

I was at the rally

With all my friends

I was there, it's true, we understood none of it

But we liked it, we liked it

Yes, I was there, to help those with Aids and the homeless

I sang, sang

Sure, I was there to party,

And I raised my glass to those who no longer had anything

One more glass, it can't be helped

I was there in front of my TV at 8:00

I saw the world shaking, shaking

I was there, I'd just come back from Somalia, Bangladesh and Rwanda

I was there

I saw quite well the fate that the north had reserved for the south

I understood the contempt well

I was there to count the dead!

And I did nothing

I was there, and yet

I was there, and I did nothing.

• Artist:Zazie