L'Abbé Caillou [English translation]

Pete the priest1

could have been

a comfy little priest,

sitting on his resigned ass in a pulpit,

speaking of love

and the sins of the flesh.

Pete the priest

could have gone and attended to

the exotic distress.

Doctor without shame2

suntanned year round,

and end up as

the boss of a ministry.

But Pete the priest,

though solid as a rock,

has a tender heart.

He knows misery

He knows misery is not for sale.

Pete the priest

might have played

the working class hero3,

close to the man on the street,

a suburban songbird,

his pockets full of gold.

Pete the priest

could have been ridden around

in a preposterous armored car.

A condom-banning cop4

doing lectures

like gospels

that kill the meekest.

Pete the priest

though solid as a rock,

has a tender heart

and knows misery is not for sale.

Pete the priest

though solid as a rock,

has a tender heart.

He knows misery

He knows misery is not for sale.

1. The song is about l'abbé Pierre, a charismatic figure involved in helping the poor since the 50's. "Pierre" means "stone" in French, and "caillou" (pebble) is sometimes used as an affectionate nickname.

Since "Peter" does not mean anything (except something rather inappropriate in US slang), I just used "Pete the priest"2. A direct attack against Bernard Kouchner, head of "Médecins sans frontières" (doctors without frontiers) and minister in Sarkozy's government3. allusion to Joseph Wresinski, founder of the "ATD quart-monde" charity NGO4. Allusion to former pope John Paul II and his controversial take on contraception

• Artist:Patricia Kaas