Le Temps des Colonies [English translation]

I, sir, I was in the colonies

Dakar, Bamako, Conakry

I, sir, I led a beautiful life

During the blessed time of the colonies

The warriors called me Great Chief

In the times of the glorious FWA*)

I was a big shot then

During the blessed time of the colonies

We still think of you, oh, Bwana.

Tell us what you need, we have it all.

There's no coffee, no cotton, no petrol

In France, but ideas, that we have plenty.

We do think,

We still think of you, oh, Bwana.

Tell us what you need, we have it all.

For me, sir, nothing equaled

The Senegalese infantry men

Who died all for the motherland

During the blessed times of the colonies

Back in Colomb-Bechar,

I had lots of black servants

And four girls in my bed

During the blessed time of the colonies

We still think of you, oh, Bwana.

Tell us what you need, we have it all.

There's no coffee, no cotton, no petrol

In France, but ideas, that we have plenty.

We do think,

We still think of you, oh, Bwana.

Tell us what you need, we have it all.

I, sir, I killed panthers,

In Timbuktu, on the Niger,

And Hypos in the Oubangui,

During the blessed time of the colonies,

Between gin and tennis,

Receptions and pastis,

You'd believe you were in heaven,

During the blessed time of the colonies.

We still think of you, oh, Bwana.

Tell us what you need, we have it all.

There's no coffee, no cotton, no petrol

In France, but ideas, that we have plenty.

We do think,

We still think of you, oh, Bwana.

Tell us what you need, we have it all.

• Artist:Michel Sardou