Les murs de poussière [English translation]

He dreamed of a foreign city

A city with girls and games

He wanted to live differently

In another context

He dreamed on his pebbly path

‘I’ll leave tomorrow if I want

I’ve got the strength it takes to do it

And I’ll go and find something better.’

He wanted to find something better

Than his patch of land

Than his old tree twisted in the middle

Find something better than the soft evening light

By the fire

That used to warm his father

And the long line of his ancestors

The sun on the walls of dust

He wanted to find better than that

He went around the world

He even appealed to God

He went through all the love on earth

He didn’t find any better

He came across erstwhile kings

All draped in diamonds and fire

But in the castles of erstwhile kings

He didn’t find any better

He didn’t find any better

Than his patch of land

Than his old tree twisted in the middle

Any better than the soft evening light

By the fire

That used to warm his father

And the long line of his ancestors

The sun on the walls of dust

He didn’t find any better

He said, ‘I’m going back

I didn’t find what I wanted’

He said, ‘I’m going back’

He blinded his eyes

He blinded his eyes

On his patch of land

On his old tree twisted in the middle

On the reflections of the soft evening light

By the fire

That used to warm his father

And the long line of his forebears

On the sun on the walls of dust

He blinded his eyes (x3)

• Artist:Francis Cabrel
• Album:Les murs de poussière - 1977