Monnaie blues [English translation]

I was walking down a seedy street

She, she had her arms folded

And such a big mouth

That I let myself be tempted

She showed me loads of things

The sort of things you’d only show your friends

Her pink leather bookcase

And her silken bed sheets

I was all ready to marry her

When she showed me… the door

she took all my money

She told me “It’s the only way I can get by”

I came home in a rage

I switched the telly on

An old bloke was filling the screen

A very well dressed old bloke

He was saying some weird words

Words that nobody knows

I said “His story’s no joke

He’s never going to sort it out”

The announcer came and translated

Before I switched my set off

He would like all your money

He said “It’s the only way I can get by”

I said “My god it’s not easy

If they all want my money”

When the bishop of the town

Came in to my apartment

He was wearing his vestments

Over his swimming suit

He was shouting “my four mistresses

have just been taken hostage

For pity’s sake do something

So they don’t come back to me dead!”

He took all my money

He said “It’s the only way that they’ll get out”

I fled into a bar

I got my favourite drink

I hadn’t had a sip

When some doctors came in

They shouted “You look pale

And death comes so quickly

We’ve warned the hospital

We’re going to cart you straight there”

No way to escape them

They had plenty of back-up

They took all my money

They said “It’s the only way we can get by”

When I woke up

I said I hope all that’s the end of that

I triple locked every door

I closed the double windows

I stopped up my washbasin

I unplugged my telephone

And I pulled the curtains well

I said I don’t want to see anyone else

And I but put guards on every wall

Wardrobes against the doors

And I burnt all my money

Because it was the only way I could get by

And I burnt all my money

Because it was the only way I could get by

• Artist:Francis Cabrel
• Album:Les chemins de traverse