Opinion publique [English translation]

His story began

By walking behind his back

And entering the cafes

Speaking in allusions

And, while he was drinking,

His story left

Leaving as a tip

Some "They say"s on the counter

They say he has...

They say he is...

They say he's done...

Done this, done that...

And that he said this...

The houses of this town

Have eyes on the curtains,

Stares that fly to him

And get nailed to his back.

It is a murderous circle

That suffocates him and wipes him off

Puts his heart in a window

And his name on the ice.

They say he has...

They say he is...

They say he's done...

Done this, done that...

And that he said this...

No! He said that?

Yes, he said that!

And the world made him sleep

In the bed of evil-doers,

Compared him to an immoral

To a cheater, to an impotent,

His story continues

To talk on the streets,

Invents him a life

That is displayed at the city hall

They say he has...

They say he is...

They say he's done...

Done this, done that...

And that he said this...

A knife of mistrust

Is stuck so as to

Finish him off silently

With "because"s

We will cut him in four pieces

And hang him on the square.

We will burn him and cut him

With bites of face-making

They say he has...

They say he is...

They say he's done...

Done this, done that...

And that he said this...

No! He said that?

Yes, he said that!

But it is hard to support

A concocted bastard

Dressed in your skin

And wearing your hat.

One fine day he stood

In the middle of "They said"s

At the market square

Of his city in it's Sunday's best

They say he has...

They say he is...

They say he's done...

And he cried "But it's not true!

It's not true! It's not true!"

They turned around

And hand in hand,

Their spirit of a weathercock

Changed the chorus.

They had a culprit.

They made a patron out of him.

Here is the great one

But the words are still the same :

They say he has...

They say he is...

They say he's done...

Done this, done that...

And that he said this...

No! He said that?

Yes, he said that!

He said that, he said that, he said that

He said that, he said that, he said that

He said that... Yes, He said that!

No!!! Yes !..

• Artist:Édith Piaf