Héloïse Adelaide Letissier (1988-), known professionally as Christine and the Queens or simply Chris, is a French singer, songwriter and producer. Her debut album Chaleur humaine (2014) was named one of the best albums of the year by The Guardian, The Independent, Mojo, and NME. In September 2018, she released her second album, Chris which was named “Album of the Year” by The Guardian while her first single Girlfriend was ranked “Song of the Year” by Time. Letissier said about “Christine”: “it is an easy song with an uneasy subject. It’s about feeling out of place, not finding your balance, or being depressed even, but with playful images, with a song you can dance on.”

Je commence les livres par la fin
Et j’ai le menton haut pour un rien
Mon œil qui perce à cause du vent
Mes absences c’est du sentiment

I start books by the end
And I put my chin up for the smallest thing
My eye which pierces because of the wind = my eye is crying
My absences, it’s some feeling= my zoning out is intentional

Refrain
Je ne tiens pas debout
Le ciel coule sur mes mains
Je ne tiens pas debout
Le ciel coule sur
Ça ne tient pas debout
Le ciel coule sur mes mains
Ça ne tient pas debout
Sous mes pieds le ciel revient

I can’t stay standing = I’m out of balance
The sky pours down on my hands
I can’t stay standing = I’m out of balance
The sky pours down
It doesn’t stand straight = it doesn’t make sense
The sky pours down on my hands
It doesn’t stand straight = it doesn’t make sense
Beneath my feet, the sky comes back

Il sourit rouge et me parle gris
Je fais semblant d’avoir tout compris
Et il y a un type qui pleure dehors
Sur mon visage de la poudre d’or

He (the sky) = it smiles red and speaks grey to me
I pretend to get it all
There is a guy who is crying out there
On my face, gold dust

Refrain

Nous et la mane on est de sortie
Pire qu’une simple moitié on compte à demi-demi
Pile sur un des bas côtés comme des origamis
Le bras tendu paraît cassé, tout n’est qu’épis et éclis
Ces enfants bizarres
Crachés dehors comme par hasard
Cachant l’effort dans le griffoir
Et une creepy song en étendard qui fait:

We and “la mane” [unknown meaning] we are out
Worse than a simple half one counts half-half
Right on the roadside, like origami
The outstretched arm appears broken, all is only is “épis and éclis” [words probably chosen to rhyme with origami]
Those weird kids
Spat out as if by chance
Hiding the effort in the scratching post
And a creepy song like a banner which goes:

“J’fais tout mon make-up au mercurochrome
Contre les pop-ups qui m’assurent le trône.
J’fais tout mon make-up au mercurochrome
Contre les pop-ups qui m’assurent le trône”

I do all my make-up with mercurochrome
Against pop-ups who ensure me the throne
I do all my make-up with mercurochrome
Against pop-ups who ensure me the throne

Refrain