As one of the hosts of Eurovision 2016, Måns Zelmerlöw will have plenty of opportunities to use his French language skills. But he’s now put those skills to use in another way, releasing a French version of his single “Should’ve Gone Home”.

The song has been retitled “Should’ve Gone Home (Je ne suis qu’un homme)”, with the French subtitle translating to “I’m just a man”. While most of the lyrics are in French, the new version does keep a few English lines for emphasis. And French speakers tell us that Måns’ pronunciation is pretty good.

The song also keeps the theme of the original English lyrics – a heartfelt tale of a man expressing regret at cheating on a lover. Excuse us for drawing on national stereotypes, but a tale of infidelity is très français!

Earlier this year, Måns played a show in Paris as part of the European leg of his Heroes tour, and he’s building up a loyal following of French Månsters. With the French version of his “Heroes” follow-up single, he’ll surely be widening his Francophone fan base.

Måns Zelmerlöw — “Should’ve Gone Home (Je ne suis qu’un homme)” — French version

Måns Zelmerlöw — “Should’ve Gone Home (Je ne suis qu’un homme)” lyrics

Je te mens, je ne fais que ça
Et dans mes yeux tu le lis
Je te mens mais je sais déjà
Que je suis bientôt pris

Je ne trouve jamais rien de mieux
A croire que j’aime ta jalousie
Je sais qu’on perd toujours à ce jeu
Qu’un jour tu seras partie

J’ai ça dans la peau
Jusqu’à la fois de trop

I should’ve gone home
How hard can it be to say no?
Je ne suis qu’un homme
Qui n’a pas appris à dire non

Pourquoi à chaque fois je détruis
Ce que j’ai de plus beau
Car du mal, je m’en fais aussi
J’ai ma vie qui prend l’eau

I’m addicted to this game
Wish I could just let it be
Should’ve left but I did it again
Now it all fires back at me

Je fuis ton regard
De peur qu’il soit trop tard

I should’ve gone home
How hard can it be to say no?
Je ne suis qu’un homme
Qui n’a pas appris à dire non

Feels like I’ve been looking everywhere
Just to find out that it’s you
Comme si j’allais encore voir ailleurs,
voir ailleurs, si nous y sommes

Je te mens, je ne fais que ça
Et dans mes yeux tu le lis

Je ne suis qu’un homme
Qui n’a pas appris à dire non

I should’ve gone home
How hard can it be to say no?
Je ne suis qu’un homme
Qui n’a pas appris à dire non

Feels like I’ve been looking everywhere
Just to find out that it’s you
Comme si j’allais encore voir ailleurs,
voir ailleurs, si nous y sommes

I should’ve gone home.

– Merci à Zakaria Garara pour les paroles en français et anglais.

“Should’ve Gone Home (Je ne suis qu’un homme)” — English translation

I lie to you, that’s all I do
And in my eyes, you read it
I lie to you but I already know
That I’m soon taken

I never find anything better
As if I love your jealousy
I know that we always lose at this game,
That one day you will be gone

I have this under my skin
Until it’s too much

I should’ve gone home
How hard can it be to say no?
I am just a man
Who hasn’t learned to say no

Why every time I destroy
Every beautiful thing I have?
Because I harm myself too
My life is taking on water

I’m addicted to this game
Wish I could just let it be
Should’ve left but I did it again
Now it all fires back at me

I avoid your gaze
Fearing it would be too late

I should’ve gone home
How hard can it be to say no?
I am just a man
who hasn’t learned to say no

Feels like I’ve been looking everywhere
Just to find out that it’s you
Comme si j’allais encore voir ailleurs,
voir ailleurs, si nous y sommes*

I lie to you. That’s all I do
And in my eyes, you read it

I am just a man
Who hasn’t learned to say no

I should’ve gone home
How hard can it be to say no?
I am just a man
who hasn’t learned to say no

Feels like I’ve been looking everywhere
Just to find out that it’s you
As if I would go see elsewhere again, see elsewhere, if we are there

I should’ve gone home

* This line did not translate easily into English

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Alex
Alex
8 years ago

It’s very nice!

I wonder if he promotes it.

Nitzan
Nitzan
8 years ago

I also don’t get the bilingual thing…

Thiefo
Thiefo
8 years ago

I guess Mans has to show his french qualities now that it’s official he’s hosting ESC huh?

I must say I’m loving this version, I think even more than the english one hah!

Milim
Milim
8 years ago

Comme si j’allais encore voir ailleurs,
voir ailleurs, si nous y sommes =
As if i was again going to look elsewhere
goint to look elsewhere, If we are there.

In French, “aller voir aileurs” mean to cheat on someone ! 🙂

So happy to hear this song in my mother tongue, Mans has an excellent accent 😀

Erin
Erin
8 years ago

Je ne suis qu’un homme et Je n’ai que mon ame…
just a small correction to the phrase: “J’ai ma vie qui prend l’eau’.
It means that ‘my life is in trouble’ or ‘my life is sinking’.
Mans’ accent is very good, but it’s too easy to rhyme ‘Home’ with ‘Homme’.
I realize that the notion of ‘Should’ve got home’ might have been lost in translation, but it leaves a sense of unease.

R
R
8 years ago

But why did he leave some bits in English?