With its distinct French identity and dreamy sound, Alma‘s Eurovision 2017 song “Requiem” instantly struck a chord with Eurovision fans. Released in February, the video has since racked up nearly three million Youtube views and won our ‘favorite act so far’ poll in February.
The incredible lyrical content is one of the song’s winning attributes. So it’s not surprising that the French team recently revamped it with a chorus sung almost entirely in English in order to reach a wider audience. “Requiem” tackles a philosophical question French thinkers have grappled with for centuries: Will all this matter after we’re gone from this world?
In answering that Alma doesn’t think in black and white, but rather a series of greys. The opening has an existential tone that comments on the transient nature of life: “Centuries pass and disappear, what you believe to be death is nothing but a season.” By the sensual bridge, where Alma delivers vibrant vocals against a clear piano instrumental, she’s found the strength not to worry: “Loves is born, love dies, tonight I’m not afraid anymore.” And with that she’s able to call on her lover to take her to paradise. “Kiss me, tell me that you love me, make me dance,” she sings. In return she’ll love even “when the world is turning no more.”
Life is ephemeral, love is eternal. This requiem is not about death — it’s about coming to terms with life. So do as Alma does, and smile in the midst of your toughest moments.
“REQUIEM” – ALMA
“REQUIEM” LYRICS – ALMA (FRANCE, EUROVISION 2017)
[themify_col grid=”2-1 first”]ORIGINAL LYRICS
Des amours meurent, des amours naissent
Les siècles passent et disparaissent
Ce que tu crois être la mort
C’est une saison et rien de plus
Un jour lassé de cette errance
Tu t’en iras, quelle importance
Car la terre tournera encore
Même quand nous ne tournerons plus
Embrasse-moi, dis-moi que tu m’aimes
Fais-moi sourire au beau milieu d’un requiem
Embrasse-moi, dis-moi que tu m’aimes
Fais-moi danser jusqu’à ce que le temps nous reprenne
Ce qu’il a donné
Will you take me to paradise?
With you nothing ever dies
You take my smile and make it bright
Before the night erase the light
I won’t go below silver skies
The only dark is in your eyes
On pleure mais on survit quand même
C’est la beauté du requiem
Les étincelles deviennent des flammes
Les petites filles deviennent des femmes
Ce que tu crois être la mort
C’est un brasier et rien de plus
Nos déchirures, nos déchéances
On pense qu’elles ont de l’importance
Mais demain renaîtra le jour
Comme si nous n’avions pas vécu
Embrasse-moi, dis-moi que tu m’aimes
Fais-moi sourire au beau milieu d’un requiem
Embrasse-moi, dis-moi que tu m’aimes
Fais-moi danser jusqu’à ce que le temps nous reprenne
Ce qu’il a donné
Will you take me to paradise?
With you nothing ever dies
You take my smile and make it bright
Before the night erase the light
I won’t go below silver skies
The only dark is in your eyes
On pleure mais on survit quand même
C’est la beauté du requiem
Des amours naissent, des amours meurent
Ce soir enfin je n’ai plus peur
Je sais que je t’aimerai encore
Quand la terre ne tournera plus
Des amours naissent, des amours meurent
Ce soir enfin je n’ai plus peur
Je sais que je t’aimerai encore
Quand la terre ne tournera plus
Embrasse-moi, dis-moi que tu m’aimes
Fais-moi sourire au beau milieu d’un requiem
Embrasse-moi, dis-moi que tu m’aimes
Fais-moi danser jusqu’à ce que le temps nous reprenne
Ce qu’il a donné
Embrasse-moi, tell me that you love me
Embrasse-moi
Embrasse-moi, tell me that you love me
Embrasse-moi
ENGLISH TRANSLATION
Love dies, love is born
Centuries pass and disappear
What you believe to be death
Is nothing but a season
One day, tired of this wandering
You will go away, doesn’t matter
Because the world will still be turning
Even when we are not turning anymore
Kiss me, tell me that you love me
Make me smile in the midst of a
requiem
Kiss me, tell me that you love me
Make me dance until time takes back
from us
What it gave us
Will you take me to paradise?
With you nothing ever dies
You take my smile and make it bright
Before the night erase the light
I won’t go below silver skies
The only dark is in your eyes
We cry but we survive regardless
It’s the beauty of a requiem
Sparks become flames
Little girls become women
What you believe to be death
Is nothing but an inferno
Our fractures, our declines
We think they’re important
But tomorrow the day will be reborn
As if we had not lived
Kiss me, tell me that you love me
Make me smile in the midst of a
requiem
Kiss me, tell me that you love me
Make me dance until time takes back
from us
What it gave us
Will you take me to paradise?
With you nothing ever dies
You take my smile and make it bright
Before the night erase the light
I won’t go below silver skies
The only dark is in your eyes
We cry but we survive regardless
It’s the beauty of a requiem
Love is born, love dies
Tonight I’m finally not afraid
I know that I will still love you
When the world is turning no more
Love is born, love dies
Tonight I’m finally not afraid
I know that I will still love you
When the world is turning no more
Kiss me, tell me that you love me
Make me smile in the midst of a
requiem
Kiss me, tell me that you love me
Make me dance until time takes back
from us
What it gave us
Kiss me, tell me that you love me
Kiss me
Kiss me, tell me that you love me
Kiss me
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“So it’s not surprising that the French team recently revamped it with a chorus sung almost entirely in English in order to reach a wider audience”
I do not agree that
http://college.usatoday.com/2012/09/10/should-you-listen-to-music-while-you-study/
Jaquelyn
@TwistedFrench – I love your translation! It’s very beautiful. I tried to stay as literal as possible with mine though, hence the differences.
My translation is a bit different, if you want to check out:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UkgI8oMNMc
It’s a shame for non-francophones (just as I imagine it’s unfortunate for those of us non-Italian speakers) who are missing out on the beautiful lyrics of this song. I love that they provide translations for some of these songs – not a problem for me with this one but occidentalis karma took a new meaning when I found out more concretely what it was about. A shame for those more casual Eurovision fans (and non fans) that won’t get to discover the deeper meaning in some songs.
I love her, I love the song, I love everything!!
Go France!
P.S. @William Lee Adams Demy sang last night at Madwalk 2017 an annual fashion show! Please, make an article!
Alma & Måns Zelmerlöw singing Requiem together !! <3
Watch it : https://www.facebook.com/almaofficiel/?fref=ts
Niko: As with earlier articles, wiwibloggs publishes articles containing lyrics of each and every competing entry leading up to the week of the contest.
Sorry, there are too many articles about France lately on the site. Two days in a row….There are really some other countries neglected… Haven’t seen an article about Moldova, for example…Or Israel, Hungary, Ireland, Switzerland…. Take Georgia for example (Tamara Gachechiladze is having a revamped version of “Keep the Faith” and no article about that). I wish the team in charge to treat the same all the participating countries…. We’re already tired of Ukraine and Russia related articles…. Just saying
I’m still not over their self-sabotage with that tragic revamp lmao but yeah the French lyrics are beautiful
Requiem’ mix
https://youtu.be/5TDjHH7A1wk
Goooooo Alma