Moi... Lolita - Alizée. French lyrics / English translation.

“Moi… Lolita” is a popular French song by the young Alizée and was like the “Hit me baby one more time” of the French-speaking world. It was the immensely popular début single from Alizée, who was just 16 when the single was released (how very Britney Spears). The French lyrics, English translation, explanation of the phrases, and the video, are after the jump.

When I downloaded this song on iTunes, the word “Lolita” was starred out so the song title reads: “Moi… L****a.” Perhaps Canadian iTunes thinks a 16 year-old singing about being a Lolita is too hot to handle? Any way, this song has a number of good vocabulary words and phrases in it, so let’s get started.

An explanation of the phrases and vocabulary will follow the lyrics and translation.

“Moi… Lolita” – Alizée. French lyrics and English translation.

French

English

Moi je m’appelle Lolita Lo ou bien Lola Du pareil au même Moi je m’appelle Lolita Quand je rêve aux loups C’est Lola qui saigne Quand fourche ma langue, J’ai là un fou rire aussi fou Qu’un phénomène Je m’appelle Lolita Lo de vie, lo aux amours diluviennes CHORUS: C’est pas ma faute Et quand je donne ma langue aux chats Je vois les autres Tout prêts à se jeter sur moi C’est pas ma faute à moi Si j’entends tout autour de moi Hello, helli, t’es A (L.O.L.I.T.A.) Moi Lolita Moi je m’appelle Lolita Collégienne aux bas Bleus de méthylène Moi je m’appelle Lolita Coléreuse et pas Mi-coton, mi-laine Motus et bouche qui n’dis pas À maman que je suis un phénomène Je m’appelle Lolita Lo de vie, lo aux amours diluviennes CHORUS REPEATS

Me, my name is Lolita Lo or Lola It’s all the same Me, my name is Lolita When I consider my mistakes It’s Lola who has to bleed When I have a slip of the tongue I laugh a laugh as crazy As the phenomenon My name is Lolita Lo for spirit, Lo for diluvial love CHORUS: It’s not my fault And when I’m ready to give up I see the others All ready to throw themselves at me It’s not my own fault If I hear everything around me Hello, helli, t’es A (L.O.L.I.T.A) Me… Lolita Me, my name is Lolita A schoolgirl underneath Tight blue jeans Quick-tempered, and not Half cotton, half wool Silent and a mouth that doesn’t tell Mom that I am a phenomenon My name is Lolita Lo for spirit, Lo for diluvial love CHORUS REPEATS

Vocabulary:

du pareil au même: the same thing

rever aux loups: to consider one’s mistakes (literally: to dream of wolves)
e.g. “Je rêve aux loups” – I consider my mistakes

saigner: to bleed

fourcher la langue: to have a slip of the tongue (literally: fork tongue)
e.g. “Je fourche ma langue” – “I have a slip of the tongue.”

diluvien (fem: diluvienne): diluvial
I didn’t know what diluvial meant, so here is the English definition: of or relating to a flood or floods, particularly Biblical floods. Basically it means “like a flood of Biblical proportions.” This adjective is typically used to describe the rain (les pluies diluvienne) but in the song it is used to describe the flood of affection (or love) that Alizée is receiving (les amours diluviennes).

collégienne (masc: collégien): schoolgirl, (masc: schoolboy)

bleus de méthylène: literally “methylene blue.” This is a bit confusing; usually the term “bleu de méthylène” is used only to describe the chemical compound (thank you Wikipedia), but in this song the lyric is “bleus de méthylène” in the plural. “Bleus” is a slang term for blue jeans, and “les bleus méthylène” are a type of very tight blue jeans. I’ve even seen them being described as more like leggings. So Alizée is talking about her tight blue jeans, not her love of chemistry.

motus: silent
A common expression is “motus et bouche cousue” which literally translates as “silent and mouth sewn” but essentially means “my lips are sealed.”

le coton: cotton

la laine: wool

** UPDATE **
“Mi-laine mi-coton” is apparently a nickname for Mylène Farmer, who wrote the song and who discovered and promoted Alizée. Mylène Farmer is a very successful singer herself, like the Madonna of the French world (in terms of popularity). I will probably translate one of her songs eventually. So “pas mi-coton mi-laine” probably means “I am not exactly like Mylène.”

coléreuse (masc. coléreux): quick-tempered

je donne ma langue au chat: I give up (typically on guessing). Literally translates as: “I give my tongue to the cat.” It is the sort of phrase that you use after a guessing game like this:

“Guess who I saw today?”
“Who? Bob?”
“No.”
“Fred?”
“No.”
“Alors je donne ma langue au chat.” (OK, I give up, tell me.)

In the context of the song “quand je donne ma langue aux chats” means “when I am ready to give up.”

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