‘la Seine’ – Vanessa Paradis Et -m- 

Part of the soundtrack for the film ‘Un Monstre à Paris’, this super catchy song is based on…you guessed it, the Seine! It was released along with the film in 2011 but became popular in its own right and stayed in French as well as European charts.

Sung in Vanessa Paradis’ sensual vocals, this song talks about the beauty of the river and the love affair between it and the singer. If you’ve ever stood on a bridge over the Seine while it’s basked in moonlight, I think you’d agree that there’s something magical about it. The song’s other vocalist (and lyricist) Matthieu Chedid, also known as -M- is a French singer-songwriter and has won 13 Victoire de la Musique awards.

Discover more French music HERE.

Lyrics

Elle sort de son lit
Tellement sur d’elle
La seine (x3)
Tellement jolie elle m’ensorcelle
La seine (x3)
Extralucide la lune est sur
La seine (x3)
Tu n’es pas saoul
Paris est sous
La seine (x3)

[Refrain]
Je ne sais, ne sais, ne sais pas pourquoi
On s’aime comme ça, la seine et moi
Je ne sais, ne sais, ne sais pas pourquoi
On s’aime comme ça la seine et moi

Extra lucille quand tu es sur
La seine (x3)
Extravagante quand l’ange est sur
La seine (x3)

[Refrain]

Sur le Pont des Arts
Mon cœur vacille
Entre deux eaux
L’air est si bon

Cet air si pur
Je le respire
Nos reflets perchés
Sur ce pont

On s’aime comme ça la seine et moi (x4)

English Translation

She rises from her bed,
So sure of herself,
the seine (x3),
So beautiful she enchants me,
the seine (x3),
Extra-clear, the moon is above
the seine (x3)
You aren’t drunk,
Paris is below,
the seine (x3)

[Chorus]
I don’t know, don’t know, I don’t know why
We love like that, the Seine and I,
I don’t know, don’t know, I don’t know why
We love like that, the Seine and I,

Extra clear when you’re above
the seine (x3)
Extravagant when the angel is above
the seine (x3)

[Chorus]

On the Pont des Arts,
My heart is shaky,
Just below the surface,
The air is so good,

This air so fresh,
I take it in,
Our reflections perched,
Upon this bridge,

We love like that, the Seine and I (x4)