Quand C’est (Cancer) in English from French
Lyrics reviewed and translated by John Elkhoury and Stromae
COMPREHENSION DIFFICULTY: EASY
Mais oui on se connait bien
Why yes we already know one another
T’as même voulu t’faire ma mère, hein ?
You even tried to get my mom, huh?
T’as commencé par ses seins
You started with her breasts
Et puis du poumon à mon père
And then the lungs of my dad
Tu t’en souviens ?
Do you remember?
Cancer, Cancer, dis-moi quand c’est ?
Cancer, cancer, tell me when
Cancer, Cancer, qui est le prochain ?
Cancer, cancer, who is next?
Cancer, Cancer, oh dis-moi quand c’est ?
Cancer, Cancer, tell me when?
Cancer, cancer, qui est le prochain ?
Cancer, cancer, who is next?
Et tu aimes les petits enfants
And you like little kids
Décidément, rien ne t’arrête toi
Obviously, nothing can stop you
Et arrête de faire ton innocent
And stop acting innocent
Sur les paquets de cigarettes
On the packets of cigarettes
“Fumer tue”
“Smoking kills”
Tu m’étonnes !
That’s surprising (sarcasm)!
Mais tu m’aides
But you’re helping me
Cancer, cancer, dis-moi quand c’est ?
Cancer, cancer tell me when
Cancer, cancer, qui est le prochain ?
Cancer, cancer, who is next?
Cancer, cancer, oh dis-moi quand c’est ?
Cancer, cancer, oh tell me when?
Cancer, cancer, oh cancer
Cancer, cancer, oh cancer
Quand c’est, quand c’est
When is it, when is it
Que tu cesses tes avances ?
That you will stop your advances?
Quand c’est, quand c’est
When is it, when is it
Que tu pars en vacances ?
That you’ll you go on vacation?
Quand c’est, quand c’est
When is it, when is it
Quand est-ce que tu y penses ?
That you’ll think about it?
Quand c’est, quand c’est ?
When is it, when is it
Ça nous fera des vacances
You’ll give us a break
Cancer, Cancer, dis-moi quand c’est ?
Cancer, cancer, tell me when
Cancer, Cancer, qui est le prochain ?
Cancer, cancer, who is next?
Cancer, Cancer, oh dis-moi quand c’est ?
Cancer, Cancer, tell me when?
Cancer, cancer, qui est le prochain ?
Cancer, cancer, who is next?
Qui est le prochain ?
Who is next?
Qui est le prochain ?
Who is next?
Qui est, qui est, qui est le prochain ? [x8]
Who is, who is, who is next? [x8]
Listen to more translated Stromae songs!
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Stromae – Formidable
Stromae – Alors on Danse
Music Analysis
Quand C’est English Translation – Stromae
When we translate Stromae’s song from French to English we can see a few things. Stromae starts the song with a sort of sexual illusion. He says cancer started with his mom and went for her breasts. Stromae refers to cancer as a sort of serial rapist. This comparison continues when Stromae mentions in French that cancer even preys on little kids.
“Who is next?” is often repeated indicating that we all may be victims of this sick disease. The worse thing being that it can strike almost anyone.
Later in the song Stromae alludes to the cigarette packets. Stromae is a smoker. And despite cancer being upfront about killing him on the packet (“you help me”), he continues his journey towards cancer’s clutches.
The last thing I want to mention in Quand C’est’s lyrics is the final verse. When will cancer take a break and become one of humanity’s past deadly medical conditions? Treatments are in the works, but will a cure pop up during our lifetime?
Those are the lyrics of Quand C’est / Cancer translated from French to English and my breakdown.
If you would like more translated music by Stromae then check this out.
Is it possible to find it translated to Spanish ? Thank you
Carolina
I only know a bit of French, so I translated from the English to Spanish. I am fluent in both.
RGDS
FAE
Mais oui on se connait bien
Why yes we already know one another
Si, ya nos conocemos el uno al otro
T’as même voulu t’faire ma mère, hein ?
You even tried to get my mom, huh?
Tu hasta quiziste atrapar a mi mama
T’as commencé par ses seins
You started with her breasts
Tu empezantes con sus pechos
Et puis du poumon à mon père
And then the lungs of my dad
Y luego los pulmones de my papa
Tu t’en souviens ?
Do you remember?
No lo recuerdas?
Cancer, Cancer, dis-moi quand c’est ?
Cancer, cancer, tell me when
Cancer, cancer, dime cuando?
Cancer, Cancer, qui est le prochain ?
Cancer, cancer, who is next?
Cance, cancer, quien es el que sigue?
Cancer, Cancer, oh dis-moi quand c’est ?
Cancer, Cancer, tell me when?
Cancer, cancer, dime cuando?
Cancer, cancer, qui est le prochain ?
Cancer, cancer, who is next?
Cance, cancer, quien es el que sigue?
Et tu aimes les petits enfants
And you like little kids
Y a tit e gustan los ninos
Décidément, rien ne t’arrête toi
Obviously, nothing can stop you
Obviamente, nada puede detenerte
Et arrête de faire ton innocent
And stop acting innocent
Deja de hacerte el inocente
Sur les paquets de cigarettes
On the packets of cigarettes
En los paquetes de cigarros
“Fumer tue”
“Smoking kills”
“El fumar mata”
Tu m’étonnes !
That’s surprising (sarcasm)!
Que sorpresa (sarcasm)
Mais tu m’aides
But you’re helping me
Mas tu me ayudas.
Cancer, cancer, dis-moi quand c’est ?
Cancer, cancer tell me when
Cancer, cancer, qui est le prochain ?
Cancer, cancer, who is next?
Cancer, cancer, oh dis-moi quand c’est ?
Cancer, cancer, oh tell me when?
Cancer, cancer, oh cancer
Cancer, cancer, oh cancer
Quand c’est, quand c’est
When is it, when is it
Cuando es, cuando es?
Que tu cesses tes avances ?
That you will stop your advances?
Que dejaras tus intentos?
Quand c’est, quand c’est
When is it, when is it
Cuando es, cuando es?
Que tu pars en vacances ?
That you’ll you go on vacation?
Que te iras de vacaciones?
Quand c’est, quand c’est
When is it, when is it
Cuando es, cuando es?
Quand est-ce que tu y penses ?
That you’ll think about it?
Quand c’est, quand c’est ?
When is it, when is it
Cuando es, cuando es?
Ça nous fera des vacances
You’ll give us a break
Que nos dejaras descansar
Cancer, Cancer, dis-moi quand c’est ?
Cancer, cancer, tell me when
Cancer, Cancer, qui est le prochain ?
Cancer, cancer, who is next?
Cancer, Cancer, oh dis-moi quand c’est ?
Cancer, Cancer, tell me when?
Cancer, cancer, qui est le prochain ?
Cancer, cancer, who is next?
Qui est le prochain ?
Who is next?
Quien es el que sigue?
Qui est le prochain ?
Who is next?
Quien es el que sigue?
Qui est, qui est, qui est le prochain ? [x8]
Who is, who is, who is next? [x8]
Can you please translate Dernière danse, et Tourner dans le vide, im learing french and I love these songs
I’d love it if both of those songs were translated as well! Especially, Tourner Dans Le Vide.
I love these translations! Can you please translate more by Stromae? It’s hard to find such good translations. Awesome :)
I’ll try to translate more songs! Thanks for the comment.
you misspelled quand c’est on only one line by typing Whan is it instead of When is it
Thanks for catching that typo! I fixed it :)