Malade by Alice on the Roof in English
Reviewed/Translated by John Elkhoury
Comprehension Difficulty: MODERATE

J’ai tout tenté, à leur guise de me déguiser
I’ve tried everything, their wish for me to disguise myself
J’ai tout écouté, sur le comment comme je devrais
I’ve listened to everything, on who I should become
Même ma voix, trémolo faut-il ou faut-il pas ?
Even my voice, do I need a tremolo or not?
Ma meneuse et moi, me laisser aller je devrais pas
My leader and me, let me go I should not

Mais mauvaise nouvelle, la voilà ma maladie
But bad news, here’s my illness
On est fait comme l’on est, c’est maman qui me l’a dit
We are who we are, that’s what mom told me
Mauvaise nouvelle, la voilà ma maladie
Bad news, that’s my illness
On est fait comme l’on est, elle me l’a dit
We are who we are, that’s what mom told me

Malade
Sick* (also could be translated to “insane”)
Mais je pense que ce sont eux les fous
But I thought that they were the crazy ones
Malade
Sick
Ils pensent qu’on est fous quand on est nous
They thought that we’re crazy when we are just ourselves
Malade
Sick
Mais je pense que ce sont eux les fous
But I think that they are the crazy ones
Malade
Sick
Alors je suis malade et je l’avoue
So I am sick and I admit it

Pour ce qui est du deuxième couplet, j’sais plus trop quoi raconter
As for the second verse, I no longer know what to say
À peu près la même chose que dans le premier, ah non
A bit of the same thing as the first verse, oh no

Et y a pas d’âge pour…
And there isn’t an age
Se dire heureux dans une cage
To say you’re happy in a cage
Et y a pas d’adage…
And there is no adage
Qui mettrait à mal mon message
That would ruin my message

Mais mauvaise nouvelle, la voilà ma maladie
But bad news, here’s my illness
On est fait comme l’on est, c’est maman qui me l’a dit
We are who we are, that’s what mom told me
Mauvaise nouvelle, la voilà ma maladie
Bad news, that’s my illness
On est fait comme l’on est, elle me l’a dit
We are who we are, that’s what mom told me

Malade
Sick* (also could be translated to “insane”)
Mais je pense que ce sont eux les fous
But I thought that they were the crazy ones
Malade
Sick
Ils pensent qu’on est fous quand on est nous
They thought that we’re crazy when we are just ourselves
Malade
Sick
Mais je pense que ce sont eux les fous
But I think that they are the crazy ones
Malade
Sick
Alors je suis malade et je l’avoue
So I am sick and I admit it
Malade, malade, malade
Sick, sick, sick

Mais mauvaise nouvelle, la voilà ma maladie
But bad news, here’s my illness
On est fait comme l’on est, c’est maman qui me l’a dit, ouais
We are who we are, that’s what mom told me, yeah
Mauvaise nouvelle, la voilà ma maladie
Bad news, that’s my illness
On est fait comme l’on est, elle me l’a dit
We are who we are, that’s what mom told me

Malade (malade, malade)
Sick (sick, sick)
Mais je pense que ce sont eux les fous
But I thought that they were the crazy ones
Malade (malade, malade)
Sick (sick, sick)
Ils pensent qu’on est fous quand on est nous
They thought that we’re crazy when we are just ourselves 
Malade
Sick
Mais je pense que ce sont eux les fous
But I thought they were the crazy ones
Malade
Sick
Alors je suis malade et je l’avoue
So I am sick and I admit it
Malade
Sick
Malade
Sick

___

Malade French to English Translation Meaning

What is the meaning behind the song Malade by Alice on the Roof?

The artist describes how external forces want her to change her identity and underlying personality. In the end, she’s tired of being somebody else. The English lyrics point to others calling her sick or crazy. Within the lyrics, Alice on the Roof states that if being her true self means that she is ill – she will accept that identifier.

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