| Ma grand-mère était garde-barrière
| My grandmother was a gatekeeper
|
| Tous les garçons du pays étaient amoureux
| All the boys in the country were in love
|
| De son teint couleur de lys et de ses yeux bleus
| Of her lily-colored complexion and her blue eyes
|
| En l’absence de son mari, que de rendez-vous étaient pris
| In the absence of her husband, how many appointments were made
|
| Et c'étaient de folles caresses entre l’office, le rapide et l’express
| And it was crazy caresses between the office, the fast and the express
|
| Mais quand son amoureux devenait trop pressant
| But when her lover got too pushy
|
| Elle baissait les yeux d’un air décent
| She lowered her eyes decently
|
| Permettez, disait grand-mère,
| Allow, said Grandmother,
|
| Faut que j’aille fermer ma barrière
| Gotta go close my gate
|
| Avec son drapeau, sa p’tite trompette, son grand chapeau,
| With his flag, his little trumpet, his big hat,
|
| Son joli corsage à carreaux,
| Her pretty checkered bodice,
|
| Elle fermait l' passage à niveau
| She was closing the level crossing
|
| Et tandis que le train passait
| And as the train passed
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| Elle réfléchissait,
| She was thinking,
|
| Réfléchissait
| Was thinking
|
| Et les yeux baissés, grand-mère rougissait,
| And with lowered eyes, Grandma blushed,
|
| Rougissait
| was blushing
|
| Saura-t-on jamais ce que tu penses?
| Will we ever know what you're thinking?
|
| Ah ah ah ah
| Ah ah ah ah
|
| Saura-t-on jamais ce que tu penses
| Will we ever know what you're thinking
|
| En silence?
| Silently?
|
| Avec ton drapeau, ta p’tite trompette, ton grand chapeau,
| With your flag, your little trumpet, your big hat,
|
| T'étais la reine des passages à niveau
| You were the queen of the crossings
|
| Entre Paris et Bordeaux
| Between Paris and Bordeaux
|
| Mais grand-mère était trop familière
| But grandma was too familiar
|
| Et tous les p’tits racontars
| And all the little gossip
|
| Et les p’tits potins
| And the little gossip
|
| Circulaient de gare en gare
| Went from station to station
|
| Allant à bon train,
| going well,
|
| Tous les trains ralentissaient d’vant sa barrière | All the trains slowed down in front of his barrier |
| Quand ils passaient
| When they passed
|
| Et tous les voyageurs, aux f’nêtres,
| And all the travellers, at the windows,
|
| Lui envoyaient des billets doux et des lettres
| Sent her love notes and letters
|
| Mais quand son amoureux voulait trop insister
| But when her lover wanted to insist too much
|
| La sonnette se mettait à tinter
| The doorbell was ringing
|
| Et grand-mère dressait l’oreille:
| And grandma pricked up her ears:
|
| Voilà l' train dix de Marseille
| Here is the train ten from Marseille
|
| Entre Paris et Bordeaux. | Between Paris and Bordeaux. |