Lyrics of La Terrasse - Yann Tiersen

La Terrasse (original)

un après-midi là, dans la rue du jourdain,
on peut dire qu’on était bien,
assis à la terrasse du café d’en face
on voyait notre appartement.
je ne sais plus si nous nous étions tus
ou si nous parlions tout bas là au café d’en bas,
mais je revois très bien la table et tes mains,
le thé, le café et le sucre à côté.
puis d’un coup c’est parti, tout s’est effondré,
on n’a pas bien compris, tout a continué,
tandis qu’entre nous s’en allait l'équilibre,
plus jamais tranquilles, nous tombions du fil.
cet après-midi là, dans la rue du jourdain,
en fait tout n’allait pas si bien,
assis à la terrasse du café d’en face
on voyait notre appartement,
si triste finalement avec nous dedans
(Unofficial English Translation)
an afternoon there, on la rue du jourdain,
you could say that you’d been well,
sitting on the terrace of the café
that you could see across from our apartment.
i don’t remember anymore if we’d sat in silence
or if we’d whispered down there at the café,
but i recall quite well the table and your hands,
the tea, the coffee, and the sugar on the side.
it left a wound, so very crushing,
you didn’t understand, the world spun past us,
but between us, balance fled,
never again peaceful, we’d fallen from the wire.
that afternoon there, on la rue du jourdain,
could not have gone well,
sitting on the terrace of the café
that you could see across from our apartment—
we, miserably, inside.

(translation)

one afternoon there, in the rue du Jourdain,
you could say we were fine,
sitting on the terrace of the café opposite
we could see our apartment.
I no longer know if we were silent
Or if we were talking down there in the cafe downstairs,
but I see the table and your hands very well,
tea, coffee and sugar on the side.
then suddenly it's gone, everything collapsed,
we didn't quite understand, everything went on,
while the balance between us went away,
never quiet again, we were falling off the wire.
that afternoon, in the rue du Jourdain,
in fact all was not so well,
sitting on the terrace of the café opposite
we could see our apartment,
so sad finally with us in it
(Unofficial English Translation)
an afternoon there, on the rue du Jourdain,
you could say that you'd been well,
sitting on the terrace of the café
that you could see across from our apartment.
i don't remember anymore if we'd sat in silence
or if we'd whispered down there at the café,
but i recall quite well the table and your hands,
the tea, the coffee, and the sugar on the side.
it left a wound, so very crushing,
you didn't understand, the world spun past us,
but between us, balance fled,
never again peaceful, we'd fallen from the wire.
that afternoon there, on the rue du Jourdain,
could not have gone well,
sitting on the terrace of the café
that you could see across from our apartment—
we, miserably, inside.