Je te laisserai des mots...

"Je te laisserai des mots", is a French song written by Patrick Watson. It was the first French song written by Patrick. Though the song contains grammatical mistakes, the meaning and the piano chorus feel surreal for one to notice them.

It is in fact, the first French-language song to cross one billion streams on Spotify. Patrick wrote the song for a French and Canadian film, "Mères et Filles" (Mothers and Daughters). The song was inspired by a scene in the film where one of the main characters (Marthe) slips a letter to her mother under a door.

Je te laisserai des mots,

(I'll leave you words)

En dessous de ta porte,

(Under your door)

En dessous des murs qui chantent,

(Under the singing walls)

Tout près de la place où tes pieds passent,

(Close to the place where your feet fall/ pass)

Cachés dans les trous de ton divan,

(Hidden in the holes of your couch)

Et quand tu es seule pendant un instant

(And when you’re alone for a moment)

Ramasse-moi quand tu voudras

(Pick me up whenever you want)

Embrasse-moi quand tu voudras

(Embrace me whenever you want)

Ramasse-moi quand tu voudras

(Pick me up whenever you want)

When I first listened to this song, I misheard the lyrics. I thought the lyrics say, "En dessous de la lune qui chantent" which means 'Under the singing moon'. Only a few months ago, a stranger corrected me :D

[P.S. I still sing de la lune, because why not]

The Absence that lingers in the song

The song is largely talking about one's absence in others' life. Of how humans tend to realize the worth of someone in their lives much later, often when they can no longer correct the miscommunications they've had.

As Anne Frank said, "Regret is stronger than Gratitude". Why is it so we keep on ignoring others' sufferings? Why do we hold hatred towards the people who love us the most?

A Small Reminder

If you are currently on a fight with someone, drop off your anger and antipathy. There's no guarantee to either of you waking up the next morning. Miscommunication can only be treated by effectively communicating, not by silence. Do not let the momentary silence convert into lifetime regret. Humans actively make mistakes. Forgive them.

~C.G.

Watch the trailer of this film here.