As I was perusing the SNEP Top Singles of the Week, I was shocked to see this song still on the charts. I knew I wanted to go over it at some point, so I figured why not now?

“Balance ton quoi” is a song by Belgian singer/songwriter Angèle, referencing the French #MeToo campain, Balance ton porc (see notes below). It peaked at number two and is currently in 130th position, having spent 86 weeks on the chart. It appears on her first album Brol.

While the video for this song is great, if you want to hear the song without the dialogue, the album version can be found here.

About the Artist(s)

Angèle Van Laeken is a singer/songwriter from Uccle, Belgium. From an early age her father encouraged her to learn to play piano, which inspired her musical career. In 2015 she began posting her songs on social media, where they saw success. Her breakthrough came in October of 2018 with the release of her first album Brol and the single “Tout oublier”, a collaboration with her brother, rapper Roméo Elvis. “Tout oublier”reached number one in both Belgium and France, and Brol was certified diamond and reached number one in French sales for 2019. She has had several singles since that have seen success, including the single “Balance ton quoi”.  In 2019 she won the NRJ Music Awards for Feminine Francophone Artist of the Year and song of the year for “Tout oublier”.

Biographical information from Wikipedia.

Cultural References, Idioms and Explanations

‘Balance ton quoi’ – This is a reference to the French version of the #MeToo campaign, which is ‘balance ton porc’ meaning ‘denounce your pig’. Angèle chose to replace ‘porc’ (pig) with ‘quoi’ (what) to soften the phrase and simply allude to the hashtag. The verb ‘ balancer’, which is often used to mean ‘to swing’, ‘to rock’, ‘to drop’ or ‘to throw away’ can also mean ‘to rat out’ or ‘to snitch on’.

‘chatte’ – This is the feminine version of ‘chat’ meaning ‘cat’. When used in reference to a feline this term is not offensive, however when used in reference to a woman in is vulgar and offensive.

‘à la mode’ – Literally translating as ‘to the fashion’, this phrase means ‘fashionable’ or ‘trendy’.

‘il faut’ – The verb ‘falloir’ is an interesting one, as it is only ever used in the third person singular. It conveys a necessity, or something that has to happen. It will be followed by an infinitive or the subjunctive tense. For example ‘il faut que j’aille’ (I have to go).

‘au fond’ – Translating literally as ‘at the bottom’, this phrase means ‘deep down’, ‘fundamentally’ or ‘essentially’.

‘te faire en, hmmm’ – This is a censored version of the phrase ‘va (aller) te faire enculer, a vulgar phrase equivalent to ‘go f*** yourself’, ‘f*** off’ or ‘f*** you’.

‘laisser quelqu’un faire quelque chose’ – This phrase means ‘to let someone do something’ or ‘to allow someone to do something’. This phrase is seen in this song in ‘laisse-moi te chanter’, meaning ‘let me sing to you’.

‘j’passerai pas à la radio’ – The verb ‘passer’ usually means to pass, however when talking about TV or radio it has a special meaning: ‘to be heard’, ‘to be played’, to be seen’ or ‘to be on’.

‘à demi-mot’ – Literally translating as ‘at half word’, this phrase means ‘tacitly’, ‘implicitly’ or ‘tacit’, ‘implied’ or ‘implicit’, depending on the context.

‘Tes parents et ton frère ça aide’ – This is likely a reference to the fact that her father is singer Marka and her brother rapper Roméo Elvis. The implication being that her fame was not earned by her alone, but in part due to their fame.

‘le plus’ – While ‘plus’ means ‘more’, ‘le plus’ means ‘the most’ or ‘the [adj]est’, as in ‘the strongest’ or the ‘smartest’.

‘rien que’ – Literally translating as ‘nothing that’, this phrase means ‘just’ or ‘nothing but’.

Song Lyrics with Grammatical Breakdown

Mouse over a term for grammatical information. A chart of the terms and grammatical information can be found here.

Balancebalancerto swing, rock; to drop; to throw away; to rat out, snitch on | verb | sec pers sing impera tontonyour | poss adj | masc sing quoiquoiwhat | pron

[Verse 1]
Ilsilsthey | pron | third pers pl masc or mixed gender parlentparlerto speak | verb | third pers pl pres toustouseveryone, all of them | pron commecommelike, as; because, since | conj desdessome | indef art | masc and fem pl animauxanimalanimal | noun | masc pl
Dedeof; from | prep toutestoutall | adj | fem pl leslesthe | def art | masc and fem pl chatteschattefemale cat; pussy, c*nt | noun | fem pl | vulgar when referring to humans çaçathis, that, it | pron parleparlerto speak | verb | third pers sing pres malmalache; evil, wrong | noun | masc sing
2018, Tooltip content j’jeI | pron | first pers sing | shortened to j' before vowels, and sometimes consonants in colloquial speechsaissavoirto know | verb | first and sec pers sing pres pasne … pasnot | adv | the 'ne' may be omitted in colloquial speech c’cethis, that, it | pron | shortened to c' before a vowelquiquiwho, which, that | pron | interr or rel t’teyou | pron | sec pers sing | shortened to t' before vowels and sometimes consonants in colloquial languagefautfalloirto need, have to, must | verb | third pers sing pres | only used in third pers sing
Maismaisbut | conj jejeI | pron | first pers sing suisêtreto be | verb | first pers sing pres plusplusmore | adv qu’quethat, than | conj | shortened to qu' before vowelsununa | indef art | masc sing animalanimalanimal | noun | masc sing
J’jeI | pron | first pers sing | shortened to j' before vowelsaiavoirto have | verb | first pers sing pres | aux verb used with the pp to form the p. c. vuvoirto see | verb | pp qu’quethat, than | conj | shortened to qu' before vowelslelethe | def art | masc sing rapraprap | noun | masc sing estêtreto be | verb | third pers sing pres ààat, to, in | prep lalathe | def art | fem sing modemodefasion, style; trend; way, manner, methodnoun | noun | fem sing | à la mode = fashionable, trendy
Etetand | conj qu’quethat, than | conj | shortened to qu' before vowelsililhe, it | pron marchemarcherto walk; to function, work | verb | third pers sing pres mieuxmieuxbetter | adv quandquandwhen | adv, conj ililhe, it | pron estêtreto be | verb | third pers sing pres salesaledirty | adj | masc and fem sing
Bahbahwell | interj faudraitfalloirneed, be needed; have to, must | verb | third pers sing cond | il faut = have to, must, it is necessary p’t’êtrepeut-êtremaybe, perhaps, possibly | adv cassercasserbreak, break open, crack, shatter; get on s.o's case, offend | verb | infin leslesthe | def art | masc and fem pl codescodecode | noun | masc pl
Uneunea | indef art | fem sing fillefillegirl | noun | fem sing quiquiwho, which, that | pron | interr or rel l’le, lathe | def art | masc or fem sing | shortened to l' before vowelsouvreouvriropen | verb | third pers sing pres çaçathis, that, it | pron seraitêtreto be | verb | third pers sing cond normalnormal, usualnormal | adj | masc sing

[Pre-Chorus]
Balancebalancerto swing, rock; to drop; to throw away; to rat out, snitch on | verb | sec pers sing impera tontonyour | poss adj | masc sing quoiquoiwhat | pron
Mêmemêmeeven | adv sisiif | conj tutuyou | pron | sec pers sing, inform parlesparlerto speak | verb | secpers sing pres malmalache; evil, wrong | noun | masc sing desdessome | indef art | masc and fem pl fillesfillegirl | noun | fem pl jejeI | pron | first pers sing saissavoirto know | verb | first and sec pers sing pres qu’quethat, than | conj | shortened to qu' before vowelsauà + leat the, to the | prep + def art | masc sing | au fond = deep down, fundamentally, essentially fondfondbottom, back; background | noun | masc sing t’tuyou | pron | sec person sing inform | may be shortened to t' before vowels in colloquial speechasavoirto have | verb | sec pers sing pres | aux verb used with the pp to form the p.c. compriscomprendreto understand | verb | pp
Balancebalancerto swing, rock; to drop; to throw away; to rat out, snitch on | verb | sec pers sing impera tontonyour | poss adj | masc sing quoi,quoiwhat | pron ununa | indef art | masc sing jourjourday | noun | masc sing peut-êtrepeut-êtremaybe, perhaps, possibly | adv çaçathis, that, it | pron changerachangerto change | third person singular future
Balancebalancerto swing, rock; to drop; to throw away; to rat out, snitch on | verb | sec pers sing impera tontonyour | poss adj | masc sing quoiquoiwhat | pron

[Chorus]
Doncdonctherefore, so | conj, adv laisse-laisserto leave | verb | sec pers sing impera | laisser (qqn) faire (qch) = to let/allow someone to do somethingmoimoime | pron | dir and indir obj, first pers sing teteyou; yourself | pron | dir obj, indir obj, and reflex, sec pers sing chanterchanterto sing | verb | infin
D’deof; from | prep | used before vowelsallerallerto go | verb | infin | va te faire enculer = go f*** yourself teteyou; yourself | pron | dir obj, indir obj, and reflex, sec pers sing fairefaireto do; to make | verb | infin | va te faire enculer = go f*** yourself en, hmm-enculerf*** | verb | infin | va te faire enculer = go f*** yourself
Ouaisouaisyeah, yep | adv j’jeI | pron | first pers sing | shortened to j' before vowelspasseraipasserpass, go past; (radio/tv) be played, be on | verb | first pers sing fut pasne … pasnot | adv | the 'ne' may be omitted in colloquial speech ààat, to, in | prep lalathe | def art | fem sing radioradioradio | noun | fem sing
Parceparce quebecause, since | conj | not used without que quequethat, than | conj mesmesmy | poss adj | masc and fem pl motsmotword | noun | masc pl sontêtreto be | verb | third pers pl pres pasne … pasnot | adv | the 'ne' may be omitted in colloquial speech trèstrèsvery | adv beauxbeauhandsome, attractive, beautiful | adj | masc pl

[Verse 2]
Leslesthe | def art | masc and fem pl gensgenspeople | noun | masc pl | no sing form mememe | pron | dir and indir obj, reflex, first pers sing disentdireto say, tell | verb | third pers pl ààat, to, in | prep demi-demi-half | prefix | | à demi-mot = tacitly, implicitly; tacit implied, implicitmotmotword | noun | masc sing | à demi-mot = tacitly, implicitly; tacit implied, implicit
Pourpourto; for | prep | to' before verbs, 'for' before nouns or prons uneunea | indef art | fem sing fillefillegirl | noun | fem sing bellebeaubeautiful, attractive, handsome | adj | em sing t’tuyou | pron | sec person sing inform | may be shortened to t' before vowels in colloquial speechesêtreto be | verb | sec pers sing pres pasne … pasnot | adv | the 'ne' may be omitted in colloquial speech sisiso | adv bêtebêtestupid, idiotic, silly, foolish | adj | masc and fem sing
Pourpourto; for | prep | to' before verbs, 'for' before nouns or prons uneunea | indef art | fem sing fillefillegirl | noun | fem sing drôledrôlefunny; odd, weird, strange | adj | masc and fem sing t’tuyou | pron | sec person sing inform | may be shortened to t' before vowels in colloquial speechesêtreto be | verb | sec pers sing pres pasne … pasnot | adv | the 'ne' may be omitted in colloquial speech sisiso | adv laidelaidugly; mean, loathsome, despicable; unpleasant | adj | fem sing
Testesyour | poss adj | masc and fem pl parentsparentparent | noun | masc pl etetand | conj tontonyour | poss adj | masc sing frèrefrèrebrother | noun | masc sing çaçathis, that, it | pron aideaiderto help, assist | verb | third pers sing pres
Oh,Tooltip content tutuyou | pron | sec pers sing, inform parlesparlerto speak | verb | sec pers sing pres dedeof; from | prep moimoime | pron | dir and indir obj, first pers sing
C’cethis, that, it | pron | shortened to c' before a vowelestêtreto be | verb | third pers sing pres quoiquoiwhat | pron tontonyour | poss adj | masc sing problème ?problèmeproblem, difficulty, issue | noun | masc sing
J’jeI | pron | first pers sing | shortened to j' before vowelsaiavoirto have | verb | first pers sing pres | aux verb used with the pp to form the p. c. écritécrireto write | verb | pp rien(ne) … riennothing, not … anything | pron | in cases where the 'ne' is grammatically necessary it is often omitted in colloquial speech | rien que = just, nothing but qu’quethat, than | conj | shortened to qu' before vowels | rien que = just, nothing butpourpourto; for | prep | to' before verbs, 'for' before nouns or prons toitoiyou | pron | sec pers sing, informal lelethe | def art | masc sing plusplusmore | adv | | le plus = the most, the (adj)est beaubeauhandsome, attractive, beautiful | adj | masc sing desdessome | indef art | masc and fem pl poèmespoèmepoem | noun | masc pl

[Chorus 2]
Laisse-laisserto leave | verb | sec pers sing impera | laisser (qqn) faire (qch) = to let/allow someone to do somethingmoimoime | pron | dir and indir obj, first pers sing teteyou; yourself | pron | dir obj, indir obj, and reflex, sec pers sing chanterchanterto sing | verb | infin
D’deof; from | prep | used before vowelsallerallerto go | verb | infin teteyou; yourself | pron | dir obj, indir obj, and reflex, sec pers sing fairefaireto do; to make | verb | infin en, hmm-enculerf*** | verb | infin | va te faire enculer = go f*** yourself
Ouaisouaisyeah, yep | adv j’jeI | pron | first pers sing | shortened to j' before vowelss’raiêtre (serai)to be | verb | first pers sing fut poliepolipolite, courteous; polished, smool, shiny | adj | fem sing pourpourto; for | prep | to' before verbs, 'for' before nouns or prons lalathe | def art | fem sing télétélévisionTV | noun | fem, sing
Maismaisbut | conj vaallerto go | verb | third pers sing pres teteyou; yourself | pron | dir obj, indir obj, and reflex, sec pers sing fairefaireto do; to make | verb | infin en, hmm-enculerf*** | verb | infin | va te faire enculer = go f*** yourself
Balancebalancerto swing, rock; to drop; to throw away; to rat out, snitch on | verb | sec pers sing impera tontonyour | poss adj | masc sing quoiquoiwhat | pron
Balancebalancerto swing, rock; to drop; to throw away; to rat out, snitch on | verb | sec pers sing impera tontonyour | poss adj | masc sing quoiquoiwhat | pron
Balancebalancerto swing, rock; to drop; to throw away; to rat out, snitch on | verb | sec pers sing impera tontonyour | poss adj | masc sing quoiquoiwhat | pron

[Bridge]
Ununa | indef art | masc sing jourjourday | noun, masc peut-êtrepeut-êtremaybe, perhaps, possibly | adv çaçathis, that, it | pron changerachangerto change | third person singular future
Yyhere, there | adverb | | il y a = there is/are aavoirto have | verb | third pers sing pres plusplusmore | adv | | ne … plus = not anymore, no longer d’deof; from | prep | used before vowelsrespectrespectrespect; consideration; esteem, regard | noun | masc sing dansdansin | prep lalathe | def art | fem sing rueruestreet, road | noun | fem sing
Tutuyou | pron | sec pers sing, inform saissavoirto know | verb | first and sec pers sing pres trèstrèsvery | adv bienbienwell; a lot; good, fine | adv quandquandwhen | adv, conj t’tuyou | pron | sec person sing inform | may be shortened to t' before vowels in colloquial speechabusesabuserto go too far | verb | sec pers sing pres
Balancebalancerto swing, rock; to drop; to throw away; to rat out, snitch on | verb | sec pers sing impera tontonyour | poss adj | masc sing quoiquoiwhat | pron
Balancebalancerto swing, rock; to drop; to throw away; to rat out, snitch on | verb | sec pers sing impera tontonyour | poss adj | masc sing quoiquoiwhat | pron

[Chorus]
Doncdonctherefore, so | conj, adv laisse-laisserto leave | verb | sec pers sing impera | laisser (qqn) faire (qch) = to let/allow someone to do somethingmoimoime | pron | dir and indir obj, first pers sing teteyou; yourself | pron | dir obj, indir obj, and reflex, sec pers sing chanterchanterto sing | verb | infin
D’deof; from | prep | used before vowelsallerallerto go | verb | infin | va te faire enculer = go f*** yourself teteyou; yourself | pron | dir obj, indir obj, and reflex, sec pers sing fairefaireto do; to make | verb | infin | va te faire enculer = go f*** yourself en, hmm-enculerf*** | verb | infin | va te faire enculer = go f*** yourself
Ouaisouaisyeah, yep | adv j’jeI | pron | first pers sing | shortened to j' before vowelspasseraipasserpass, go past; (radio/tv) be played, be on | verb | first pers sing fut pasne … pasnot | adv | the 'ne' may be omitted in colloquial speech ààat, to, in | prep lalathe | def art | fem sing radioradioradio | noun | fem sing
Parceparce quebecause, since | conj | not used without que quequethat, than | conj mesmesmy | poss adj | masc and fem pl motsmotword | noun | masc pl sontêtreto be | verb | third pers pl pres pasne … pasnot | adv | the 'ne' may be omitted in colloquial speech trèstrèsvery | adv beauxbeauhandsome, attractive, beautiful | adj | masc pl

[Chorus 2]
Laisse-laisserto leave | verb | sec pers sing impera | laisser (qqn) faire (qch) = to let/allow someone to do somethingmoimoime | pron | dir and indir obj, first pers sing teteyou; yourself | pron | dir obj, indir obj, and reflex, sec pers sing chanterchanterto sing | verb | infin
D’deof; from | prep | used before vowelsallerallerto go | verb | infin teteyou; yourself | pron | dir obj, indir obj, and reflex, sec pers sing fairefaireto do; to make | verb | infin en, hmm-enculerf*** | verb | infin | va te faire enculer = go f*** yourself
Ouaisouaisyeah, yep | adv j’jeI | pron | first pers sing | shortened to j' before vowelss’raiêtre (serai)to be | verb | first pers sing fut poliepolipolite, courteous; polished, smool, shiny | adj | fem sing pourpourto; for | prep | to' before verbs, 'for' before nouns or prons lalathe | def art | fem sing télétélévisionTV | noun | fem, sing
Maismaisbut | conj vaallerto go | verb | third pers sing pres teteyou; yourself | pron | dir obj, indir obj, and reflex, sec pers sing fairefaireto do; to make | verb | infin en, hmm-enculerf*** | verb | infin | va te faire enculer = go f*** yourself
Balancebalancerto swing, rock; to drop; to throw away; to rat out, snitch on | verb | sec pers sing impera tontonyour | poss adj | masc sing quoiquoiwhat | pron
Balancebalancerto swing, rock; to drop; to throw away; to rat out, snitch on | verb | sec pers sing impera tontonyour | poss adj | masc sing quoiquoiwhat | pron
Balancebalancerto swing, rock; to drop; to throw away; to rat out, snitch on | verb | sec pers sing impera tontonyour | poss adj | masc sing quoiquoiwhat | pron

[Outro]
Mêmemêmeeven | adv sisiif | conj tutuyou | pron | sec pers sing, inform parlesparlerto speak | verb | secpers sing pres malmalache; evil, wrong | noun | masc sing desdessome | indef art | masc and fem pl fillesfillegirl | noun | fem pl jejeI | pron | first pers sing saissavoirto know | verb | first and sec pers sing pres qu’quethat, than | conj | shortened to qu' before vowelsauà + leat the, to the | prep + def art | masc sing | au fond = deep down, fundamentally, essentially fondfondbottom, back; background | noun | masc sing t’tuyou | pron | sec person sing inform | may be shortened to t' before vowels in colloquial speechasavoirto have | verb | sec pers sing pres | aux verb used with the pp to form the p.c. compriscomprendreto understand | verb | pp
Balancebalancerto swing, rock; to drop; to throw away; to rat out, snitch on | verb | sec pers sing impera tontonyour | poss adj | masc sing quoi,quoiwhat | pron ununa | indef art | masc sing jourjourday | noun | masc sing peut-êtrepeut-êtremaybe, perhaps, possibly | adv çaçathis, that, it | pron changerachangerto change | third person singular future
Balancebalancerto swing, rock; to drop; to throw away; to rat out, snitch on | verb | sec pers sing impera tontonyour | poss adj | masc sing quoiquoiwhat | pron

Lyrics with Translation

Songs in any language often leave room for multiple interpretations. Following is my interpretation of the song lyrics.

Balance ton quoi
Denounce your what

[Verse 1]
Ils parlent tous comme des animaux
They all talk like animals
De toutes les chattes ça parle mal
About all the pussies they speak poorly
j’sais pas c’qui t’faut
I don’t know what you need
Mais je suis plus qu’un animal
But I’m more than an animal
J’ai vu qu’le rap est à la mode
I saw that rap is trendy
Et qu’il marche mieux quand il est sale
And that it works better when it’s dirty
Bah faudrait p’t’être casser les codes
Well, maybe the codes need to be broken
Une fille qui l’ouvre ça serait normal
A girl who opens that would be normal

Balance ton quoi
Denounce your what
Même si tu parles mal des filles je sais qu’au fond t’as compris
Even if you speak poorly of girls I know that deep down you understood
Balance ton quoi, un jour peut-être ça changera
Denounce your what, one day maybe it will change
Balance ton quoi
Denounce your what

[Chorus]
Donc laisse-moi te chanter
So let me sing to you
D’aller te faire en, hmm-
To go hmm yourself
Ouais j’passerai pas à la radio
Yeah, I won’t be played on the radio
Parce que mes mots sont pas très beaux
Because my words are not very beautiful

[Verse 2]
Les gens me disent à demi-mot
People tell me implicitly
Pour une fille belle t’es pas si bête
For a beautiful girl you’re not so stupid
Pour une fille drôle t’es pas si laide
For a funny girl you’re not so ugly
Tes parents et ton frère ça aide
Your parents and your brother, that helps
Oh, tu parles de moi
Oh, you talk about me
C’est quoi ton problème?
What’s your problem?
J’ai écrit rien qu’pour toi le plus beau des poèmes
I wrote for you nothing but the most beautiful of poems

[Chorus 2]
Laisse-moi te chanter
Let me sing to you
D’aller te faire en, hmm-
To go hmm yourself
Ouais j’s’rai polie pour la télé
Yeah, I’ll be polite for the TV
Mais va te faire en, hmm-
But go hmm yourself
Balance ton quoi
Denounce your what
Balance ton quoi
Denounce your what
Balance ton quoi
Denounce your what

[Bridge]
Un jour peut-être ça changera
One day maybe it will change
Y a plus d’respect dans la rue
There’s no longer any respect on the street
Tu sais très bien quand t’abuses
You know very well when you go too far
Balance ton quoi
Denounce your what
Balance ton quoi
Denounce your what

[Chorus]
Laisse-moi te chanter
So let me sing to you
D’aller te faire en, hmm-
To go hmm yourself
Ouais j’passerai pas à la radio
Yeah, I won’t be played on the radio
Parce que mes mots sont pas très beaux
Because my words are not very beautiful

[Chorus 2]
Laisse-moi te chanter
Let me sing to you
D’aller te faire en, hmm-
To go hmm yourself
Ouais j’s’rai polie pour la télé
Yeah, I’ll be polite for the TV
Mais va te faire en, hmm-
But go hmm yourself
Balance ton quoi
Denounce your what
Balance ton quoi
Denounce your what
Balance ton quoi
Denounce your what

[Outro]
Même si tu parles mal des filles je sais qu’au fond t’as compris
Even if you speak poorly of girls I know that deep down you understood
Balance ton quoi, un jour peut-être ça changera
Denounce your what, one day maybe it will change
Balance ton quoi
Denounce your what