If anyone was going to do a song about confinement for Covid-19 and make it popular, I feel like of course it would be the French. And since I’m working on this while also being on a stay at home order, of course it had to be my next song.

Being a nurse by trade before being discovered, Charlie Boisseau has returned to nursing during this pandemic. Inspired by the pandemic he released an acoustic version of this song on social media. After 30,000 views on Facebook, he went ahead and recorded a studio version at home, and later even made a video to accompany the song. All proceeds from this song will go to French hospitals.

Song information from ChartsinFrance.

About the Artist

Charlie Boisseau is a singer/songwriter from the town of Alès in the southeast of France. A nurse by trade, he began posting music online, and in 2014 was noticed by the producers of France’s The Voice (The Voice: La Plus Belle Voix). He appeared in the third season, and was eliminated in the quarter finals.

After The Voice Charlie went on to voice Lancelot in the musical comedy  La Légende du roi Arthur (The Legend of King Arthur). He released his first solo album Acte 1 in 2017.

Biographical information from EveryBodyWiki and ChartsinFrance.

Cultural References, Idioms and Explanations

‘avoir besoin’ – This is one of the many phrases that uses ‘avoir’ in French. Meaning ‘to need’, it translates literally as ‘to have need of’.

‘ne … que’ – This is a common form of negation. Used in the same way as ‘ne … pas’ (sandwiched around the verb), it means ‘only’.

‘galère’ – This term originally referred to a type of ship propelled by oars, called a ‘galley’ in English. As ships got larger, many men were needed to row these ships. In the 16th century it became commonplace to use slaves or convicts to work the oars. Conditions on these ships were abysmal, which led to the current usage of this term to mean ‘a difficult situation’, ‘a pain’, or even ‘hell’.

‘ou bien’ – Literally translating as ‘or good’, this phrase means ‘or’, ‘or else’, or ‘or even’.

‘être à deux doigts de’ – Literally meaning ‘to be two fingers from’, this phrase has two meanings. First, it means ‘to be about to do’ or ‘to be on the verge’, and second ‘to be close to’ or ‘to be within a hair’s breadth of’.

‘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).

‘hors la loi’ – Meaning ‘outside the law’, when used as a noun this means ‘outlaw’.

Song Lyrics with Grammatical Breakdown

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

Confinéconfinéconfined, cooped up | adj | masc sing avecavecwith | prep toitoiyou | pron | sec pers sing, inform

[Verse 1]
JejeI | pron | first pers sing saissavoirto know | verb | first pers sing pres bienbienwell; a lot; good, fine | adv jejeI | pron | first pers sing suisêtreto be | verb | first pers sing pres chanceuxchanceuxlucky | adj | masc sing and pl
Malgrémalgrédespite, in spite of | prep lalathe | def art | fem sing peurpeurfear | noun | fem sing d’deof; from | prep | shorted to d' before vowelsavoiravoirto have | verb | infin lalathe | def art | fem sing fièvrefièvrefever | noun | fem sing
J’jeI | pron | first pers sing | shortened to j' before vowelsaiavoirto have | verb | first pers sing pres déjàdéjàalready, yet | adv lalathe | def art | fem sing chaleurchaleurheat, warmth | noun | fem sing dedeof; from | prep nousnouswe, us | pron | first pers pl deuxdeuxtwo | adj
Quiquiwho, which, that | pron | interr or rel brûlebrûlerto burn | verb | third pers sing pres monmonmy | poss adj | masc sing cœurcœurheart | noun | masc sing etetand | conj mesmesmy | poss adj | masc and fem plural lèvreslèvrelip | noun | fem pl
J’jeI | pron | first pers sing | shortened to j' before vowelscroiscroireto believe, think | verb | first pers sing pres qu’quethat, than | conj | shortened to qu' before vowelsj’jeI | pron | first pers sing | shortened to j' before vowelsauraisavoirto have | verb | first pers sing cond besoinbesoinneed, requirement, necessity | noun | masc sing | avoir besoin = to need d’deof; from | prep | shorted to d' before vowelsununa | indef art | masc sing peupeulittle, a little (bit), not much | adv
Dude + lefrom the, of the | prep + art ressentiressentiperception, sense | noun | masc sing d’deof; from | prep | shorted to d' before vowelsuneunea | indef art | fem sing caressecaressecaress, touch | noun | fem sing
JejeI | pron | first pers sing n’nenot, no | adv | used with another neg term, such as 'ne … pas', shortened to n' before vowelsaiavoirto have | verb | first pers sing pres quequethat, than | conj | ne … que = only lalathe | def art | fem sing tendressetendressetenderness | noun | fem sing dedeof; from | prep testesyour | poss adj | masc and fem pl yeuxœileye | noun | masc pl
L’le, lathe | def art | masc or fem sing, shortened to l' before vowelsenvieenvielonging, desire, wish, yearning | noun | fem sing quequethat, than | conj cecethis, that | dem adj | masc sing cauchemarcauchemarnightmare, bad dream | noun | masc sing cessecesserto stop, cease | verb | third pers sing pres

[Chorus]
(Mais)maisbut | conj J’jeI | pron | first pers sing | shortened to j' before vowelsavoueavouerconfess, admit to | verb | first pers sing pres c’cethis, that, it | pron, adj | shortened to c' before a vowelestêtreto be | verb | third pers sing pres pasne … pasnot | adv | the 'ne' may be omitted in colloquial speech sisiso | adv difficiledifficiledifficult, hard, tough | adj | masc and fem sing
Resterresterremain, stay, be left, continue | verb | infin confinéconfinéconfined, cooped up | adj | masc sing avecavecwith | prep toitoiyou | pron | sec pers sing, inform
Dansdansin | prep ununa | indef art | masc sing appartappartementapartment | noun | masc sing | common colloquial abbreviation ououor | conj sursuron, upon; on top of, above | prep uneunea | indef art | fem sing îleîleisland | noun | fem sing
Pendantpendantduring, in; for, throught | prep desdessome | indef art | masc and fem pl joursjourday | noun | masc pl ououor | conj | ou bien = or, or else bienbienwell; a lot; good, fine | adv | ou bien = or else desdessome | indef art | masc and fem pl moismoismonth | noun | masc sing and pl
J’jeI | pron | first pers sing | shortened to j' before vowelsavoueavouerconfess, admit to | verb | first pers sing pres c’cethis, that, it | pron, adj | shortened to c' before a vowelestêtreto be | verb | third pers sing pres pasne … pasnot | adv | the 'ne' may be omitted in colloquial speech sisiso | adv difficiledifficiledifficult, hard, tough | adj | masc and fem sing
Resterresterremain, stay, be left, continue | verb | infin confinéconfinéconfined, cooped up | adj | masc sing avecavecwith | prep toitoiyou | pron | sec pers sing, inform
Dansdansin | prep ununa | indef art | masc sing appartappartementapartment | noun | masc sing | common colloquial abbreviation ououor | conj sursuron, upon; on top of, above | prep uneunea | indef art | fem sing îleîleisland | noun | fem sing
Rien(ne) … riennothing, not … anything | pron | in cases where the 'ne' is grammatically necessary it is often omitted in colloquial speech qu’quethat, than | conj | shortened to qu' before vowelsavecavecwith | prep lelethe | def art | masc sing sonsonsound | noun | masc sing dedeof; from | prep tatayour | poss adj | fem sing voixvoixvoice | noun | fem sing

[Verse 2]
JejeI | pron | first pers sing saissavoirto know | verb | first pers sing pres bienbienwell; a lot; good, fine | adv jejeI | pron | first pers sing suisêtreto be | verb | first pers sing pres chanceuxchanceuxlucky | adj | masc sing and pl
Dedeof; from | prep t’tuyou | pron | sec pers sing inform | may be shortened to t' before vowels in colloquial speechavoiravoirto have | verb | infin commecommelike, as; because, since | conj passagèrepassagèrefemale passenger | noun | fem sing | fem form of 'passager'
J’jeI | pron | first pers sing | shortened to j' before vowelsaimeraisaimerto like, to love | verb | first pers sing cond soudainsuddenly, all of the suddenadv êtreêtreto be | verb | infin ununa | indef art | masc sing peupeulittle, a little (bit), not much | adv plusplusmore | adv vieuxvieuxold | adj | masc sing and pl
Lelethe | def art | masc sing jourjourday | noun, masc d’deof; from | prep | shorted to d' before vowelsaprèsaprèsafter, afterwards | prep cettecettethis, that | dem adj | fem sing galèregalèrehell, difficult situation, pain, chore | noun | fem, sing
Alorsalorsthen, in that case, so, well | adv jejeI | pron | first pers sing laisselaisserto leave | verb | first pers sing pres monmonmy | poss adj | masc sing cœurcœurheart | noun | masc sing malheureuxmalheureuxunhappy, miserable; unlucky; unfortunate | adj | masc sing and pl
Sesehimself, herself, oneself, itself, themselves, each other | pron | reflex, third pers, sing and pl nourrirnourrirto feed, nourish | verb | infin dedeof; from | prep toustousall, all of, every | adj testesyour | poss adj | masc and fem pl jejei | pron | first pers sing t’teyou | pron | sec pers sing, dir obj, indir obj, and reflex | shortened to t' before vowelsaimeaimerto like, to love | verb | first pers sing pres
Égoïsteégoïsteselfish, self-centered | egotistical | adj | masc and fem sing écoutantécouterto listen to | verb | ger quequethat, than | conj mesmesmy | poss adj | masc and fem pl yeuxœileye | noun | masc pl
Quandquandwhen | adv, conj lelethe | def art | masc sing mondemondeworld, crowd, people, everybody | noun, masc entierentierwhole, entire | adj | masc sing sesehimself, herself, oneself, itself, themselves, each other | pron | reflex, third pers, sing and pl démènese démenerto thrash about; to exert oneself; go out of one's way to do; to struggle | verb | sec pers sing pres

[Chorus]
(Mais)maisbut | conj J’jeI | pron | first pers sing | shortened to j' before vowelsavoueavouerconfess, admit to | verb | first pers sing pres c’cethis, that, it | pron, adj | shortened to c' before a vowelestêtreto be | verb | third pers sing pres pasne … pasnot | adv | the 'ne' may be omitted in colloquial speech sisiso | adv difficiledifficiledifficult, hard, tough | adj | masc and fem sing
Resterresterremain, stay, be left, continue | verb | infin confinéconfinéconfined, cooped up | adj | masc sing avecavecwith | prep toitoiyou | pron | sec pers sing, inform
Dansdansin | prep ununa | indef art | masc sing appartappartementapartment | noun | masc sing | common colloquial abbreviation ououor | conj sursuron, upon; on top of, above | prep uneunea | indef art | fem sing îleîleisland | noun | fem sing
Pendantpendantduring, in; for, throught | prep desdessome | indef art | masc and fem pl joursjourday | noun | masc pl ououor | conj | ou bien = or, or else bienbienwell; a lot; good, fine | adv | ou bien = or else desdessome | indef art | masc and fem pl moismoismonth | noun | masc sing and pl
J’jeI | pron | first pers sing | shortened to j' before vowelsavoueavouerconfess, admit to | verb | first pers sing pres c’cethis, that, it | pron, adj | shortened to c' before a vowelestêtreto be | verb | third pers sing pres pasne … pasnot | adv | the 'ne' may be omitted in colloquial speech sisiso | adv difficiledifficiledifficult, hard, tough | adj | masc and fem sing
Resterresterremain, stay, be left, continue | verb | infin confinéconfinéconfined, cooped up | adj | masc sing avecavecwith | prep toitoiyou | pron | sec pers sing, inform
Dansdansin | prep ununa | indef art | masc sing appartappartementapartment | noun | masc sing | common colloquial abbreviation ououor | conj sursuron, upon; on top of, above | prep uneunea | indef art | fem sing îleîleisland | noun | fem sing
Rien(ne) … riennothing, not … anything | pron | in cases where the 'ne' is grammatically necessary it is often omitted in colloquial speech qu’quethat, than | conj | shortened to qu' before vowelsavecavecwith | prep lelethe | def art | masc sing sonsonsound | noun | masc sing dedeof; from | prep tatayour | poss adj | fem sing voixvoixvoice | noun | fem sing

[Bridge]
Cecethis, that | dem adj | masc sing soirsoirevening | noun | masc sing jejeI | pron | first pers sing s’raiêtre (serai)to be | verb | first pers sing fut | être à deux doigts de = to be about to do, to be on the verge, to be close to, be within a hair's breadth of ààat, to, in | prep deuxdeuxtwo | adj | être à deux doigts de = to be about to do, to be on the verge, to be close to, be within a hair's breadth of doigtsdoigtfinger | noun | masc pl | être à deux doigts de = to be about to do, to be on the verge, to be close to, be within a hair's breadth of dedeof; from | prep flancherflancherfail, waver, give in | verb | infin
Entreentrebetween | prep risquerisquechance, likelihood; risk, danger | noun | masc sing etetand | conj désirdésirdesire, wish, longing | noun | masc sing ililhe, it | pron | third pers sing masc fautfalloirto need, have to, must | verb | third pers sing pres | only used in third pers sing tranchertrancherto slice, cut; to judge, decide, solve, settle | verb | infin
Cecethis, that | dem adj | masc sing soirsoirevening | noun | masc sing jejeI | pron | first pers sing s’raiêtre (serai)to be | verb | first pers sing fut horshorswithout, outside, beyond, excluding | prep | hors la loi = outlaw lalathe | def art | fem sing loiloilaw | noun | fem sing | hors la loi = outlaw, insensésenseless, foolish, crazy, ridiculousadj | masc sing
Enento, in | prep m’meme; myself | pron | first pers sing, dir obj, indir obj, and reflex | shortened to m' before vowelsallongeantallongerlay, lay down, stretch out | verb | ger prèsprèsnear, close to | adv dedeof; from | prep toitoiyou | pron | sec pers sing, inform

[Chorus] X 2
(Mais)maisbut | conj J’jeI | pron | first pers sing | shortened to j' before vowelsavoueavouerconfess, admit to | verb | first pers sing pres c’cethis, that, it | pron, adj | shortened to c' before a vowelestêtreto be | verb | third pers sing pres pasne … pasnot | adv | the 'ne' may be omitted in colloquial speech sisiso | adv difficiledifficiledifficult, hard, tough | adj | masc and fem sing
Resterresterremain, stay, be left, continue | verb | infin confinéconfinéconfined, cooped up | adj | masc sing avecavecwith | prep toitoiyou | pron | sec pers sing, inform
Dansdansin | prep ununa | indef art | masc sing appartappartementapartment | noun | masc sing | common colloquial abbreviation ououor | conj sursuron, upon; on top of, above | prep uneunea | indef art | fem sing îleîleisland | noun | fem sing
Pendantpendantduring, in; for, throught | prep desdessome | indef art | masc and fem pl joursjourday | noun | masc pl ououor | conj | ou bien = or, or else bienbienwell; a lot; good, fine | adv | ou bien = or else desdessome | indef art | masc and fem pl moismoismonth | noun | masc sing and pl
J’jeI | pron | first pers sing | shortened to j' before vowelsavoueavouerconfess, admit to | verb | first pers sing pres c’cethis, that, it | pron, adj | shortened to c' before a vowelestêtreto be | verb | third pers sing pres pasne … pasnot | adv | the 'ne' may be omitted in colloquial speech sisiso | adv difficiledifficiledifficult, hard, tough | adj | masc and fem sing
Resterresterremain, stay, be left, continue | verb | infin confinéconfinéconfined, cooped up | adj | masc sing avecavecwith | prep toitoiyou | pron | sec pers sing, inform
Dansdansin | prep ununa | indef art | masc sing appartappartementapartment | noun | masc sing | common colloquial abbreviation ououor | conj sursuron, upon; on top of, above | prep uneunea | indef art | fem sing îleîleisland | noun | fem sing
Rien(ne) … riennothing, not … anything | pron | in cases where the 'ne' is grammatically necessary it is often omitted in colloquial speech qu’quethat, than | conj | shortened to qu' before vowelsavecavecwith | prep lelethe | def art | masc sing sonsonsound | noun | masc sing dedeof; from | prep tatayour | poss adj | fem sing voixvoixvoice | noun | fem sing

Lyrics with Translation

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

Confiné avec toi
Confined with you

[Verse 1]
Je sais bien je suis chanceux
I know well I’m lucky
Malgré la peur d’avoir la fièvre
Despite the fear of having a fever
J’ai déjà la chaleur de nous deux
I already have the warmth of the two of us
Qui brûle mon coeur et mes lèvres
That burns my heart and my lips
J’crois qu’j’aurais besoin d’un peu
I think I would need a little
Du ressenti d’une caresse
Of the feeling of a caress
Je n’ai que la tendresse de tes yeux
I only have the tenderness of your eyes
L’envie que ce cauchemar cesse
The desire for this nightmare to end

[Chorus]
(Mais) J’avoue c’est pas si difficile
But I admit it’s not so difficult
Rester confiné avec toi
To stay confined with you
Dans un appart ou sur une île
In an apartment or on an island
Pendant des jours ou bien des mois
For days or even months
J’avoue c’est pas si difficile
I admit it’s not so difficult
Rester confiné avec toi
To stay confined with you
Dans un appart ou sur une île
In an apartment or on an island
Rien qu’avec le son de ta voix
With nothing but the sound of your voice

[Verse 2]
Je sais bien je suis chanceux
I know well I’m lucky
De t’avoir comme passagère
To have you as a passenger
J’aimerais soudain être un peu plus vieux
I would like to suddenly be a little bit older
Le jour d’après cette galère
The day after this hell
Alors je laisse mon coeur malheureux
So I let my miserable heart
Se nourrir de tous tes je t’aime
nourish itself on all your “I love you”s
Égoïste écoutant que mes yeux
Selfish, listening only to my eyes
Quand le monde entier se démène
When the whole world struggles

[Chorus]
(Mais) J’avoue c’est pas si difficile
(But) I admit it’s not so difficult
Rester confiné avec toi
To stay confined with you
Dans un appart ou sur une île
In an apartment or on an island
Pendant des jours ou bien des mois
For days or even months
J’avoue c’est pas si difficile
I admit it’s not so difficult
Rester confiné avec toi
To stay confined with you
Dans un appart ou sur une île
In an apartment or on an island
Rien qu’avec le son de ta voix
With nothing but the sound of your voice

[Bridge]
Ce soir je s’rai à deux doigts de flancher
Tonight I will be on the verge of giving in
Entre risque et désir il faut trancher
Between risk and desire it must be decided
Ce soir je s’rai hors la loi, insensé
Tonight I will be an outlaw, crazy
En m’allongeant près de toi…
Laying next to you

[Chorus] X 2
(Mais) J’avoue c’est pas si difficile
(But) I admit it’s not so difficult
Rester confiné avec toi
To stay confined with you
Dans un appart ou sur une île
In an apartment or on an island
Pendant des jours ou bien des mois
For days or even months
J’avoue c’est pas si difficile
I admit it’s not so difficult
Rester confiné avec toi
To stay confined with you
Dans un appart ou sur une île
In an apartment or on an island
Rien qu’avec le son de ta voix
With nothing but the sound of your voice