L'enfer Lyrics in English by Stromae

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Below, I translated the lyrics of the song L'enfer by Stromae from French to English.

These lyrics have verified word for word translations. Click any lyric word to see the translation and hear the pronunciation!

Verse 1

I'm not all alone to be all alone

That's already one less thing in the head

And if I counted how many we are

A lot

Or: (We would be) Many

Everything I've already thought about

To say that many others have already thought about it

Or: It's crazy that many other people have thought just the same

But despite everything, I feel all alone

Therefore

Or: As a result

Chorus 1

I've sometimes had suicidal thoughts

And I'm not very proud

We believe sometimes that it's the only way to silence them

These thoughts that make us live like hell

These thoughts that make me live like hell

Verse 2

Am I the only one with the TV

And the guilt chain

Or: And the guilt trip channel

But you have to change your mind

Or: But you have to take your mind away from it

Not too much though

Otherwise, it starts again quickly in your head

And it's too late for it to stop

That's when I'd like to forget everything

Therefore

Chorus 2

I've sometimes had suicidal thoughts

And I'm not very proud

We believe sometimes that it's the only way to silence them

These thoughts that make us live like hell

These thoughts that make me live like hell

Outro 1

You know, I've carefully reflected

And I really don't know what to do with you

Exactly, thinking

That's the problem with you

Outro 2

You know, I've carefully reflected

And I really don't know what to do with you

Exactly, thinking

That's the problem with you

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enfer — hell

Enfer literally translates to "hell". It's a powerful and dramatic word that you don't often see as the title of a pop song.

In this deeply personal track, Stromae uses enfer not in a religious sense, but as a metaphor for the internal torment of battling dark thoughts. He sings, "Ces pensées qui me font vivre un enfer" (These thoughts that make me live a hell), poignantly describing a state of mental suffering.

Belgian artist Stromae pairs a driving dance beat with brutal honesty in "L'enfer" (Hell). Right from the opening lines, he looks at loneliness from a surprisingly rational angle: "J'suis pas tout seul à être tout seul" (I'm not the only one who is alone). He tells himself that knowing millions of other people feel the exact same misery should make him feel better ("Ça fait déjà ça d'moins dans la tête" [That's at least one less thing in my head]). Yet, logic fails against a spiraling mind. In the end, knowing everyone suffers changes nothing: "Mais malgré tout, je m'sens tout seul / Du coup" (But despite everything, I feel alone / So).

He doesn't sugarcoat the darkest corners of that spiral. In the chorus, he confesses plainly: "J'ai parfois eu des pensées suicidaires / Et j'en suis peu fier" (I've sometimes had suicidal thoughts / And I'm not very proud of it). He describes suicidal ideation as a desperate attempt to silence mental torment ("faire taire / Ces pensées qui nous font vivre un enfer" [silence / These thoughts that make us live through hell]). Stromae also points out the endless loop of overthinking with biting self-awareness. He jokes about having the guilt channel playing on his TV ("la chaîne culpabilité"), and stages an internal dialogue in the bridge where his own brain scolds him: "Justement, réfléchir / C'est bien l'problème avec toi" (Precisely, thinking / That is your whole problem).

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Stromae L'enfer Lyrics