Bouge de là

Move Away

 

Everything started down there, in the town which we call Maisons-Alfort

When I see a weird woman shaking her body

Maisons-Alfort is a middle-class suburb of Paris. This is where MC Solaar’s story begins, with a woman shaking it to get his attention. Here the author uses an arabic word “FATMA” suggesting that the lady is indeed arabic.

She says to me: “Claude M.C., come there that I give you comfort.”

I said: “No, thank you, it’s very kind, but I don’t eat pork…”

This girl wants to give MC Solaar some comfort, likely by sleeping with him. He would eat her, but thinks she’s a pig and doesn’t eat pork

She told me: ” Move Out of My Way, Move Out of My Way, Move out of my way”

Literally Translates as “move from there” or “get out of there,” Solaar uses this phrase as the theme of the song. It is used very similarly to bust a move.

 

I continue my journey and reach Lyon station when I see a boy who claims to be as strong like a lion

He says to me:  Claude MC, do you want to box with me? ”

His bruises were bigger than Samantha Fox’s breasts

MC Solaar notes the guy has large bruises from being punched hard that are bigger than popstar turned Playboy pin-up girl Samantha Fox’s breasts (really big).

He told me: ” Move out of My Way, Move out of My Way, Move out of My Way, Move Out of My Way”

 

My next-door neighbor called Cassandre

She owns a little dog that she named Alexandre

She says to me: ” Claude MC can you walk him ”

pun: the actual verb used is “to descend” in French, “descendre”, i.e. take the dog downstairs in order to walk it, double meaning, “descendre” can also mean to kill someone

I took my gun, I must have misunderstood

She told me: ” Move Out of My Way, Move Out of My Way, Move Out of My Way, Move Out of My Way”

 

Directly, I went to Lucie’s who loves dogs, cats, and “30 millions d’amis

30 millions d’amis used to be a French TV show broadcasted on national television about pet lovers

She says to me: “do you love animals, you my super MC?”

I said to her: yes I adore them, with salt and well cooked!”

MC Solar is making fun of Lucie’s adoration for animals, he likes eating meat.

She told me: “Move Out of My Way, Move Out of My Way, Move Out of My Way, Move Out of My Way, Move Out of My Way”

 

Later, in the metro there is a hobo wandering,

Charclo FR is a argotic word coresponding to “homeless”

He tells me about his whole life, he tells he’s from Rennes.

Then, he says to me that he stinks, that he needs to bathe…

I say ” throw yourself in the sewer you directly reach the Seine river ”

He told me: “Move Out of My Way, Move Out of My Way, Move out of my way”

 

I continue my journey, I arrive at the Boulevard Barbès

Boulevard Barbès is a major street and a poor neighborhood of Paris, and is home to a lot of rappers.

When I see one of my friends who comes from Marrakesh

He says to me: “Live, live, I buy you rap in dinars.”

I said: “No, I want dollars because I’m called Solaa.”

His friend wants to pay him in Morrocan dinar to rap. Solaar wants dollars, ostensibly because dollars are a much better currency to hold.

He told me: “Move Out of My Way, Move Out of My Way, Move Out of My Way, Move Out of My Way, Move Out of My Way”

 

So, I moved, I had to go, leave, change path,

I had to avoid myself, I had to flee, I had to leave, I had to slip away

I had to camouflage myself, I had to disappear…to reappear

Oh! Oh! Move Out of My Way, Move Out of My Way, Move Out of My Way, Move Out of My Way, Move Out of My Way”

 

Bouge de là

Tout a commencé là-bas, dans la ville qu’on appelle Maisons-Alfort
Quand je vois une fatma chelou qui fait bouger son corps
Elle me dit: “Claude M.C., viens là qu’j’te donne du réconfort.”
J’ai dit: “Non-merci, c’est très gentil mais je n’mange pas d’porc…”
Elle m’a fait:

“Bouge de là. Bouge, bouge de là. Bouge, bouge, bouge de là.”

J’continue mon trajet, j’arrive vers la Gare de Lyon
Quand je vois un gars qui se dit vraiment très fort comme un lion
Il me dit: “Claude M.C., est-ce que tu veux qu’on s’boxe ?”
Ses hématomes étaient plus gros qu’les seins de Samantha Fox !
Il m’a fait:

“Bouge de là. Bouge, bouge de là. Bouge, bouge, bouge de là.”

Ma voisine de palier, elle s’appelle Cassandre,
Elle a un petit chien qu’elle appelle Alexandre.
Elle me dit: “Claude M.C., est-ce que tu peux le descendre ?”
J’ai pris mon Magnum, j’ai dû mal comprendre.
Elle m’a fait:

“Bouge de là. Bouge, bouge de là. Bouge, bouge, bouge de là.”

Directement, j’suis allé chez Lucie,
Qui aime les chiens, les chats et Trente Millions d’Amis.
Elle me dit: “T’aimes les animaux, toi mon super M.C. ?”
J’ai dit: “oui j’adore, avec du sel et bien cuits !”
Elle m’a fait:

“Bouge de là. Bouge, bouge de là. Bouge, bouge, bouge de là.”

Plus tard, dans le métro y a un charclo qui traîne,
Il me raconte toute sa vie, il me dit qu’il vient de Rennes.
Ensuite, il me dit qu’il pue, qu’il faudrait qu’il se baigne…
J’lui dis: “Jette-toi dans l’égout, t’arrives direct dans la Seine !”
Il m’a fait:

“Bouge de là. Bouge, bouge de là. Bouge, bouge, bouge de là.”

J’continue mon trajet, j’arrive vers le boul’vard Barbès
Quand j’vois un de mes amis qui venait de Marrakech
Il me dit: “Arwah, arwah, j’t’achète des rap en dinars.”
J’ai dit: “Non, je veux des dollars car on m’appelle Solaar.”
Il m’a fait:

“Bouge de là. Bouge, bouge de là. Bouge, bouge, bouge de là.”

Alors, j’ai bougé; j’ai dû m’en aller, partir, bifurquer,
J’ai dû m’évader, j’ai dû m’enfuir, j’ai dû partir, j’ai dû m’éclipser,
J’ai dû me camoufler, j’ai dû disparaître… Pour réapparaître.

Oh ! Oh ! Bouge de là.
Bouge de là.

 

*credit for parts of the english translation

Empire and Its Contemporary Legacies