Évidemment

My mind, eyes and ears have never been so clear. Évidemment (clearly, evidently, of course) is perhaps best translated by the phrase used in the US Constitution: Self-evident. 

While life is bitter-sweet, angry, silent, senseless at times, few refuse to face these feelings but resort to avoiding them at all costs by schedules, crowds, the thrill of attention.... even though the human condition is as much dark as it is joyful. 

I've always avoided disappointment by seeking change in my life. I learn, I love, I hope, despite the mistakes in myself or others, confident that we can create processes of change. When I gave up on that, I got sick. It's easier to create change when not much has happened, when my realm of experience is limited. As I've been there or done that more and more, the constant resistance towards improvement that is everywhere can bog down even the greatest optimists.

So I enjoy art that allows me to face the bitterness of holding on to dark things, while seeing that in spite of it all, "I can still dance to music, love, laugh at the senselessness, like a child." The song sings it clearly in the chorus.

The second verse seems relevant to today despite being 27 years old. "I couldn't care less about the tiresome, distasteful battles. What does it matter to run everywhere, holding on to our wounds that are like a splutter of mud. 

It changes nothing yet changes everything (by our inaction)." 

Évidemment

Y'a comme un goût amer en nous
Comme un goût de poussière dans tout
Et la colère qui nous suit partout
Y'a des silences qui disent beaucoup
Plus que tous les mots qu'on avoue
Et toutes ces questions qui ne tiennent pas debout

Évidemment
Évidemment
On danse encore
Sur les accords
Qu'on aimait tant
Évidemment
Évidemment
On rit encore
Pour les bêtises
Comme des enfants
Mais pas comme avant

Et ces batailles dont on se fout
C'est comme une fatigue, un dégoût
À quoi ça sert de courir partout
On garde cette blessure en nous
Comme une éclaboussure de boue
Qui n'change rien, qui change tout

Évidemment
Évidemment
On rit encore
Pour les bêtises
Comme des enfants
Mais pas comme avant
Pas comme avant

English translation

Clearly

There's like a bitter taste among us
Like a taste of dust in everything
And the anger following us everywhere
There are silences that say a lot
More than all the words we admit
And all these questions that don't make sense

Clearly
Clearly
WE still dance
On the tunes
We loved so much
Clearly
Clearly

We still laugh
At the foolishness
Just like kids
But not like before

And the battles we don't care about
It's like a tiredness, a disgust
What sens does it make to be running around
We keep this wound in us
Like a splutter of mud
That doesn't change anything, changes everything

Clearly,
Clearly
We still laugh
At the foolishness
Just like kids
But not like before