Latine cantandum

Song information

France
2022

"Latine cantandum"
("We Must Sing In Latin")
Serge Fourcade

Music & Lyrics: Serge Fourcade

Photo

Lyrics

L'orchestre joue un Te Deum de Marc-Antoine
Mais, parmi les rockeurs et la coloratur,
On n'entend pas chanter la cité vaticane.
Quid novi sub sole ? Nihil ! Absconditur :
La langue de Sénèque est proscrite à son tour.

Shiranai gengo
No oto
Ga wakaru
Ki ga suru.

Vos figo duobus oculis viridibus
Vere faustis, fictis exitialibus.
Latine cantandum quae enim lingua
Res publicas, regna atque imperia,
Orientem, occidentem jungit est illa.

Les portes et les ponts servent à nos échanges.
Il faut rendre à César ce que nous lui devons :
Les blocs mis bout à bout qui traversent les fanges,
Les arcs et les théâtres que nous élevons
Sont l'œuvre des Romains que nous parachevons.

Shiranai gengo
No oto
Ga wakaru
Ki ga suru.

Quoniam et fori sensum controversiae
Ostenderunt et viride spei signum,
Quae nos servet, in cura naturae
Et secundum locum patriae meae
Consuetum neque constat lex serierum.

English translation

The orchestra is playing a Te Deum by Marc-Antoine,
But, among the rockers and the coloratura,
You can't hear the Vatican City singing.
What's new under the sun ? Nothing! It's hiding:
Seneca's language in turn is banned.

I somehow feel I can understand the sounds of unknown idioms.

I'm staring at you with two green eyes,
Really auspicious yet said unlucky.
We must sing in Latin, which language
Is indeed the one that unites republics, kingdoms, empires,
The East and the West.

Doors and bridges are used for our trade.
Let's repay to Caesar what belongs to him;
The blocks laid end to end that cross mires,
The arches and theatres we will put up
Are the Romans' work we're finishing off.

I somehow feel I can understand the sounds of unknown idioms.

Because forums have taught us the spirit of controversy
And because green is the colour of the hope
(That may save us) in Nature conservation,
And because my fatherland is used to the second rank
And because there's no law of series.