By James W.
A song I’m into as of late is “Papaoutai” by French artist
Stromae. Quirky, uptempo and extremely catchy, the title roughly translates to “Where
are you, Father?” As an English speaker with an extremely basic understanding
of the French language, the new epiphany of what the lyrics mean was
extremely satisfying and gave the song a brand new dimension. The first verse
reflects on Stromae’s own father, who died at war, and the rest of the song
generally discusses the responsibilities fathers should have for their
children.
Released at the beginning of 2013 as the lead single of his sophomore album Racine Carrée, “Papaoutai” is as
mesmerising today as it was when it was first released. Also, it has an awesome
video. Watch below:
Stromae being as brilliant as he is, kept the theme of the video throughout all of his performances of this song. Whether he was performing on a TV show or in the middle of a soccer stadium by himself, he always kept his act; a lifeless, mannequin-like posture to represent an emotionally distant figure the song describes.
Watch some videos of his performances below:
Stromae is a brilliant example of how music is the universal language, and how talent and performances can transcend any cultural barrier.
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