Céline Dion and Jean-Jacques Goldman
Pour Que Tu M’Aimes Encore (So That You Love Me Again)
Jean-Jacques Goldman wrote this song and most of Dion’s 13th studio album “D’eux” (“Of/About/From Them”) released in 1995. It was her 10th French language album and became the best-selling French language album of all time with more than 12 million copies sold. The title of the album intentionally skirted using the name of one of the songs, ambiguity being an attraction. “Pour Que Tu M’Aimes Encore” was the lead song and was also released as a single. It became her biggest French-language hit and a signature song. It reached 12 weeks as number one in France that year and topped the charts in Quebec and Belgian Wallonia as well.
The song describes a woman imploring her former lover to restore his affections and it outlines the many steps she will take to make it happen. Consequently, the song is full of verbs in the future tense. It is also worth noting that the phrase "pour que" ("so that") which appears 10 times requires the subjunctive mood in the following verb. An English language version with different lyrics written by Phil Galdston with Jean-Jacques Goldman carried the title “If That’s What It Takes,” performed by Céline on an album called “Falling Into You.”
There are 6 full stanzas with differing numbers of lines though most have 8; two of the stanzas are repeats (2 & 4). There are also 2 one-line refrains with slightly different wording, and a concluding outro with a repeating refrain of the title line. There are clear but different rhyme patterns in each stanza.
The presentation featured below was live at the Zenith Paris indoor arena in October 1995, only 5 months after its release in France where it was recorded at the Méga Studio the year before.
The song describes a woman imploring her former lover to restore his affections and it outlines the many steps she will take to make it happen. Consequently, the song is full of verbs in the future tense. It is also worth noting that the phrase "pour que" ("so that") which appears 10 times requires the subjunctive mood in the following verb. An English language version with different lyrics written by Phil Galdston with Jean-Jacques Goldman carried the title “If That’s What It Takes,” performed by Céline on an album called “Falling Into You.”
There are 6 full stanzas with differing numbers of lines though most have 8; two of the stanzas are repeats (2 & 4). There are also 2 one-line refrains with slightly different wording, and a concluding outro with a repeating refrain of the title line. There are clear but different rhyme patterns in each stanza.
The presentation featured below was live at the Zenith Paris indoor arena in October 1995, only 5 months after its release in France where it was recorded at the Méga Studio the year before.
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J’ai compris tous les mots J’ai bien compris, merci Raisonnable et nouveau C’est ainsi par ici Que les choses ont changé Que les fleurs ont fané Que le temps d’avant C’était le temps d’avant Que si tout zappe et lasse Les amours aussi passent Il faut que tu saches J’irai chercher ton cœur Si tu l’emportes ailleurs Même si dans tes danses D’autres dansent tes heures J’irai chercher ton âme Dans les froids dans les flammes Je te jetterai des sorts Pour que tu m’aimes encore Fallait pas commencer M’attirer me toucher Fallait pas tant donner Moi Je sais pas jouer On me dit qu’aujourd’hui On me dit que les autres font ainsi Je ne suis pas les autres Avant que l’on s’attache Avant que l’on se gâche Je veux que tu saches J’irai chercher ton cœur Si tu l’emportes ailleurs Même si dans tes danses D’autres dansent tes heures J’irai chercher ton âme Dans les froids dans les flammes Je te jetterai des sorts Pour que tu m’aimes encore Je trouverai des langages Pour chanter tes louanges Je ferai nos bagages Pour d’infinies vendanges Les formules magiques Des marabouts d’Afrique J’les dirai sans remords Pour que tu m’aimes encore Je m’inventerai reine Pour que tu me retiennes Je me ferai nouvelle Pour que le feu reprenne Je deviendrai une autre Après qui tu soupires Ces jeux seront les nôtres Si tel est ton désir Plus brillante plus belle Pour une autre étincelle Je me changerai en or Pour que tu m’aimes encore Pour que tu m’aimes encore Pour que tu m’aimes encore Pour que tu m’aimes encore Pour que tu m’aimes encore |
I understood all the words I understood well, thanks Reasonable and new That’s how it is here That things have changed That the flowers have faded That the time before It was the time before That if everything changes and tires Loves also pass You need to know I’ll search for your heart If you take it elsewhere Even if in your dances Others dance your hours I’ll search for your soul In the cold and the flames I will cast spells So that you love me again You shouldn’t have started To attract me, to touch me You shouldn’t have given so much Me, I don’t know how to play I’m told that today, I’m told others do (it) like this I’m not the others Before we get attached, Before we ruin it I want you to know I’ll go look for your heart If you take it elsewhere Even if in your dances, Others dance your hours I will look for your soul In the cold and the flames I will cast spells So that you love me again I will find language To sing your praises I will pack our bags For endless harvests Magical formulas From African sages I will say them without remorse So that you love me again I will become a queen So that you keep me I will renew myself So that that the fire relights I will become another For whom you yearn These games will be ours If such is your desire More brilliant, more beautiful For another spark I’ll change myself to gold So that you love me again So that you love me again So that you love me again So that you love me again So that you love me again |
NB:
- “Pour que tu m’aimes encore:” “Pour que” means “so that” and requires the subjunctive mood in the following verb. These words appear first thing in the title and are repeated another 10 times in the lyrics, so they are central to the narrative. They convey a strong sense of agency for the speaker. The word “encore” in the title raises questions whether it means “again” or “still.” In such cases, one looks to the context of the lyrics. Here, the lyrics imply that love has already flown, things have changed, and flowers have faded. Her prescribed menu of remedies is so dramatic that “again” makes more sense than “still.”
- “Que le temps d’avant, c’était le temps d’avant:” This basically means “what’s done is done.”
- “Que si tout zappe et lasse:” “Que si” means “supposing that” or “if;” “zapper” is a verb with an informal meaning of “flip” or “change” (as in changing TV channels).” “Lasser” is a verb meaning “to tire.”
- “Je te jetterai des sorts:” means “I will cast spells on you.” The French noun “sort” means “fate,” “destiny,” or “lot” (as in lottery).
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