Une Enfant

Charles Aznavour's song "Une Enfant" tells a poignant and tragic story of a young girl, only sixteen years old, who falls deeply in love and faces the harsh consequences of her choices. The song begins by painting a picture of her innocence and youth, describing her as a child of spring, full of life and potential. However, her life takes a dramatic turn when she leaves her affluent family to follow a bohemian lover who enchants her with his declarations of love. This decision marks the beginning of her journey away from the safety and comfort of her home, driven by the intoxicating allure of young love.

The lyrics delve into the couple's nomadic lifestyle, highlighting their desire for freedom and their rejection of societal constraints. They live day by day, moving from place to place, their hearts filled with a love that knows no bounds. The girl's entire existence becomes centered around this love, which she views as both her present and her future. The imagery of her being cradled by this love like a hymn and losing herself in the azure sky underscores the depth of her emotional investment and the idealistic nature of her affection.

However, the song takes a dark turn as it reveals the tragic outcome of this intense love. The girl's love is described as too immense for her young soul to bear, and when her lover abandons her, she is left utterly devastated. The metaphor of her heart creating a world that God does not accept suggests a love that defies conventional norms and divine order. Ultimately, her lover's departure leads to her downfall, and she succumbs to hunger and despair. The final, haunting image of the young girl lying dead on the path serves as a stark reminder of the fragility of youthful dreams and the harsh realities that can shatter them.