Dans Ma Rue

I live in a corner of old Montmartre
My father comes home drunk every night
And to feed all four of us
My poor mother works at the laundry.
I'm sick, I dream at my window
I watch people from elsewhere pass by
When the day starts to disappear
There are things that scare me a little

In my street, there are people walking around
I hear them whispering in the night
When I fall asleep rocked by a tune
I'm suddenly awakened by screams
Whistles, footsteps dragging, coming and going
Then the silence that chills me to the core

In my street, there are shadows walking around
And I tremble and I'm cold and I'm scared

One day my father told me: "Girl,
You won't stay here forever
You're good for nothing, it runs in the family
You should start earning your keep
Men find you quite pretty
You just have to go out at night
There are plenty of women making a living
"Strolling on the sidewalk"

In my street, there are women walking around
I hear them humming in the night
When I fall asleep rocked by a tune
I'm suddenly awakened by screams
Whistles, footsteps dragging, coming and going
Then the silence that chills me to the core

In my street, there are women walking around
And I tremble and I'm cold and I'm scared

And for weeks and weeks
I have no home, I have no money
I don't know how others do it
But I couldn't find a client
I beg for alms from passersby
A piece of bread, a little warmth
I don't have much courage
Now it's me who scares them

In my street every night I walk around
I'm heard sobbing in the night
When the wind throws its tune to the sky
My whole body is chilled by the rain

But I can't take it anymore, I wait endlessly for the good Lord to come
To invite me to warm up close to Him

In my street, there are angels taking me away
My nightmare is finally over forever