Un étranger

Édith Piaf's song "Un étranger" paints a poignant picture of a wandering soul, an outsider who drifts through life without a permanent home or a fixed identity. The lyrics describe a young man who roams the earth, carrying his sorrow with him. He is depicted as a free and wild bird, singing strange tunes for children and angels, embodying a sense of freedom and detachment from societal norms. This character's transient lifestyle is both romanticized and pitied, as he moves through life without the constraints of borders or permanent ties.

The song delves into the duality of the stranger's existence. On one hand, he is admired for his freedom and the way he lives like a character from books and songs. On the other hand, he is also a figure of pity, a soul in pain who is both loved and despised by those he encounters. This duality reflects the complex emotions that society often harbors towards those who live on the fringes, those who do not conform to conventional expectations. The stranger's journey is one of perpetual movement, always seeking but never truly finding a place to belong.

Piaf's portrayal of the stranger also touches on themes of love and rejection. The stranger is loved by many women, each hoping for his return, yet he remains elusive, always moving forward. This unfulfilled longing and the stranger's continuous pursuit of his right to live freely, despite being an outsider, highlight the universal human desire for connection and acceptance. The song ultimately questions the reasons behind the stranger's endless journey, suggesting that it might be a form of revenge for his perpetual status as an outsider, a poignant reflection on the human condition and the search for identity and belonging.