Holidays

Michel Polnareff's song 'Holidays' is a contemplative and melancholic reflection on the nature of travel, life, and existential musings. The song opens with the imagery of an airplane descending from the sky, symbolizing the beginning of a journey. The phrase 'Que la terre est basse' (How low the earth is) is repeated throughout the song, suggesting a sense of disillusionment or a feeling of being grounded despite the lofty heights of the airplane. This juxtaposition sets the tone for the rest of the song, where the physical act of traveling becomes a metaphor for deeper existential questions.

As the song progresses, Polnareff contrasts the mundane and the divine, mentioning churches and housing projects (HLMs) and questioning the presence of God ('Que fait-il le Dieu qu'ils aiment?'). This line reflects a sense of spiritual searching or perhaps a critique of religious institutions. The airplane's shadow over the sea and the desert further emphasizes the vastness and emptiness that the singer feels, with the sea serving as a prelude to the desert, a metaphor for life's journey leading to an inevitable end.

The final verses bring a poignant reminder of mortality. The singer addresses a younger person, possibly a reflection of his younger self, noting that life can be tiresome ('Toi que la vie lasse') and that death is an ever-present reality ('Que la mort est basse'). The song concludes with a cautionary note about the fragility of life, as even airplanes can crash ('Les avions se cassent'). This ending reinforces the theme of life's impermanence and the importance of remembering our mortality, even amidst the beauty and allure of travel and holidays.