Douze belles dans la peau [English translation]

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve

When you’ve got twelve beauties under your belt 1

Two duchesses and ten typists

What will you have gained except

Except for a bit of lead

A bit of lead in the wing 2

Nothing more in the head 3

When you’ve blown all your cash

In all the clubs like a rifle shot

You’ll never be anything but a pigeon

With a bit of lead

A bit of lead in the wing

Nothing more in the head

When in the heat of passion

Up the ladders of nylon stocking

You’ll climb you’ll climb

Afterwards, what will you have

You’ll have some lead in the wing

Nothing more in the head

When you have loved in every way

And all your hens have no more teeth 4

To eat your heart from your hand

Well my clever dick

You’ll have some lead in the wing

Nothing more in the head

And when you have passed your life

Behind the bars of your bed

You’ll say you’ve done well out of it

Oh yes and then afterwards

You’ll have some lead in the wing

Nothing more in the head

But perhaps although you won’t make old bones 5

With your twelve beauties under your belt

You’ll come across a guy one day

A guy who’ll send you

Some lead in the head

And he’ll grow you some wings

1. ‘literally 'in the skin’ there's also an allusion to "avoir une balle dans la peu" to have taken a bullet. In addition the expression "Douze balles dans la peau" arises from the French Resistance - the punishment reserved for traitors. 2. to have some lead in the wing - as in a wounded bird3. To have some lead in the brain is to be intelligent and motivated4. This is a play on the expression "quand les poules auront des dents" - When hens have teeth - ie when pigs fly!5. Grow old - this expression is the same in English and French

• Artist:Serge Gainsbourg
• Album:Du chant à la une