Lettre à Lévesque [English translation]

Sucking on a cigarette

From the highest place in firmament

You must be lookin' at Québec

And tell yourself, what a comedown.

When you see these good-for-nothing

And all the petty careerists

Running for elections

Like real opportunists.

But far be it from me, René

The desire to overdo it,

Or glorify you a little too much

The world has done enough of it.

But eh, it's still a shame

To see that, from your legacy,

Only remain my little song

And a namesake boulevard.

When I look at my country

Lost and abandoned

Without any social project

And led by poor pawns

Champions in "set language"

And political correctness

Not so sure that's what

You wanted for Québec.

Apart from that, my Lil'-Hair*

Is life less boring in heaven?

For here the times are a little dark

Well, I'm saying that, but don't roll over in your grave.

You were in the heart

Of that grand revolution

That made Québec catch up

With all things modern.

You must be frankly disappointed

To see we go all backwards

Y'all* fought

So that we could do with our own business.

About sovereignty,

We can't really talk about excitement

The project didn't really follow up

And we mention it without getting one's lips wet.

Although looking at extremists

Claiming themselves "patriots"

With their old-school ideas

I tell myself we're not far from winning the jackpot.

All in all, René

The stakes have changed

And the youth are getting conscious

We should listen to them talking

And that, to build a country,

One shouldn't forget to include

Citizens from other ethnies

And their culture.

Apart from that, my Lil'-Hair*

Is life less boring in heaven?

For here the times are a little dark

Well, I'm saying that, but don't roll over in your grave.

If you ask me, the best project,

Would be to keep the rights we fought for

And the fundamental basics

Of social democracy.

While keeping an eye

On globalisation

Without for all that

Becoming anticapitalist.

I'd see a country

Compromising

Between ecology

Justice, and economy.

Because, even before my own motherland

And all this nonsense political rivalry

I'm an advocate of humanitarian causes

And passionate about my planet.

So, I don't know what you think,

But for me it would make sense,

To make something around which people could gather

That would make us innovate

For a more equal society

Where development would be sustainable

Once there, I'd definitely tick "yes"

For a country...

So well, after all that, I take what remains

of my Quebecker's pride

And I say to you "till next time!"

And I say to ourselves "till next time!"*

• Artist:Les Cowboys fringants
• Album:La Grand-Messe (2004)