A musically-inspired challenge with writing prompts posted twice a month. Prizes included! |
Stromae, who's real name is Paul van Haver, is a Belgian singer, rapper and songwriter, predominantly in French. He created the stage name by inverting the syllables in the word "Maestro", which is commonly done in French slang. The song title, Papaoutai is not actually a real word. It's a malapropism of "Papa où t'es", meaning "Papa where are you?". His own father died in the Rwandan genocide , leaving him to grow up without a father figure. In stark contrast to the inspiration and lyrics behind it, the music and video are quite fun and danceable. I included the English translation below. (If you speak French, feel free to correct it or give more context if needed.) You can also turn on English subtitles with the video, if you want to follow along in English. Song Prompt: "Papaoutai" by Stromae Lyrics (English translation): ▼ Happy writing, all! |