Le point Nemo [English translation]

Within reach of Banque Populaire 1

Or of Sodebo 2

In the middle of the water

At the place where land no longer

Returns an echo

There is Point Nemo 3

So why

Do we stay at port,

Why don’t we climb aboard,

A boat?

Within sight of an eye cast

Over the shelves

On opening the books

One can see full well history repeating

Like a good watchmaker

Like a drunken boat 4

So why

Do we still tolerate

The hateful

Conquistadors?

Point Nemo

As it’s commonly known

Draws me like a magnet

At the point we're at now

In the corner we’ve been put in

Might as well set sail

For Point Nemo

Within reach of the arms we lay down 5

Under the ill winds

They spray upon us 6

We see the seasons we are left 7

Far from the month of may 8

From the cherry time 9

So why

Do we stay at port

Why don’t we climb aboard,

A boat?

Point Nemo

As it’s commonly known

Draws me like a magnet

At the point we're at now

In the corner we’ve been put in

Might as well set sail

For Point Nemo

In the distant wearinesses 10

In the discouraging forties11

To be with certainty

The most distant of people

Point Nemo

As it’s commonly known

Draws me like a magnet

At the point we're at now

In the corner we’ve been put in

Might as well set sail

For Point Nemo

1. French banking group 2. A French catering organisation 3. The Point Nemo - the Oceanic pole of inaccessibility http://www.bbc.co.uk/earth/story/20161004-the-place-furthest-from-land-i...

The song is about a desire to get away from it all - To the least accessible place on earth! As discussed in the comments, it could possibly be a play on Ne-mo, Mo-ne ie "Money", an allusion to a cashpoint and a call back to the services offered by Banque Populaire, Sodebo etc. Also worth noting that "Nemo" is Latin for "Nobody" 4. Brings to mind Rimbaud's Le bateau Ivre5. Play on the two French idioms "à portée de bras" / "baisser les bras" : "Within arms reach" / "To lay down arms" (surrender) 6. Allusion to La pensée unique The idea that discussion is limited to only one possible outcome. Think "Brexit means Brexit"7. Leaving us little choice: Political correctness leads to self-censorship8. The Student Riots seem a long time ago9. Very famous French song performed by Yves Montand, Charles Trenet, Juliette Gréco amongst others https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Temps_des_cerises which became a revolutionary song during the Paris Commune10. Word play on ‘lointains latitudes’ - distant climes11. Word play on 'quarantièmes rugissants' - the roaring forties - strong westerly winds encountered between latitudes 40 - 50 degrees