Parachutiste [English translation]

You were only eighteen years old

when they put a red beret on your head

and told you "give a good what for1

to anything that moves".

You weren't a fascist on purpose,

paratrooper.

And so, fight after fight,

your understanding matured.

Now you know there are only

two types on earth:

good people and terrorists,

paratrooper.

And then you earned your stripes,

a hero in every defeat2

for all the good deeds

you did.

Torture was your speciality,

paratrooper.

And then came the honours,

decorations and medals

for each bullet through a heart,

for each knife cut,

for each black cross on your list,

paratrooper.

But, unfortunately for you,

your war will be over soon:

no more killing, no more battles.

What are you going to do?

The craftsman's work is over,

paratrooper.

Nothing but a sissy's job left,

bossing around people who can read.

Especially since I was the one

who taught you the meaning

of the word "anti-militarist"3

paratrooper.

Your skills are still finely honed,

you'll snipe at me whenever you can,

but since we don't shoot for real,

you find that dull.

Maybe that's why your eyes are so sad,

paratrooper.

Now if you feel really awkward,

getting paid for doing nothing,

you still can go train

among your little brothers.

There must be career opportunities in the police,

paratrooper.

1. "a good beating" in US English2. allusion to the decolonisation wars, mostly in Indochina and Algeria. The systematic use of torture against the Algerian FLN was heavily controversial at the time the song was written3. During the Algerian war, conscientious objectors had no specific legal status and were subjected to various military punishments, including disciplinary measures as depicted in this stanza