Le temps ne fait rien � laffaire (quand on est con, on est con)

Song Meaning

This song offers a cynical, yet perhaps humorous, take on the unchanging nature of foolishness across generations. The narrator observes a perpetual cycle where the young, fresh out of their 'cocon,' dismiss the older generation as fools. Conversely, once these young ones age into 'têtes chenues,' they begin to view the youth as the foolish ones. This age-old dynamic is presented as a constant, unaffected by the passage of time, as stated in the core refrain: 'Le temps ne fait rien à l'affaire / Quand on est con, on est con.' The central tension lies in this cyclical, inescapable human trait. The lyrics highlight a generational blindness, where each group, upon reaching a certain age, adopts the same condescending view of the next. Whether 'cons caducs' (senile fools) or 'cons débutants' (beginner fools), 'petits cons d'la dernière averse' (little fools of the last shower) or 'vieux cons des neiges d'antan' (old fools of yesteryear's snows), the label of 'con' is consistently applied, just by different age groups to each other. The most striking craft element is the stark, almost blunt repetition of the phrase 'Quand on est con, on est con' and the direct address to different age groups. The song uses simple, almost childlike imagery like 'sortent de l'œoeuf / Du cocon' to contrast with the more world-weary 'têtes chenues' and 'vieux cons.' This directness, combined with the rhyming couplets that set up the generational conflict, creates a sense of undeniable, if disheartening, truth. Ultimately, the lyrics resonate because they tap into a common observation about human nature and generational divides. The narrator, positioned 'entre deux âges' (between two ages), claims to deliver an 'impartial message,' suggesting a detached, almost philosophical perspective on this recurring folly. It's this seemingly objective, yet deeply cynical, framing of universal foolishness that makes the song's message stick, implying that wisdom is less about age and more about escaping this perpetual cycle.