Selon les jours

Song Meaning

The lyrics paint a vivid picture of emotional volatility, where hope and despair coexist, often within the same day. The narrator describes days filled with "hope in my pockets" contrasted sharply with days of trembling and mourning their own courage and faith. This internal oscillation creates a sense of being adrift, constantly battling fear, even of oneself. The phrase "selon les jours" (depending on the days) acts as a constant refrain, underscoring the unpredictable nature of their inner world. This emotional whiplash is further amplified by the narrator's relationship with the outside world. Some days, they feel overwhelmed, unable to reciprocate love, and keenly aware of the world's suffering, praying for it to be taken away. Other days, they are capable of empathy, serving their neighbor and feeling pity for no one, even their own "fucking destiny." This stark contrast suggests a struggle between self-preservation and a desire for connection, or perhaps a deep-seated cynicism that battles with moments of profound altruism. The recurring lines about writing "until I don't know what to do with it" and staying "at the bottom of my verses" are particularly striking. This suggests that writing serves as both an escape and a prison. It's a place to retreat, to process, but also a space where the narrator can become trapped, isolated from life. The shift from "bottom of my verses" to "finally out of my verses" signifies a breakthrough, a movement towards light and away from tears, indicating a temporary or perhaps profound moment of clarity and peace. Ultimately, the lyrics reveal a complex self, one that is "me and its opposite." This duality is most powerfully expressed in the final verses, where the narrator finds solace and fulfillment in a love that seems to offer an "infinite" completeness. This love allows them to break free from their internal confinement, to make promises and to emerge from their self-imposed isolation. The repeated affirmation "Que je tiendrai" (That I will keep) suggests a newfound commitment, a hope that this state of being, this love, might be the anchor that finally stabilizes their fluctuating emotions.