Dans la foulée

Words: Alain Bashung and Jean Fauque

Music: Alain Bashung, Arnaud Devos, Arnaud Rebotini

I asked the fans on Bashung's official forum for some insight into the expression "dans la foulée", one that I wasn't familiar with. I got the following response from Sinon Toi:

"Hi Laura, There is a word play bearing on the word 'foulée' because the song is talking about the athlete Marie-Jo Perec, Olympic medalist on the 200 and 400 meter race. The word 'foulée' is used both in the sense of "pas de course', translated in English as 'stride', and 'dans la foulée' that means 'immediately afterwards' or "in the aftermath" because she had put an early and impulsive end to her career following her harrassment by the media. I hope it's a little clearer..."

Another fan, NAD, suggested "on the heels of Marie-Jo" which would use both senses of the word. I like it! i just simplified it. It's great to know a little more about the origin of this strong song.

Elle voulait gagner le paradis
She wanted to reach heaven
Elle avait le miracle facile
She had the easy miracle
Dans la foulée elle a expédié
On the heels of it, she expedited
Ses affaires courantes
Her everyday affairs ("sounds like "running")

Crudités sur ordonnance
Crudeness by ordonance
Cruauté dans la tourmente
Cruelty in torment
Dans la foulée
On the heels of it
Dans la foulée
On the heels of it

Marie-Jo s'en est allée inhaler
Marie-Jo left to inhale
Les parfums de l'indolence
The perfumes of indolence
Elle reviendra si ça lui chante
She'll come back if it sings to her
Si elle y pense
If she thinks about it

De la douche au bûcher
From the shower to the funeral pyre
La route est longue
The road is long
Mais l'Acropole la laisse de marbre
But the Acropolis leaves her marble
Et les ronces de piquer
And the brambles that sting
Ce coin d'azur
This corner of azure

Dans la foulée
On the heels of it

Marie-Jo s'en est allée inhaler
Marie-Jo left to inhale
Les vapeurs d'essence
The gasoline fumes
Elle reviendra si ça lui chante
She'll come back if it sings to her
Si elle y pense
If she thinks about it

Elle avait le miracle facile
She had the easy miracle
La victoire au bout des cils
Victory at the end of her eyelashes
Dans la foulée elle a balayé
On the heels of it, she yawned
Et la houle et les huées
And the swells and the booing

Dans la foulée
On the heels of it

Nudité à la lavande
Nudity in lavender
Liberté dans la tourmente
Liberty in torment
Dans la foulée
On the heels of it
Dans la foulée
On the heels of it

Marie-Jo s'en est allée inhaler
Marie-Jo left to inhale
Les parfums de l'indolence
The perfumes of indolence
Elle reviendra si ça lui chante
She'll come back if it sings to her
Si elle y pense
If she thinks about it

On n'en fera qu'une bouchée
One gobbles up in one bite
De l'impossible
The impossible
Des pistes cendrées jusqu'à la corde
From the cinder track to the wire
Et les ronces de piquer
And the brambles that sting
Ce coin d'azur
This corner of azure
Si bleu soit-il
As blue as it is

Marie-Jo s'en est allée inhaler
Marie-Jo left to inhale
Les parfums de l'indolence
The perfumes of indolence
Elle reviendra si ça lui chante
She'll return if it sings to her
Si elle y pense
If she thinks about it

Dans la foulée
On the heels of it

Si elle y pense
If she thinks about it

Dans la foulée
On the heels of it