Annika Jayne
Singer-Songwriter // Auteur-Compositeur-Interprète // Liedermacherin
La lenteur des choses
© Music and Lyrics by Annika Jayne
Un café au lait dans la main
Au bistro du coin
Je ferme les yeux en souriant
Au soleil du printemps
Je ne suis pas pressée
Je me laisse dériver
Pas besoin de stresser
Ou d'arriver en premier
Moi, je veux prendre tout mon temps
Profiter de chaque instant
Une chanson dans le cœur
Sans courir après le bonheur
Il n'y a rien de mal à faire une pause
Car tout se passe mieux dans la lenteur des choses
Un chat croise mon chemin
Demandant un câlin
Il n'est dérangé par rien
Il a l'air serein
Comme lui je veux avancer
Sans me précipiter
Surtout sans trébucher
Sans me soucier
Moi, je veux prendre tout mon temps
Profiter de chaque instant
Une chanson dans le cœur
Sans courir après le bonheur
Il n'y a rien de mal à faire une pause
Car tout se passe mieux dans la lenteur des choses
Je veux être vagabonde
Trouver ma place dans le monde
En savourant chaque seconde
Le bonheur y surabonde
Moi, je veux prendre tout mon temps
Profiter de chaque instant
Une chanson dans le cœur
Sans courir après le bonheur
Oui, je veux y aller doucement
M'arrêter de temps en temps
Pour respirer, pour ralentir,
Pour trouver des petits plaisirs
Il n'y a rien de mal à faire une pause
Car tout se passe mieux dans la lenteur des choses
Oui, tout se passe mieux dans la lenteur des choses
English translation:
The slowness of things
A café au lait in the hand
At the local bistro
I close my eyes smiling
In the spring sun
I'm not in a hurry
I let myself drift
No need to stress
No need to be first
I want to take all my time
Enjoy every moment
A song in the heart
Without chasing happiness
There's nothing wrong with taking a break
Because everything goes better in the slowness of things
A cat crosses my path
Asking for a hug
He is not bothered by anything
He looks serene
Like him, I want to move forward
Without rushing
Especially without tripping
Without a care in the world
I want to take all my time
Enjoy every moment
A song in the heart
Without chasing happiness
There's nothing wrong with taking a break
Because everything goes better in the slowness of things
I want to be a wanderer
Find my place in the world
Savoring every second
Happiness abounds there
I want to take all my time
Enjoy every moment
A song in the heart
Without chasing happiness
Yes, I want to take it slowly
Stop from time to time
To breathe, to slow down
To find little pleasures
There's nothing wrong with taking a break
Because everything goes better in the slowness of things
Yes, everything goes better in the slowness of things
"I have always been rather slow," says Annika, "and other people have often made fun of me for it. But there is nothing wrong with being slow and thorough, rather than doing things superficially and in a hurry."
As so often, the inspiration for this song came from a book, among other things. "One of my favourite books is The Discovery of Slowness by Sten Nadolny, which gives a new perspective on slowness. In the novel, slowness is described as a quality rather than a fault. I also recently saw a video clip by Andre De Shields on social media, in which he says: 'Slowy is the fastest way to get where you want to be'." Annika describes her view of slowness.
"So this song is about appreciating slowness, but also enjoying it instead of being rushed or chasing happiness. Because, as Sten Nadolny and Andre De Shields remind us, everything goes better in the slowness of things - if you rush and get all hectic, you might trip and fall over, so what's the point?" Annika argues. She continues: "'Calmness is a source of strength', as we say in German and I couldn't agree more. Of course, there had to be a cat in the song. After all, everyone knows that cats didn't study the art of Zen - they invented it!"
From the beginning, the idea for this song came to Annika in French. "It was probably also the French way of enjoying life rather than rushing through it that sparked the idea, so I went with it," she says with a smile.
Annika would like to thank François Maillard for helping her with the lyrics.