“Papaoutai”, the lead single from Racine Carrée, was Stromae’s return to fame, after a three-year hiatus. The world last saw him skyrocketing the charts with “Alors On Danse” back in 2010.
While “Alors On Danse” was about the dangers of nightlife, “Papaoutai” (which isn’t a real word but a malapropism of Papa où t’es) seems to be inspired by a particular line from “Alors On Danse”:
Who says loved ones says mourning
Stromae reveals his relationship with his late father, or rather lack thereof. Stromae later revealed that his dad, who was Rwandan, was killed in the 1994 Rwandan genocide when Stromae was a little kid. Stromae’s father’s absence was the inspiration for writing this song, which is about the struggles of growing up without a father figure.
British duo CUT_ recorded an English version (not translation) of “Papaoutai” which charted in France. youtu.be/Vy84qfcXY1U
“Alors On Danse” was Stromae’s first international success and introduced the world to his unique blend of musical styles. The song draws heavily from electro and hip hop, even to the point of lending itself to a rap remix. “Alors On Danse” was the most-played French-language single worldwide of 2010. The song is close in meaning to The Lonely Island’s “After Party”.
The song’s premise is about someone who dances to forget his problems but he soon faces the music and his problems overwhelm him to the point of self-destruction.
Everybody thinks that the only way to forget your problems is having fun, and I don’t think that’s the only way to have fun. You can have fun talking about your problems. Yeah, dance about your problems.