SONG analysis

Even though the lyrics are straight forward and understandable about the topic of gender inequality and feminism, I wrote an song analysis with the translation of the lyrics for non-french speakers to be get a better understanding

Si j'étais un homme

Chilla

Produced by Coolax

Album Karma

[Couplet 1]

J'te parlerai comme jamais tu n'parles à ta mère

Tu m'seras redevable si je te paie un verre

J't'harcèles avec dix potes juste pour avoir ton numéro

Il faudra que tu sois gentille si je t'emmène au restau'

Si tu me dis "non" j'te ferais changer d'avis

J'te foutrais la misère j'te pourrirai la vie

J'ferais selon mon orgueil, selon mes envies

J'te dirais qu't'es la seule, je te ferai sentir unique

J'regarderai le foot, toi tu feras la vaisselle

Je t'enverrai bien t'faire foutre quand tu me feras une scène

Si j't'achètes une chaîne, deviendras-tu ma chienne ?

Je te serai infidèle mais tu reviendras quand même

— — -

I would talk to you like you never talked to your mother

you will be beholden if I buy you a drink

I will harass you with my 10 friends just to get your number

You will need to be kind if I bring to the restaurant

If you tell “no” I will make you change your mind

I will bring you misery I will corrupt your life

I will do according to my pride, according to my wishes

I will tell you you are the only one, I will make you feel unique

I will watch football, you will wash the dishes

I will send you “t’faire foutre’ when you will do a scene

if I buy you a chain, will you be my dog?

I will be unfaithful but you will come back anyways

— — -

“Il faudra que tu sois gentille si je t'emmène au restau’“ - Here, the woman is infantilised. The “Kindness” mentioned is a way of speaking implicitly about submission. If you are kind, you will have a gift. If not, lookout for yourself.

“Si tu me dis "non" j'te ferais changer d’avis" - Even if she says “no”, he will make her change her mind. From the theme of the song, we can assume it is through violence (possibly also sexual)

“J'ferais selon mon orgueil, selon mes envies” - The man acts according to his desires, without taking into consideration the option of the other person,if he doesn’t agree, doesn’t matter the individual (in this case a woman).

J'te dirais qu't'es la seule, je te ferai sentir unique - He manipulates the woman to make her addicted

“J'regarderai le foot, toi tu feras la vaisselle” - In the song, Chilla takes a “strong” voice when she raps in this verse. We can take it in two ways :

- There are men that consider the place of the woman to be in the kitchen.
- the fact of confined men and women in their so-called proper task according to their gender.

“Je t’enverrai bien t’faire foutre quand tu me feras une scene

si j’t’achetes une chaine, deviendras-tu ma chienne?

je te serai infidele mais tu reviendras quand meme” - Here, we are again with the idea of manipulation and also dominance

- - -

[Refrain]

Si j'étais un homme, si on inversai les rôles

Je soulèverai ta robe, garderais-tu le contrôle?

Si j'étais un homme, si on échangeai de peau

Je t’appellerai « salope » , me tournerais-tu le dos?

Si j'étais un homme, ah ah ouh

- - -

If I were a boy, if we would reverse the roles ?

I will lift your dress, would you keep control ?

If I were a boy, If we would exchange our skin

I will call you « b*tch », would you turn me your back ?

If I were a boy

- - -

« I will lift your dress, would you keep control ? » - If she would lift his dress without his consent, do you think he will be able to defend himself ?

Do you think he will be able to keep control ?

« I will call you « b*tch », would you turn me your back ? » - Many girls are insulted in the streets and they prefer not to answer and continue their way like nothing happen, like this they avoid conflict or even physical violence.

Chilla is asking the boys, if they would have the courage.

- - -

[Couplet 2]

Si j'étais un homme, j'pisserais contre les murs
je draguerais les daronnes, les ados, les nones et les putes
Permis d'm'envoyer en l'air, valable sur la Terre entière
Pas le même jugement, le même contrat, le même salaire
Je serais ton indépendance, ton investissement à long terme
On s'est dit "Pour la vie" j'ai signé l'crédit pour la benz
C'est dans la nature, le mal est dominant

Si j'étais un homme, je ferais pas de sentiments

J'ferais des promesses que je ne saurais tenir

Te couvrirais de coups juste pour te retenir

Si tu veux me plaire il te faudra souffrir

Hey triste aléas du désir

- - -

If I was a boy, I would pee on the walls

I would flirt with mothers, teenagers, nuns and prostitutes

Permission to play around with everyone, valid in the whole world

Not the same judgment, the same contract, the same salary

I will be your independence, your investment in long term

We said « for life », I signed a credit for the car

It is in the nature, the male is dominant

If I were a boy, I would have feelings

I will give promises that I won’t be able to keep

I will cover you in beatings just to hold you back

If you want to please me, you will have to suffer

Hey sad hazards of desire

- - -

« Si j'étais un homme, j'pisserais contre les murs

je draguerais les daronnes, les ados, les nones et les putes » - From the beginning of the second verse, the idea of the empowered man is always reinforced.

The man does again what he wants, he pees on the wall ( the idea of disrespect, and smear ) but he breaks also the good mores by flirter with older women (mothers), younger women (teenagers), faithful women (nuns) and the ones that sells themselves (prostitutes).

« Permis d'm'envoyer en l'air, valable sur la Terre entière » - Mens are allowed to enjoy the sexual life whitout being judge or put aside, and that’s almost everywhere in the world.

Women are often belittled if they dare to enjoy fully their sexual life as men.

In other words: « When a man sleeps with more women, he is like Don Juan. When a woman sleeps with more men, she is a b*tch »

« Pas le même jugement, le même contrat, le même salaire » - Chilla is talking about the salary and financial inequalities which women are still very affected by today.

« Je serais ton indépendance, ton investissement à long terme » - Mens have more often the chance of being independent and live by themselves.

We push boys from a young age to be more independent and to become more smart

The way which our society works (financial inequality, holiday for paternity almost inexistent), pushes women to be dependant on their companion.

« C’est dans la nature le mal est dominant » - We often use as an excuse, causes or natural differences which would prove that man is dominant compared to women.

For example, magazines reinforced that idea by displaying on their covers subject like: « what he really think during sex » (sex, engagement, or any other similar topic).

« We have the tendency to categorise, it is easier to think of two distinct things (men are like this and women are like that) rather than thinking about the nuances that could exist between the two » - Bobbi Carothers.

« Si j'étais un homme, je ferais pas de sentiments » - Another problem in our patriarcal society: men don’t have the right to have feelings.

It isn’t masculine for a man who talks about his feelings and who cries

Chilla criticises this idea. A man who talks about his feelings, who cries, is not a proof of weakness but of humanity.

« Si tu veux me plaire il te faudra souffrir » - Chilla implicitly denounced the fact that women have to follow the standards of beauty sometimes impossibles and unlikely just to please mens. They are almost obliged to have an physical appearance which is pleasing and attractive to men.

« Hey triste aléas du désir » - Chilla continues with the idea : « you have to suffer to be pretty ». If the woman is not pretty, so doesn’t suffer (e.g. epilation), men won’t desire her.

- - -

[Refrain]

Si j'étais un homme, si on inversai les rôles

Je soulèverai ta robe, garderais-tu le contrôle?

Si j'étais un homme, si on échangeai de peau

Je t’appellerai « salope » , me tournerais-tu le dos?

Si j'étais un homme, ah ah ouh

- - -

If I were a boy, if we would reverse the roles ?

I will lift your dress, would you keep control ?

If I were a boy, If we would exchange our skin

I will call you « b*tch », would you turn me your back ?

If I were a boy

- - -

Aveuglée, j'ai oublier celui qui prend soin de sa mère

Je retiens celui qui se conduit comme un gentleman

Il y a des hommes de valeurs, des hommes fiers

L'ami, le bon mari, le frère et le père

Celui qui prend soin de sa mère

Qui se conduit en gentleman

Des hommes de valeurs, des hommes fiers

L'ami, le bon mari, le frère et le père

Si j'étais un homme oh oh ouh

Mais je ne le suis pas ...

- - -

Blinded, I forgot the one caring for his mother

I remember the one who acts like a gentleman

There are the men with values, the men which are proud

the friend, the good husband, the brother and the father

The one caring for his mother

the one who acts like a gentleman

the friend, the good husband, the brother and the father

If i were a boy

If I were a boy

But I am not one ….

- - -

« Aveuglée, j'ai oublier celui qui prend soin de sa mère » - Chilla ends her songs with a positive note : There are good mens, respectful, gentleman, feminists

« L’ami, le bon mari, le frère et le père

Celui qui prend soin de sa mère

Qui se conduit en gentleman » - she promotes the image of man with values that allows an equilibrium of the sexes. She is doing the praise of the men that respect the women he knows (his wife, his sister, his daughter, his mother) and women in general.

« Mais je ne le suis pas ... » - Chilla ends with this conclusion, she isn't a man, she is a woman and there is a long way to go for the inequalities wether there are social, cultural or financial would disappear between men and women