I am recording my “Formidable” & “Quand c’est” reactions this week also! Please make sure you are subscribed to get the notification when it drops! 🙏🏼❤️
I don’t know if you know the story behind the video of « Formidable » ? One day Stromae was caught by two guys eating lunch in his car all by himself in an underground parking and they made fun of him arguing that such a great singer looked ridiculous eating tabbouleh in his car. They filmed the scene and put in on TH-cam. The video became viral and Stromae was shocked to see that videos like this one make more views than official videos that have a much more valued content. So he decided to trick people and made his own decadent video of himself, letting people think he was drunk and filming him. In the song, he refers to people looking at him like a monkey, which is what a lot of them did during this sequence in hidden camera. He let the videos that passers-by posted go viral for a moment then released his official video and bam : the sprinkler watered. Genius. And the lyrics of the song are a master-piece.
That last scene when the son finally gives up and resigns himself to becoming his father hit me really hard. The visuals and heavy lyrics coupled with the upbeat dance beats makes for a really surreal experience when listening to this song. Goosebumps for days!! I loved your reaction💕 you have a really measured, yet unguarded perspective that I really enjoy hearing😊
That really got to me too, I just wanted to tell him not to give up or to put that effort and energy into someone or something worthwhile! 😩 Thank you so much for this comment, it’s nice to feel genuine appreciation simply for being oneself 🙏🏼❤️
Actually, it's more like his father (Stromae) didn't teach him anything, so he becomes a statue just like his father (since he didn't learn anything because of his absence). All the children in the clip had fathers that taught them something through dances (the ones in red dancing happily and the ones in a costume -the father may have been very strict with his son, but at least, he was present for him).
I took the kids dancing with their fathers as them picking up their traits and expectations and becoming them. Each pair danced differently, and the little boy tried to do a different dance to wake his father, but ended up dancing just like him and then later fitting into the same mold
Stromae is famous for word play and changing the words, every word means something else , the actual spelling of the title is Papa, où t'es which basically translates to Dad where are you so stromae made it into one word and is regarding to the killing during the 1994 Rwandan genocide where his fathered died but no one told him till much later
The title of the song doesnt mean anything but that. There is no 2nd meaning behind what he wrote. Its the french way of spelling what you wrote, there is no double entendre there, because there is only one meaning of the title.
The ending is actually heartbreaking to me. It feels like, whatever a kid is doing, eventually kids will become like their parents. It symbolizes how important parents are, what impact parents have on their kids. It is showed throught the music video through the others parents where the kid is always almost identical to their parent.
I had never even heard of Stromae until I started reacting! 😳 Not many people in English speaking countries listen to music from outside of their own language though 🤔
@@TeddyGreyOS “Alors on dance” and “Formidable“ have been played by German radio stations up and down the songlists for years. In my case, and I am a real music addict, I hated „Formidable“ because of the ‚monotone‘ chorus and found it absolutely boring. To ignore the art of Stromae was my biggest musical error in my life, I believe. I only came to really pay attention to him when TH-cam proposed „Fils of joie“ to me, the day Russia invaded Ukraine, and the atmosphere of the video matched in a strange way. Only then I started to dive into his world. By the way, Formidable is to me a masterpiece now 😇.
@@TeddyGreyOS I guess that in mainland Europe we hear more of each other's music. Songs on English always have more of strong presence but the radio stations and dance clubs do put on music from any language way more then in English speaking countries.. For exemple the song, Dragostea Din Tei by O-zone was in all European charts and dance clubs for a long time and they sing in Romenian(they are moldavian).
As a Belgian living in the UK, I can confirm that songs not in English are just not played/known here. There's the odd K-Pop song or whatever else is popular in the rest of the world and perhaps someone like Edith Piaf when a song of theirs is used in a movie/TV series/car advert.
The ending is genious. You know the son will become a single father aswell, thats why he turned into a "puppet". The dancing with his father was the sons imagination.
I'm Belgian and I understand the lyrics really well. it's really the lyrics that make all the charm of this song, the story that stromae tells is so powerful .he really is an amazing artist!!!
Oooooo Teddy, you brought me back. Cant believe it was really 2013. Stromae swept away europe with his genius that summer. I'll never forget watching and hearing "formidable" for the first time. I had it on loop for months. It was playing in Cannes at the festival and football stadium same time. Stromae, uau, so glad he is back. Dont forget his greatest hit "formidable". Love from Albania!
I really enjoy watching your reaction videos. They are honest, respectful, sensible, and you always try to learn and understand deeper levels. Small point: to eat your fingers in French refers to nailbiting. It means that you are nervously waiting for something, in this case, for the father to be there. He first sings he has counted his fingers a thousand times, then later that he has "eaten" his fingers a thousand times.
There is another meaning for me (i'm french) : "papa ou t'es ?" and "Ça doit faire au moins mille fois que j'ai compté mes doigts" is a it's a metaphor for the game "Hide and Seek" . Just like when you are the one who seeks, you must count before going to seek the other , and when you are a child, you count on the fingers of your hand . So the child counted at least 1000 times but his father never stopped hiding.
... And another detail: He didn't say "manger", he says "bouffer", which is "manger" but in a very familiar and angry way. It could maybe traduced by "Feeding my fingers"
@@MrIsefire yes indeed. First he says "compté mes doigts", (counting my fingers, as you rightly pointed out), then later he says "bouffé mes doigts" (referring to anxious/aggressive nailbiting). It very aptly shows the growing impatience. Gotta love stromae's attention to detail.
In the last scenes look at the gesture of the kid pushing something out of his head and then Stromae appears behind like "going out of the kid's mind". That is the gesture signaling that it was the kid's imagination, not a real scene with his father.
@@TeddyGreyOS yes of course it is sad, but well that was the intention. Stromae always knows how to put a really strong issue out there at the spotlight.
I am French, this song was extremely popular and played everywhere from primary schools to clubs. The message is very powerful and the lightness of the rythme makes a very interesting contrast. The title of the song means « Daddy where are you ? » (Papa où t’es ?). I think it expresses the ambivalence of the feelings that a child has towards his absentee father : a mixture of rage, contempt and sorrow, and a desire to excuse his behavior and to be loved by him that competes with the resentment of growing up without a father. It’s also a song to put men in front of their responsibilities : it’s easy to make a baby but now, you need to be a father, a responsible man.
Man, considering the hesitancy you expressed about doing this video, I want to send you an extra big thank you. It's a deep and tough topic, and putting yourself out there as you have, both listening to the song and talking about what it means, is no small thing. Hopefully the responses you get are supportive and help you feel comfortable touching on these kinds of raw and vulnerable themes in the future. We're all better for it, in my opinion. Keep up the awesome work 🔥
Oh wow that’s deep, I’m going to go back and listen to this song with that in mind now, maybe it will make a lot more sense 🙏🏼 thank you my friend, I appreciate you!
@@TeddyGreyOS my pleasure I'm from Belgium and Stromae is a very important artist and a pride for us and I'm always happy to see reactions about this great man work from peoples around the world
@@TeddyGreyOS Stromae ‘s father, left belgium to go back to Rwanda when Stromae was a child. Then he died in the genocide. And stromae got the news years later. His father’s death was hidden from him for a long time. So maybe he was hopping to see him coming back, without knowing anything. And I think that’s also part of the lyrics, with the « counting the fingers » parts
This song resonates with me because my father when he was with my mom, was never around, he was always cheating with other women and partying because I’d find condoms in his pockets as a kid. I’d wake up and cry for him in the middle of the night, only to have my mother accompany me. I look back in those times as an adult and every time I hear this song I think about how much better I am as an adult compared to my so called father- since if he was really a father he would’ve made a point to be in my life, instead of going out to cheat. I appreciate the different take that you had on here Teddy. Very interesting and relatable. You made me smile 😊💛
Just so the word play on the visual isn't lost: One of the commonly used French words for "model" is "le mannequin" ...he turned a word into visual language and turned a cognate into a metaphor. (I'm an artist, whose artistry includes poetry, so I love stuff like that.) Interestingly enough, I was listening to alot of French music last summer and this song came on...so I looked it up to see who the artist was...that's when I discovered his music. I love his creativity and he's one of my favorite artists...I later noticed that I had heard of him before! His song "Carmen" got alot of press back in the day and I had listened to the song and watched the video because someone wrote an article about it. It's definitely thought-provoking. The video of "Ta Fête" has some interesting social commentary as well.
I love the fact you're discovering Stromae man. Hearing your breakdowns of his songs and the emotion in your voice as you're describing what you're thinking is powerful as hell. Keep pausing as much as you damn want and keep doing what you do!
The guitar bit at the end is always my fave 🔥it’s got a Congolese guitar sound to it which Stromae says he was inspired by. The live version of it is epic
If I'm not mistaken, “sucking your thumb” is a specifically Belgian way of saying “hoping/inventing” (don't ask me why; languages are strange 😛). So the lyrics are basically using both the metaphorical sense (essentially longing for something/inventing something in your imagination - a father in this case), coupled with the more literal imagery of being so desperate for your father's presence that you end up chewing not only your thumb off, but literally all your fingers. And sucking your thumb is also an image with a lot of connotations to childhood in general, which is obviously an important theme here. Hope that cleared it up!
I've been watching your Stromae reactions these past days and it's lovely to see how deeply you get his music each time; you understand a lot from the first listen, even without speaking French. I had to listen to many of his songs multiple times to get all of what you're getting. And your understanding will deepen even more the more you listen; that's part of his genius. Love him and really enjoy your reactions!
Stromae is a word play on Maestro (Mae-Stro). Great genuine response .. somehow it felt like this was close to home for you, thanks for sharing your candid self .. wishing you the best
He’s one of my favourite artists ever. This video made me cry. Your reactions and how you feel the music are gold, genuine, incredible. Keep doing what you’re doing ❤️
You may not have the best camera or the best mic but you are by far the react channel with the best analogies! The things you say and your reactions are really interesting! 🔥
I appreciate you reacting to Stromae. Im looking forward to your opinions about the other Stromae songs you mentioned you’re going to react to, because you always dissect the songs really well in my opinion
Subbed today from Surrey. The UK not knowing much about Stromae is a little sad, he should be huge here like he is in Europe. He is a great lyricist, singer and performer!
Agree. It seems in the beginning he is purposefully sitting on the lyric causing it to be slightly out of pocket w/the music which is AMAZING. I really LOVE that so much. Great reaction. 👏
Waouh, i am really impressed by your réactions to his songs, because you trully understand each time what he means! You must be sensitive to get all that directly. Thanks again
Hi. When you "eat your fingers" (bite your nails in English), it means that you are nervous. When you count your fingers, you are waiting for something to happen, like for example waiting for your father to come home.
His own father died in the Rwandan genocide. It's a song about absent fathers. In the song, he says "everybody knows how to make babies, but nobody knows how to make dads". How true.
I recommend you also react to Stromae's concert in Montreal on his second album. It's a 100% pure art, from the music, the sound, the lighting, the stage, etc. Stromae has a team full of artists backing him up throughout his career and that concert as well. I assure you won't regret spending your time to watch the whole concert. th-cam.com/video/eOZLDQm9c2E/w-d-xo.html
I’ve watched this concert so many times! So when the opportunity came up to see him live, I took it and will be seeing him live in Paris next year, can’t wait
Hey! So I just came across a Stromae videos where he was analyzing some of his video clips and that video led me here. So listen to this he said that in the scene where the kid is dancing with his father first we see him dancing alone and then he makes a strong gesture towards his head (indicating his brain) where he was dancing with his father 😳
Oh my! So perhaps I was right? That’s crazy! I love that the true meaning behind Stromae’s artistry is held behind a labyrinth of metaphor, both visually and audibly, it’s perfect!
I remember when this came out, and a friend said that he was at parties where this was played (French parties, so it's not like they didn't know), and it just shows the disconnect between the party beat and the subject matter. (Maybe this is the French equivalent of "Hey ya")
Thanks for your review/reaction mate. it really is spot on as always. you should check this other track too (if you haven't yet) : "Tous les mêmes" (all the same) quite an interesting angle again and may be more cheerful (just slightly) too for a change.
So I think you reacted to 2 of his songs from his new album, Multitude. Papaoutai was the first single one his second album Racine carrée. The sound of his first 2 albums are different from his latest one. He took a break from producing music because he was very sick and it caused him to go into a depression, hence L'enfer (which is one of my favorites from Multitude). Santé is another good one.
not sure if it's been said already but before i forget, it's important to note this one detail in the final dance scene that it didn't seem like u picked up on so i wanted to point out haha (ur analysis was accurate though, regardless - thanks); although it initially presents the son dancing with the father, we see (very briefly) the father disappear from beside the boy and reappear inside that car which the boy later has to push/bear the load of. i like to believe it's symbolising that the pair dancing is actually the father imagining them dancing together. Still, for "whatever reason", he cannot bring himself to even drive the car, let alone get out and dance with the child. indeed, that would reveal how this boy's dancing does evoke something in the father but never entirely succeeds in changing him. we could dissect it further and see the car as a metaphor for something, but this is initially how i understood the scene, rlly fascinating haha (doing up 12marker big words, i apologise)
Probably been explained here before ... Papaoutai is pronounced as papa + ou (as in the final sound of who) + t + and then ai is like the e part in bed, it's soft. It litterly means Dad where are you. But all written in one word. As if you'd write dadwhereareyou basically. I love Stromae and clearly, your vid reacting to him as well. It's such strong music, always with a message, with something to say. And i love how this transcends language barrieres. Great vid.
When you said the beat sounds mainstream I remembered that when I first heard about Stromae which was Alors On Dance and i thought it was mainstream dance so I thought that was the kind of artist he was still I heard this song and Tous les Mêmes and I realised how good he is. And I think with the new album this growth that he has gained is visible. Like you can see where he evolved from and still creating such amazing music makes him one of the most amazing artist 🙂
You told me a little while ago that you're gonna do this video. I love the reaction you gave here. I think you'll understand why this track is in my personal top 3 favorite Stromae tracks. It's great that you're gonna record a reaction to Formidable as well, because that track is on the same top 3.😄
Big tip before watching Quand c’est, without giving anything away , something that will get lost in the translation : The chorus has a word-play with the theme and the title of the song. If you pronounce it phonetically, they are very close to each other. Have fun , one of my favorites one from his older album.
A little breakdown, the kid wants to have a bond with his father just like the others. And the part where he's dancing together with his father snaps to a shot where he's dancing and the father's just watching from the car as the puppet he is, which represents the dancing together actually being an illusion so to say. The kid was imagining them dancing together and having that bond with his father but it is then shown that that's only his imagination.
The boy dancing with Stromae is not showing that he is finally getting in touch... But is "learning" - shown trough dance - that he is learning from the fathers absens, and thus will become an abcent father in the future as well.
First time commenting to any channel. And I've been waiting for another stromae reaction. Your reactions to "fils de joie" and "l'enfer" were deep and meaniful and I love your take on the artistary and esthetic. You should really check his old videos "les leçons" where he breakdowns the process of song making. But please check : Formidable, tous les mêmes, Carmen, Peace or violence, bâtard. And if you want to treat yourself, I really recommand his concert : th-cam.com/video/eOZLDQm9c2E/w-d-xo.html Support from Morroco 🙏🏼❤
Hi, i'm french. My english is not very good. I like tour reaction vidéo. I felt that the text (message) that Stromae wanted to convey and the visual work of the clip which reveals the deep side of the message, touched you as much as me. me too I have chills every time so it's life, what he says.
I´ts hard for me to achieve that, in England, you haven´t heard Papautai!!!! In Morelia, Mexico, my high school students had already made a choregraphy of it in 2015!!! I'm now seeing these videos for nostalgia.
I feel like the part where the kid is dancing with stromae but not really is implying that even though hes not present hes still learning from him (hence why at the end he becomes just like his father). Being present is a choice (if theyre alive) and not being present is also a choice (again under ordinary circumstances) the same way a father can teach their child to be there for their loved ones or to NOT be there. That was my interpretation of that bit. Not sure if i explained myself well enough
Tous les mêmes is also a great stromae song! Idk if it's the same in French but in the Dutch part of Belgium we use "uit de duim zuigen" (literally sucking out of our thumb) when we mean we're just making stuff up.
Love your reactions, you seem to notice everything - the beat, melodies, lyrics, visuals! And all of that in one reaction, kinda crazy tbh! Stromae on Racine Carrée was sad lyrics with happy tunes, it makes it super easy to listen to. Plus he’s a master with words, moules frites is a song that I love listening to bc the beat and melodies are so good - but it is about STDs and honestly, you wouldn’t know from just one look at the lyrics. Stromae makes you think, I love that about his songs.
Love the reactions🤞 shoutout from Switzerland🤝 u should definitely react to more songs of him I’d recommend Quand c’est, tous les memes or Formidable🥶 real artwork
Stromae found some professional dancers from traditionnal dances of different parts of Earth (sorry for my English, I'm french and I'm not bilingual totally)
you should react to Erza Muqolli’s cover of this song on the voice of france shes Albanian it was 4 years ago if im not mistaken , she has a very touching voice u’ll love it 🥰
I think what you've missed in the song that confused you a bit is this, the father and the son are dancing together, to you that had some positive connotations but the next scene you see the son dancing alone in front of his father's car, while the father is watching. presumably imagining himself dancing with his son but not actually doing it. I think this can be put into context because, as you're probably well aware by now, Stromae's father died in the Rwandan genocide in the 90s, to me this seems to suggest he's not saying his father is inherently not spending time with him because he doesn't want to, but wether he wants to or not, he won't be able to, leaving the son to dance alone.
So where is his dad, dead during the Ruanda massacre. Pop on the first though but That's why this song is so powerful, so many levels, and the deepest is this one.
I think the end it’s a remember or an imagination his dad ! Maybe you should read the story of stromae to understand his message. Good job for your videos.
Please try reacting to Finnish music🥰❤️ i can put songs here where to start😁 Costi - Hole in one Sexmane - 40K Pihlaja- Sheikkaan mukana Pihlaja - Paha Barbie Etta- Äidin suosikki Nelli Matula - Lelu Nelli Matula - Jumalatar
![First Time Listener! 🇧🇪 Stromae - Formidable [HYPE UK 🇬🇧 REACTION!]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/-sed-zKXPDQ/mqdefault.jpg)
![First Time Listener! 🇧🇪 Stromae - Formidable [HYPE UK 🇬🇧 REACTION!]](/img/tr.png)
![First Time Listener! 🇧🇪 Stromae - Alors On Dance [HYPE UK 🇬🇧 REACTION]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/xQiX-bKopZc/mqdefault.jpg)
I am recording my “Formidable” & “Quand c’est” reactions this week also! Please make sure you are subscribed to get the notification when it drops! 🙏🏼❤️
Can't wait to see your reactions! You should do all of them! Stromae is a genius!
You should make another one for "Carmen", MASTERPIECE!
Thanks, also look "Carmen" th-cam.com/video/UKftOH54iNU/w-d-xo.html
I don’t know if you know the story behind the video of « Formidable » ? One day Stromae was caught by two guys eating lunch in his car all by himself in an underground parking and they made fun of him arguing that such a great singer looked ridiculous eating tabbouleh in his car. They filmed the scene and put in on TH-cam. The video became viral and Stromae was shocked to see that videos like this one make more views than official videos that have a much more valued content. So he decided to trick people and made his own decadent video of himself, letting people think he was drunk and filming him. In the song, he refers to people looking at him like a monkey, which is what a lot of them did during this sequence in hidden camera. He let the videos that passers-by posted go viral for a moment then released his official video and bam : the sprinkler watered. Genius.
And the lyrics of the song are a master-piece.
@@anabelle1508 Exactement, je suis Belge, il a vraiment trompé le public
That last scene when the son finally gives up and resigns himself to becoming his father hit me really hard. The visuals and heavy lyrics coupled with the upbeat dance beats makes for a really surreal experience when listening to this song. Goosebumps for days!! I loved your reaction💕 you have a really measured, yet unguarded perspective that I really enjoy hearing😊
That really got to me too, I just wanted to tell him not to give up or to put that effort and energy into someone or something worthwhile! 😩 Thank you so much for this comment, it’s nice to feel genuine appreciation simply for being oneself 🙏🏼❤️
The ending hits different with the subtitles, I wasn't aware that he is becoming his father. Makes this song even better.
Yh watching his eyes go dead makes me tear up everytime.
Actually, it's more like his father (Stromae) didn't teach him anything, so he becomes a statue just like his father (since he didn't learn anything because of his absence). All the children in the clip had fathers that taught them something through dances (the ones in red dancing happily and the ones in a costume -the father may have been very strict with his son, but at least, he was present for him).
@@letitbe1977 yeah I actually interpreted this ending instead of the original comment
I took the kids dancing with their fathers as them picking up their traits and expectations and becoming them. Each pair danced differently, and the little boy tried to do a different dance to wake his father, but ended up dancing just like him and then later fitting into the same mold
I also really liked the dancing to show different kinds of fathers.
I felt it was more like the father teaching how to do it properly, even if in the end might be wrong, the father was teaching him as he knew it.
Stromae is famous for word play and changing the words, every word means something else , the actual spelling of the title is Papa, où t'es which basically translates to Dad where are you so stromae made it into one word and is regarding to the killing during the 1994 Rwandan genocide where his fathered died but no one told him till much later
The title of the song doesnt mean anything but that. There is no 2nd meaning behind what he wrote. Its the french way of spelling what you wrote, there is no double entendre there, because there is only one meaning of the title.
The ending is actually heartbreaking to me. It feels like, whatever a kid is doing, eventually kids will become like their parents.
It symbolizes how important parents are, what impact parents have on their kids. It is showed throught the music video through the others parents where the kid is always almost identical to their parent.
That song, video, lyrics, choreography, pure perfection. It''s hard to believe that's there is a music fan out there that doesn't know this track.
I had never even heard of Stromae until I started reacting! 😳 Not many people in English speaking countries listen to music from outside of their own language though 🤔
@@TeddyGreyOS “Alors on dance” and “Formidable“ have been played by German radio stations up and down the songlists for years. In my case, and I am a real music addict, I hated „Formidable“ because of the ‚monotone‘ chorus and found it absolutely boring. To ignore the art of Stromae was my biggest musical error in my life, I believe. I only came to really pay attention to him when TH-cam proposed „Fils of joie“ to me, the day Russia invaded Ukraine, and the atmosphere of the video matched in a strange way. Only then I started to dive into his world. By the way, Formidable is to me a masterpiece now 😇.
@@TeddyGreyOS I guess that in mainland Europe we hear more of each other's music. Songs on English always have more of strong presence but the radio stations and dance clubs do put on music from any language way more then in English speaking countries.. For exemple the song, Dragostea Din Tei by O-zone was in all European charts and dance clubs for a long time and they sing in Romenian(they are moldavian).
As a Belgian living in the UK, I can confirm that songs not in English are just not played/known here. There's the odd K-Pop song or whatever else is popular in the rest of the world and perhaps someone like Edith Piaf when a song of theirs is used in a movie/TV series/car advert.
The ending is genious. You know the son will become a single father aswell, thats why he turned into a "puppet".
The dancing with his father was the sons imagination.
I'm Belgian and I understand the lyrics really well. it's really the lyrics that make all the charm of this song, the story that stromae tells is so powerful .he really is an amazing artist!!!
Stromae is from Belgium... dat weet je tog?
@@gabb5597 ja 👍🏼
Dude stromae is from france
@@MrLofia and my father is the king
@@MrLofia XD nice try but in belgium there are 3 official languages french, dutch and german and stromae comme from the french part of belgium
Oooooo Teddy, you brought me back. Cant believe it was really 2013. Stromae swept away europe with his genius that summer. I'll never forget watching and hearing "formidable" for the first time. I had it on loop for months. It was playing in Cannes at the festival and football stadium same time. Stromae, uau, so glad he is back. Dont forget his greatest hit "formidable". Love from Albania!
I really enjoy watching your reaction videos. They are honest, respectful, sensible, and you always try to learn and understand deeper levels. Small point: to eat your fingers in French refers to nailbiting. It means that you are nervously waiting for something, in this case, for the father to be there. He first sings he has counted his fingers a thousand times, then later that he has "eaten" his fingers a thousand times.
There is another meaning for me (i'm french) : "papa ou t'es ?" and "Ça doit faire au moins mille fois que j'ai compté mes doigts" is a it's a metaphor for the game "Hide and Seek" . Just like when you are the one who seeks, you must count before going to seek the other , and when you are a child, you count on the fingers of your hand . So the child counted at least 1000 times but his father never stopped hiding.
... And another detail: He didn't say "manger", he says "bouffer", which is "manger" but in a very familiar and angry way. It could maybe traduced by "Feeding my fingers"
@@MrIsefire yes indeed. First he says "compté mes doigts", (counting my fingers, as you rightly pointed out), then later he says "bouffé mes doigts" (referring to anxious/aggressive nailbiting). It very aptly shows the growing impatience. Gotta love stromae's attention to detail.
In the last scenes look at the gesture of the kid pushing something out of his head and then Stromae appears behind like "going out of the kid's mind". That is the gesture signaling that it was the kid's imagination, not a real scene with his father.
It’s really sad to think about it like that though 😩
@@TeddyGreyOS yes of course it is sad, but well that was the intention. Stromae always knows how to put a really strong issue out there at the spotlight.
Clever interpretation. Thank you!
I am French, this song was extremely popular and played everywhere from primary schools to clubs. The message is very powerful and the lightness of the rythme makes a very interesting contrast. The title of the song means « Daddy where are you ? » (Papa où t’es ?). I think it expresses the ambivalence of the feelings that a child has towards his absentee father : a mixture of rage, contempt and sorrow, and a desire to excuse his behavior and to be loved by him that competes with the resentment of growing up without a father. It’s also a song to put men in front of their responsibilities : it’s easy to make a baby but now, you need to be a father, a responsible man.
I don't know French but everytime I listen to his Formidable, the track gives me goosebumps. He's a true legend.
Man, considering the hesitancy you expressed about doing this video, I want to send you an extra big thank you. It's a deep and tough topic, and putting yourself out there as you have, both listening to the song and talking about what it means, is no small thing. Hopefully the responses you get are supportive and help you feel comfortable touching on these kinds of raw and vulnerable themes in the future. We're all better for it, in my opinion. Keep up the awesome work 🔥
for the information, the father of Stromae is dead during the Rwandan genocide.. this song is like a tribute for him
love your reactions btw
Oh wow that’s deep, I’m going to go back and listen to this song with that in mind now, maybe it will make a lot more sense 🙏🏼 thank you my friend, I appreciate you!
@@TeddyGreyOS my pleasure
I'm from Belgium and Stromae is a very important artist and a pride for us and I'm always happy to see reactions about this great man work from peoples around the world
@@TeddyGreyOS Stromae ‘s father, left belgium to go back to Rwanda when Stromae was a child.
Then he died in the genocide.
And stromae got the news years later.
His father’s death was hidden from him for a long time. So maybe he was hopping to see him coming back, without knowing anything. And I think that’s also part of the lyrics, with the « counting the fingers » parts
This song resonates with me because my father when he was with my mom, was never around, he was always cheating with other women and partying because I’d find condoms in his pockets as a kid. I’d wake up and cry for him in the middle of the night, only to have my mother accompany me. I look back in those times as an adult and every time I hear this song I think about how much better I am as an adult compared to my so called father- since if he was really a father he would’ve made a point to be in my life, instead of going out to cheat.
I appreciate the different take that you had on here Teddy. Very interesting and relatable. You made me smile 😊💛
Just so the word play on the visual isn't lost: One of the commonly used French words for "model" is "le mannequin" ...he turned a word into visual language and turned a cognate into a metaphor. (I'm an artist, whose artistry includes poetry, so I love stuff like that.)
Interestingly enough, I was listening to alot of French music last summer and this song came on...so I looked it up to see who the artist was...that's when I discovered his music. I love his creativity and he's one of my favorite artists...I later noticed that I had heard of him before! His song "Carmen" got alot of press back in the day and I had listened to the song and watched the video because someone wrote an article about it. It's definitely thought-provoking. The video of "Ta Fête" has some interesting social commentary as well.
I love the fact you're discovering Stromae man. Hearing your breakdowns of his songs and the emotion in your voice as you're describing what you're thinking is powerful as hell. Keep pausing as much as you damn want and keep doing what you do!
Stromae is genius!
His music, lyrics and producing he does everything
This song always makes me cry (I'm a French-speaking Belgian).
The guitar bit at the end is always my fave 🔥it’s got a Congolese guitar sound to it which Stromae says he was inspired by. The live version of it is epic
If I'm not mistaken, “sucking your thumb” is a specifically Belgian way of saying “hoping/inventing” (don't ask me why; languages are strange 😛). So the lyrics are basically using both the metaphorical sense (essentially longing for something/inventing something in your imagination - a father in this case), coupled with the more literal imagery of being so desperate for your father's presence that you end up chewing not only your thumb off, but literally all your fingers. And sucking your thumb is also an image with a lot of connotations to childhood in general, which is obviously an important theme here. Hope that cleared it up!
I love Stromae. He's on tour in the London this year aswell.
I know all the words to L’Enfer and Fils De Joie now so I would give anything to be there 😩
I've been watching your Stromae reactions these past days and it's lovely to see how deeply you get his music each time; you understand a lot from the first listen, even without speaking French. I had to listen to many of his songs multiple times to get all of what you're getting. And your understanding will deepen even more the more you listen; that's part of his genius. Love him and really enjoy your reactions!
I was waiting for your next Stromae reaction. Yes, he’s older material are more upbeat in a way, but still carry strong messages
Stromae is a word play on Maestro (Mae-Stro). Great genuine response .. somehow it felt like this was close to home for you, thanks for sharing your candid self .. wishing you the best
He’s one of my favourite artists ever. This video made me cry. Your reactions and how you feel the music are gold, genuine, incredible. Keep doing what you’re doing ❤️
You may not have the best camera or the best mic but you are by far the react channel with the best analogies! The things you say and your reactions are really interesting! 🔥
Thank you so much, that’s a genuinely nice compliment! 🫶
I appreciate you reacting to Stromae. Im looking forward to your opinions about the other Stromae songs you mentioned you’re going to react to, because you always dissect the songs really well in my opinion
At the end he was imagininghis father with him... and then at the end he became like him.. which is a figure, a memory, a body with a soul !
Subbed today from Surrey. The UK not knowing much about Stromae is a little sad, he should be huge here like he is in Europe. He is a great lyricist, singer and performer!
I always cry listening this song. Stromae always speaks about real things, but with dancing music. 🙏🏻
Agree. It seems in the beginning he is purposefully sitting on the lyric causing it to be slightly out of pocket w/the music which is AMAZING. I really LOVE that so much. Great reaction. 👏
You simply must react to Alors on Dance by Stromae. Pretty sure you've heared it already, but that's a great song anyway.
This video always brings tears to my eyes cause my father left when I was a child too. Hopefully men do get better, In shaa Allah.
Waouh, i am really impressed by your réactions to his songs, because you trully understand each time what he means! You must be sensitive to get all that directly. Thanks again
Hi. When you "eat your fingers" (bite your nails in English), it means that you are nervous. When you count your fingers, you are waiting for something to happen, like for example waiting for your father to come home.
In that case I took those lyrics far too literally 😩😂 thank you my friend 🙏🏼
His own father died in the Rwandan genocide. It's a song about absent fathers. In the song, he says "everybody knows how to make babies, but nobody knows how to make dads". How true.
I recommend you also react to Stromae's concert in Montreal on his second album. It's a 100% pure art, from the music, the sound, the lighting, the stage, etc. Stromae has a team full of artists backing him up throughout his career and that concert as well. I assure you won't regret spending your time to watch the whole concert.
th-cam.com/video/eOZLDQm9c2E/w-d-xo.html
I concur that, the best concert on TH-cam, audio-visual perfection.
I’ve watched this concert so many times! So when the opportunity came up to see him live, I took it and will be seeing him live in Paris next year, can’t wait
Yes! This concert is brilliant. I’ve watched it over and over again.
I've rewatched that probably around 20 times over the last two or so years. It's pure art.
I watch that concert at least once a day lol
Hey! So I just came across a Stromae videos where he was analyzing some of his video clips and that video led me here. So listen to this he said that in the scene where the kid is dancing with his father first we see him dancing alone and then he makes a strong gesture towards his head (indicating his brain) where he was dancing with his father 😳
Oh my! So perhaps I was right? That’s crazy! I love that the true meaning behind Stromae’s artistry is held behind a labyrinth of metaphor, both visually and audibly, it’s perfect!
I remember when this came out, and a friend said that he was at parties where this was played (French parties, so it's not like they didn't know), and it just shows the disconnect between the party beat and the subject matter. (Maybe this is the French equivalent of "Hey ya")
I've loved him since the beginning of his career, He is a genius . Fils de joie masterpiece
This song was extremely popular when I was young so I never realised the deep meaning behind it before today...
Thanks for your review/reaction mate. it really is spot on as always. you should check this other track too (if you haven't yet) : "Tous les mêmes" (all the same) quite an interesting angle again and may be more cheerful (just slightly) too for a change.
My man you have to react to Tous Les Meme by Stromae. Absolutely one of his best
So I think you reacted to 2 of his songs from his new album, Multitude. Papaoutai was the first single one his second album Racine carrée. The sound of his first 2 albums are different from his latest one. He took a break from producing music because he was very sick and it caused him to go into a depression, hence L'enfer (which is one of my favorites from Multitude). Santé is another good one.
not only the lyrics, his videos always have a lot of meaning too , i recommend u to keep your eyes opened
not sure if it's been said already but before i forget, it's important to note this one detail in the final dance scene that it didn't seem like u picked up on so i wanted to point out haha (ur analysis was accurate though, regardless - thanks);
although it initially presents the son dancing with the father, we see (very briefly) the father disappear from beside the boy and reappear inside that car which the boy later has to push/bear the load of. i like to believe it's symbolising that the pair dancing is actually the father imagining them dancing together. Still, for "whatever reason", he cannot bring himself to even drive the car, let alone get out and dance with the child. indeed, that would reveal how this boy's dancing does evoke something in the father but never entirely succeeds in changing him. we could dissect it further and see the car as a metaphor for something, but this is initially how i understood the scene, rlly fascinating haha (doing up 12marker big words, i apologise)
Probably been explained here before ... Papaoutai is pronounced as papa + ou (as in the final sound of who) + t + and then ai is like the e part in bed, it's soft. It litterly means Dad where are you. But all written in one word. As if you'd write dadwhereareyou basically. I love Stromae and clearly, your vid reacting to him as well. It's such strong music, always with a message, with something to say. And i love how this transcends language barrieres. Great vid.
When you said the beat sounds mainstream I remembered that when I first heard about Stromae which was Alors On Dance and i thought it was mainstream dance so I thought that was the kind of artist he was still I heard this song and Tous les Mêmes and I realised how good he is. And I think with the new album this growth that he has gained is visible. Like you can see where he evolved from and still creating such amazing music makes him one of the most amazing artist 🙂
I Knew he would love it! Stromae est magnifique!
Stromae is a talent.
unlike any other tbh!
You told me a little while ago that you're gonna do this video. I love the reaction you gave here. I think you'll understand why this track is in my personal top 3 favorite Stromae tracks. It's great that you're gonna record a reaction to Formidable as well, because that track is on the same top 3.😄
Big tip before watching Quand c’est, without giving anything away , something that will get lost in the translation : The chorus has a word-play with the theme and the title of the song.
If you pronounce it phonetically, they are very close to each other. Have fun , one of my favorites one from his older album.
Stromae is emotional content, every time. Maestro.
He is a great artist 🔥
Check ‘Quand c’est ‘ as well(lyrics are already there)
Quand c’est is coming this week as well as ‘Formidable’! 🔥 He truly is a talent!
@@TeddyGreyOS you have to check Montreal concert live version of this song, stunnig concert performance and visualizations.
A little breakdown, the kid wants to have a bond with his father just like the others. And the part where he's dancing together with his father snaps to a shot where he's dancing and the father's just watching from the car as the puppet he is, which represents the dancing together actually being an illusion so to say. The kid was imagining them dancing together and having that bond with his father but it is then shown that that's only his imagination.
The boy dancing with Stromae is not showing that he is finally getting in touch... But is "learning" - shown trough dance - that he is learning from the fathers absens, and thus will become an abcent father in the future as well.
I love that you're really digging into all the Stromae hits!
First time commenting to any channel. And I've been waiting for another stromae reaction. Your reactions to "fils de joie" and "l'enfer" were deep and meaniful and I love your take on the artistary and esthetic.
You should really check his old videos "les leçons" where he breakdowns the process of song making.
But please check : Formidable, tous les mêmes, Carmen, Peace or violence, bâtard.
And if you want to treat yourself, I really recommand his concert : th-cam.com/video/eOZLDQm9c2E/w-d-xo.html
Support from Morroco 🙏🏼❤
I love your humanity. How you've trying to catch what's all about. Thanks
Also, don't know if anyone has said it yet, but the young boy in this is also one of the dancers in his mv for Santé :)
Thank you for reacting to it even if it may be hard for you 🙏
You can also hear "Ta fête" which was the Belgian anthem for the football team !
could you react to his live concert (yes the entirety)? even if you don't post it on TH-cam? I'd love to see your reaction
Hi, i'm french. My english is not very good. I like tour reaction vidéo.
I felt that the text (message) that Stromae wanted to convey and the visual work of the clip which reveals the deep side of the message, touched you as much as me.
me too I have chills every time so it's life, what he says.
I´ts hard for me to achieve that, in England, you haven´t heard Papautai!!!! In Morelia, Mexico, my high school students had already made a choregraphy of it in 2015!!! I'm now seeing these videos for nostalgia.
I feel like the part where the kid is dancing with stromae but not really is implying that even though hes not present hes still learning from him (hence why at the end he becomes just like his father). Being present is a choice (if theyre alive) and not being present is also a choice (again under ordinary circumstances) the same way a father can teach their child to be there for their loved ones or to NOT be there. That was my interpretation of that bit. Not sure if i explained myself well enough
Great reaction 👏, if you have time, please see stromae full concert, you will love it
@kokett English please
Tous les mêmes is also a great stromae song!
Idk if it's the same in French but in the Dutch part of Belgium we use "uit de duim zuigen" (literally sucking out of our thumb) when we mean we're just making stuff up.
Love your reactions, you seem to notice everything - the beat, melodies, lyrics, visuals! And all of that in one reaction, kinda crazy tbh! Stromae on Racine Carrée was sad lyrics with happy tunes, it makes it super easy to listen to.
Plus he’s a master with words, moules frites is a song that I love listening to bc the beat and melodies are so good - but it is about STDs and honestly, you wouldn’t know from just one look at the lyrics. Stromae makes you think, I love that about his songs.
Thank you!
Some more please : Formidable, Carmen, Quand c'est, Tous les mêmes
Stromae is a Belgian singer, he lost her father during the Rwandan genocide in 1994. He was 9 years old.
8:47 his imagination, he is effectivly alone dancing without his missing dad
I don't know you but the way you talk i'm sure, good heart good soul 💪🙏
Love the reactions🤞 shoutout from Switzerland🤝 u should definitely react to more songs of him
I’d recommend Quand c’est, tous les memes or Formidable🥶 real artwork
Stromae found some professional dancers from traditionnal dances of different parts of Earth (sorry for my English, I'm french and I'm not bilingual totally)
Stromae is just Awessome artist 👊🏻🫵🏼❤️
omg I was waiting for that video!
Please react to femme! They're a Japanese duo who's concept is mannequins and their lyrics are mostly in english
For mainstream sound- his most worldwide hit: alors on dance
PLEASE KEEP DOING WHAT YOU DO !!
you should react to Erza Muqolli’s cover of this song on the voice of france shes Albanian it was 4 years ago if im not mistaken , she has a very touching voice u’ll love it 🥰
Formidable next please, I also have lyrics for a song I highly recommend, will email it to you.
Please do! 🙏🏼 & Formidable is coming this week my friend!
This song is emotional, the beat is commercial but the text is emotional.
This song is almost 10 years old, damn feels like am getting grey hairs
Damn this intro. I was ready to take the CD out again and clean it + the sensor in case I wouldn't make it to the 2nd screen.
you're a pure model lol. actual handsomeness
He really is 😍
Thank you so much, that’s actually so nice of you! 😩😍❤️
@@TeddyGreyOS the pleasure is all mine hehe
Promoson MV is also very good! I love him rappin!
when i watch papaoutai i'm always cry a lot. especially ending scene :(
Wow I cannot believe you didn't know this song!!! 😮
I think what you've missed in the song that confused you a bit is this, the father and the son are dancing together, to you that had some positive connotations but the next scene you see the son dancing alone in front of his father's car, while the father is watching. presumably imagining himself dancing with his son but not actually doing it.
I think this can be put into context because, as you're probably well aware by now, Stromae's father died in the Rwandan genocide in the 90s, to me this seems to suggest he's not saying his father is inherently not spending time with him because he doesn't want to, but wether he wants to or not, he won't be able to, leaving the son to dance alone.
This is one of his first break outs hits
You need to do one on Sante next!!!
congratulations for your comments-
So where is his dad, dead during the Ruanda massacre. Pop on the first though but That's why this song is so powerful, so many levels, and the deepest is this one.
I think the end it’s a remember or an imagination his dad ! Maybe you should read the story of stromae to understand his message. Good job for your videos.
Please try reacting to Finnish music🥰❤️ i can put songs here where to start😁
Costi - Hole in one
Sexmane - 40K
Pihlaja- Sheikkaan mukana
Pihlaja - Paha Barbie
Etta- Äidin suosikki
Nelli Matula - Lelu
Nelli Matula - Jumalatar
Formidable .. Carmen .. amazing songs
the 666 likes x') , but great reaction in french its even stronger :3 a very good artist