Are you curious what Alexandrie Alexandra lyrics in French actually means and what’s the English translation of the song?
This song is one of the best French songs of all time.
RELATED READ: 24 Famous French Songs That You Must Listen To
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Alexandrie Alexandra Lyrics in French ( With English Translation)
About the song
Jean-Pierre Bourtayre and Claude François collaborated in 1977 to produce the dance hit “Alexandrie Alexandra,” which featured Étienne Roda-Gil on vocals.
“Alexandrie Alexandra” was first released in December 1977 on the album Magnolias for Ever. The song was again released on 45 rpm on March 15, 1978, a year after the burial of Claude François. He had died the previous year on March 11, 1978, in an accident.
Despite the tragic end for its singer, “Alexandrie Alexandra” had quite a fascinating story. Artist and Tamla Motown member Lamont Dozier were in France promoting a new album just before “Alexandrie Alexandra” was written and recorded.
He was a guest on Jacques Martin’s show Musique & Music, where Claude François first encountered him. Claude François wants to introduce him to Jean-Pierre Bourtayre, so he invites him to supper at his house, the Moulin de Dannemois.
After some conversation about music during dinner, Claude François invites Lamont Dozier to join him at the piano. He plays the beginning of it “Going Back to My Roots” The intro of this song eventually inspired the structure of “Alexandrie Alexandra.”
The words were penned by Étienne Roda-Gil, and the music was composed by Jean-Pierre Bourtayre and Claude François. Lyrically, Claude François pays homage to his Egyptian heritage by mentioning the Islamic headscarf (or “veils on the girls”), the Nile, the lighthouse at Alexandria, the mythical sirens, and the ferocious barracuda.
The choreography for this song is equally iconic. The dancers bend their arms against their bodies and then toss them forward as if grabbing something.
It has been reported by certain sources that Francois intended to perform “Alexandrie Alexandra” at his upcoming shows. His scheduled first day of practice was March 20, 1978. Almost sure, he would have sung this song right before the encore numbers “J’attendrai” and “J’attendrai II.” Sadly, he wasn’t able to carry out his plans.
“Alexandrie Alexandra” has two versions. The first, from the 45 rpm release, is the most well-known. However, the album version features a more prominent electric guitar at the song’s outset and is hence the preferred version by some.
This track, along with the rest of the album, was recorded in October of 1977. The London studio Trident is where orchestras and choirs are recorded. The 45 rpm edition was mixed at CBE studios in Paris on February 9, 1978, with sound engineer Bernard Estardy at the helm.
Easily one of the most popular French songs of all time and one of Claude François’s best-selling hits, “Alexandrie Alexandra” has sold over 800,000 copies in France. This song, along with his other song, Magnolias for Ever, has been popular for decades. These are both still regularly played in nightclubs even though it was released 40 years ago.
In 1998, the “Alexandrie Alexandra” techno mix version hit number 45 on the charts. In December 2017, a digital-only extended version of the song spanning 8 minutes and 10 seconds was published to celebrate the song’s 40th anniversary. Moreover, two digital formats were published at the beginning of 2018:
Alexandrie Alexandra French Lyrics
Voile sur les filles, barques sur le Nil
Je suis dans ta vie, je suis dans tes bras
Alexandra, Alexandrie
Alexandrie oùl’amour danse avec la nuit
J’ai plus d’apétit qu’un barracuda
Je boirai tout le Nil si tu me reviens pas
Je boirai tout le Nil si tu me retiens pas
Alexandrie, Alexandra
Alexandrie oùl’amour danse au fond des bras
Ce soir j’ai de la fièvre et toi, tu meurs de froid
Les sirènes du port d’Alexandrie
Chantent encore la même mélodie
La lumière du phare d’Alexandrie
Fait naufrager les papillons de ma jeunesse
Rah! Ha! Rah! Ha!
Voile sur les filles et barques sur le Nil
Je suis dans ta vie, je suis dans tes draps
Alexandra, Alexandrie
Alexandrie oùtout commence et tout finit
J’ai plus d’apétit qu’un barracuda
Je te mangerai crue si tu me reviens pas
Je te mangerai crue si tu me retiens pas
Alexandrie, Alexandra
Alexandrie ce soir je danse dans tes draps
Je te mangerai crue si tu me retiens pas
Les sirènes du port d’Alexandrie
Chantent encore la même mélodie
La lumière du phare d’Alexandrie
Fait naufrager les papillons de ma jeunesse
Rah! Ha! Rah! Ha!
Voile sur les filles, barques sur le Nil
Alexandrie, Alexandra
Ce soir j’ai de la fièvre et toi, tu meurs de froid
Ce soir je danse, je danse, je danse dans tes bras
Allez danse! Oui danse!
Danse, danse, danse, danse!
Alexandrie, Alexandra
Ce soir je danse, je danse, je danse dans tes bras
Check out the video here.
Alexandrie Alexandra English Lyrics and Translation
Sailing girls, boats on the Nile
I’m in your life, I’m in your arms
Alexandra, Alexandrie
O Alexandria love dancing the night
I have more than a barracuda Aptit
I’ll drink all the Nile so I can not believe you
I’ll drink all the Nile if you not hold me
Alexandria, Alexandra
O love in Alexandria at the bottom of the arms
Tonight I am having fivre and you, you die of cold
The siRNAs of the port of Alexandria
Still sing the same Młoda
The Lighthouse of Alexandria Lumire
Wrecked the butterflies of my youth
Rah! Ha! Rah! Ha!
Sailing girls and boats on the Nile
I’m in your life, I’m in your sheets
Alexandra, Alexandrie
O Alexandria, everything begins and ends
I have more than a barracuda Aptit
You are the mangerai reviens Crue as to the following
You are the mangerai retiens Crue as to the following
Alexandria, Alexandra
Alexandria tonight I dance in your sheets
You are the mangerai retiens Crue as to the following
The siRNAs of the port of Alexandria
Still sing the same Młoda
The Lighthouse of Alexandria Lumire
Wrecked the butterflies of my youth
Rah! Ha! Rah! Ha!
Sailing girls, boats on the Nile
Alexandria, Alexandra
Tonight I am having fivre and you, you die of cold
Tonight I dance, I dance, I dance in your arms
Go! Yes dance!
Dance, dance, dance, dance!
Alexandria, Alexandra
Tonight I dance, I dance, I dance in your arms
Hi, I’m Christine – a full-time traveler and career woman. Although I’m from the Philippines, my location independent career took me to over 40 countries and lived in 4 continents in the last 10 years, including France. A self-proclaimed Francophile, I love everything France.