THE TICKET PUNCHER OF LILAS

(Le Poinçonneur des Lilas)
Translation by Alan Chamberlain & Mick Harvey


I'm the ticket puncher at Lilas
To whom the passengers pay no regard
There's no sunshine in this Metro station
A strange vacation
To kill the boredom in my vest
I've extracts from Readers Digest
And this book says to me
That life is just a ball in Miami
And all the while I'm working like a slave
Down in this cave
They say work's better than the dole
But all day long I just make holes

I punch holes, little holes, then more little holes
Little holes, little holes, always little holes
I make second-class holes
And punch first-class holes
I punch holes, little holes, then more little holes
Little holes, little holes, always little holes
Little holes, little holes
Little holes, little holes

I'm the ticket puncher at Lilas
For Invalides you change at Opera
I live down in the bowels of this here planet
I have in my head
A carnival of confetti
It even gets between my sheets
Under this white tile sky
The only things that shine are exit signs
At times I dream I go into a daze
And in the haze
The railway platform is a quay
A boat is coming to get me

From this hole, little hole, where I make little holes x2
But the boat is sailing
My day-dream's always failing
And I stay in this hole punching little holes
Little holes, little holes, always little holes
Little holes, little holes
Little holes, little holes

I'm the ticket puncher at Lilas
Arts-et-Metiers direct by Levallois
I've had enough I've had it with this bullshit
Down in this cesspit
I'd like to be on the trapeze
Leave my cap and cloak room keys
The day will come I'm sure
When I will get away to something more
I'll take a car a plane a train a yacht
No matter what
But if the time I have is cursed
I'll have to leave this place feet first

I punch holes, little holes, then more little holes
Little holes, little holes, always little holes
I think I will trifle
With a great big rifle
And make a hole, a little hole, one last little hole
And make a hole, a little hole, one last little hole
And then they'll put me in a hole
Where I will hear no more of holes
Never again of little holes
Of little holes, of little holes, of little holes