Q. What are Mots? 
A. Mots means “words” in French. 
 
In this section, you will find the original lyrics to Vanessa’s songs, as well as the French lyrics translated into English by Vanessa Paradis in Translation members, Gwen and Foley, unless otherwise noted.

 
 
Original Lyrics

Joe le Taxi

Joe le taxi
Y va pas partout
Y marche pas au soda
Son saxo jaune
Connaît toutes les rues par coeur
Tous les p'tits bars
Tous les coins noirs
Et la Seine
Et ses ponts qui brillent

Dans sa caisse
La musique à Joe
C'est la rumba
Le vieux rock au mambo

Joe le taxi
C'est sa vie
Le rhum au mambo
Embouteillage
Li est comme ça
Le rhum au mambo
Joe - Joe - Joe

Dans sa caisse
La musique à Joe résonne
C'est la rumba
Le vieux rock au mambo bidon
Vas-y Joe
Vas-y Joe
Vas-y fonce
Dans la nuit vers l'amazone

Joe le taxi
Et Xavier Cugat
Joe le taxi
Et Yma Sumac
Joe - Joe - Joe

Joe le taxi
C'est sa vie
Le rhum au mambo
Embouteillage
Joe le taxi
Et les Mariachis
Joe le taxi
Et le cha-cha-chi
Joe le taxi
Et le cha-cha-chi
Vas-y Joe
Vas-y fonce
Dans la nuit vers l'amazone 		English Translation

Joe the Taxi (cab driver)

Joe the taxi (cab driver) 
He doesn't go everywhere 
He doesn't work on soda 
His yellow sax*
Knows all of the streets by heart 
All of the little bars 
All of the dark corners 
And the Seine**
And its bridges that shine 

In his car 
Joe's music 
It's the "rumba" 
From old "rock" to "mambo" 

Joe the taxi 
It's his life 
The rum with "mambo" 
Traffic jam 
He's like that 
The rum with "mambo" 
Joe - Joe - Joe 

In his car 
Joe's music resonates 
It's the "rumba" 
From old "rock" to phony "mambo" 
Go Joe 
Go Joe 
Speed along 
In the night towards the Amazon
 
Joe the taxi 
And Xavier Cugat*** 
Joe the taxi 
And Yma Sumac***
Joe - Joe - Joe 

Joe the taxi 
It's his life 
The rum with "mambo" 
Traffic jam 
Joe the taxi 
And the Mariachis 
Joe the Taxi 
And the "cha-cha-chi" 
Joe the Taxi 
And the "cha-cha-chi" 
Go Joe 
Speed along 
In the night towards the Amazon

* saxophone is a metaphor for his yellow cab) 
** the "Seine" is the river that crosses Paris
*** I don't know who it is

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