This song is about Stromae's (original singer) father who died during the Rwandan Genocide. He uses the question "Ou es ton papa?" (Where is your father?) both literally and symbolically, to emphasize how he grew up without his father. The original song is even more beautiful than this. I'll drop the english translation below, but as most know, you can't truly appreciate some of the lines without understanding french. I'm also providing edits to the translation as the current ones from rapgenius/google are meh. You'll understand the meaning, but they don't try keep high-fidelity to the original meaning in French. I also provided some more context at the bottom for certain parts that I personally think should have more context, noted by two asterisks [**]. Translation: Tell me where he comes from At last I'll know where to go Mom says that when we look hard We finish always by finding She says he's never very far away He leaves very often for work Mom says, “Working is good” Better than being in bad company Right? [Pre-Chorus] Where's your dad? Tell me, where's your dad? **Without even having to talk to him** **He knows that it's not going well** Oh beloved dad Tell me where you're hiding? I must've- At least a thousand times that I have- Counted my fingers (Eh) [Chorus] Where are you? Dad, where are you? Where are you? Dad, where are you? Where are you? Dad, where are you? Where are you, where are you? Dad, where are you? Where are you? Dad, where are you? Where are you? Dad, where are you? Where are you? Dad, where are you? Where are you, where are you? Dad, where are you? [Verse 2] What!? That we believe it or not There'll be a day we won't believe it anymore One day or the other we'll all be dads And from one day to the other we'll disappear Will we be detestable? Will we be admirable? Broodstock** or geniuses? Tell us who gives birth to these irresponsible people? Ah, tell us who? **Well? Everyone knows how to make babies** **But no one knows how to make Papa's** Mr. "I-know-all" must've inherited it, that's right Maybe you are pulling it out of your ass, or what?** Tell us where they're hiding, It must've been At least a thousand times that we have Eaten our fingers (Eh) [Chorus] Where are you? Dad, where are you? Where are you? Dad, where are you? Where are you? Dad, where are you? Where are you, where are you? Dad, where are you? Where are you? Dad, where are you? Where are you? Dad, where are you? Where are you? Dad, where are you? Where are you, where are you? Dad, where are you? Where are you? Where are you? [Pre-Chorus] Where's your dad? Tell me, where's your dad? Without even having to talk to him He knows that it's not going well Oh beloved dad Tell me where you're hiding? I must've- At least a thousand times that I have- Counted my fingers (Eh) Where's your dad? Tell me, where's your dad? Without even having to talk to him He knows that it's not going well Oh beloved dad Tell me where you're hiding? I must've- At least a thousand times that I have- Counted my fingers (Eh) [Chorus] Where are you? Dad, where are you? Where are you? Dad, where are you? Where are you? Dad, where are you? Where are you, where are you? Dad, where are you? Where are you? Dad, where are you? Where are you? Dad, where are you? Where are you? Dad, where are you? Where are you, where are you? Dad, where are you? Where are you? Where are you? Additional context: "Sans meme devoir lui parler, il sait ce qui ne vas pas" (Without even having to talk to him, He knows that it's not going well). The relationship between a father and his kids is special. A child doesn't need to tell their dad that it's not going well, he will just know. It's such a beautiful line in French, just wanted to highlight it here. "Des géniteurs" typically refers to the "parents" of livestock for breeding purposes (in english, we call this "Broodstock"). Here, Stromae uses it to refer to humans breeding just to breed, and then right after asks "ou des genies?" (or geniuses?). This line is satirical, pointing out the flaws of society as it stands now, with how promiscuous society is, yet many are not ready or willing to commit to the consequences of their actions, if pregnancy does occur. Stromae has lost his father due to war, but he also acknowledges the pain of many others who didn't "lose" their father to death, but rather, to abandonment. "Tout le monde sait comment fait de bebes, mais personne sait comment fait des papa" (Everyone knows how to make babies, but nobody knows how to make Papa's) This line is so powerful in French. Again, another comment on society's promiscuity and lack of accountability/commitment. Just wanted to emphasize it for it's beauty. "Faut l'sucer d'son pouce ou quoi?" (Maybe you are pulling it out of your ass, or what?) An expression used in French. The literal meaning of "sucer de son pouce" means "[he is] sucking his own thumb", but again, it is an expression used to mean someone is making stuff up (in this case, society pretending to know what they are doing. The "geniteurs" or the "broodstock").
Спасибо! Огромный благодарность за ваш титанический труд над составлением обьяснительную комментарии. Я примерно догадался о чем песня но, точный перевод со всеми смыслями не знал. Не понимал людей, особенно предположительно со знанием языка лучше чем я, когда вставляют эту песню как фон на всякие смешные или идиотские видеоролики в интернете.
After knowing about this song, I feel grateful that I have , if not the best, a great father. From helping me with chemistry to daily lessons,f un moments and the discipline he taught. I pray to god for blessing all the children with great parents.
@IntrusionFixGaming Let me tell you, the artist's name (STROMAE) And its pronunciation is: STGHOME or STHOME And it's actually written in the title, the artist's name is next to where the song title is written or something.
You can definitely hear the passion in this song… just learned what the lyrics were saying just now.. never knew that it was about not having a father…
I’m deeply in love with this song I don’t understand any word of it but my soul is in battle mode and I do pray for all of whom this song is directed towards
Cantor de verdade pra mim é assim, rasga a garganta expressando seu sentimento com Profundidade viu!?.. Cantando com o Corpo,Alma, Coração. 🤗❤️👍🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
I've heard bits of this song everywhere, started searching for the full version and finally found it. Don't understand the lyrics but something sentimental about it!!!
It is amazing and also frightening at the same time, what AI is actually capable of, please go and listen the original from Stromae, too, give him the credit for this masterpiece!
😮 Thank god there's always someone to tell the rest of us who are unaware! 🙏 I wish I could always tell the difference myself though... 😞 How to detect, any hints are appreciated thank you. 😇
This song makes me feel like people are dancing in background like on sinners its spiritual and uplifting and you dont have know the words its pure and beautiful 🙏🏾💪🏾
My dad died in 2015 two days from my bday and I miss him like crazy, Im one of the lucky ones I knew my dad and he was a great father. So it's easy for me to be one, great example. Sorry for ur loss. At least u had memories with him think about those and his voice and don't worry u will see him again
This song is about Stromae's (original singer) father who died during the Rwandan Genocide. He uses the question "Ou es ton papa?" (Where is your father?) both literally and symbolically, to emphasize how he grew up without his father. The original song is even more beautiful than this. I'll drop the english translation below, but as most know, you can't truly appreciate some of the lines without understanding french. I'm also providing edits to the translation as the current ones from rapgenius/google are meh. You'll understand the meaning, but they don't try keep high-fidelity to the original meaning in French. I also provided some more context at the bottom for certain parts that I personally think should have more context, noted by two asterisks [**].
Translation:
Tell me where he comes from
At last I'll know where to go
Mom says that when we look hard
We finish always by finding
She says he's never very far away
He leaves very often for work
Mom says, “Working is good”
Better than being in bad company
Right?
[Pre-Chorus]
Where's your dad?
Tell me, where's your dad?
**Without even having to talk to him**
**He knows that it's not going well**
Oh beloved dad
Tell me where you're hiding? I must've-
At least a thousand times that I have-
Counted my fingers (Eh)
[Chorus]
Where are you? Dad, where are you?
Where are you? Dad, where are you?
Where are you? Dad, where are you?
Where are you, where are you? Dad, where are you?
Where are you? Dad, where are you?
Where are you? Dad, where are you?
Where are you? Dad, where are you?
Where are you, where are you? Dad, where are you?
[Verse 2]
What!?
That we believe it or not
There'll be a day we won't believe it anymore
One day or the other we'll all be dads
And from one day to the other we'll disappear
Will we be detestable?
Will we be admirable?
Broodstock** or geniuses?
Tell us who gives birth to these irresponsible people?
Ah, tell us who?
**Well? Everyone knows how to make babies**
**But no one knows how to make Papa's**
Mr. "I-know-all" must've inherited it, that's right
Maybe you are pulling it out of your ass, or what?**
Tell us where they're hiding, It must've been
At least a thousand times that we have
Eaten our fingers (Eh)
[Chorus]
Where are you? Dad, where are you?
Where are you? Dad, where are you?
Where are you? Dad, where are you?
Where are you, where are you? Dad, where are you?
Where are you? Dad, where are you?
Where are you? Dad, where are you?
Where are you? Dad, where are you?
Where are you, where are you? Dad, where are you?
Where are you? Where are you?
[Pre-Chorus]
Where's your dad?
Tell me, where's your dad?
Without even having to talk to him
He knows that it's not going well
Oh beloved dad
Tell me where you're hiding? I must've-
At least a thousand times that I have-
Counted my fingers (Eh)
Where's your dad?
Tell me, where's your dad?
Without even having to talk to him
He knows that it's not going well
Oh beloved dad
Tell me where you're hiding? I must've-
At least a thousand times that I have-
Counted my fingers (Eh)
[Chorus]
Where are you? Dad, where are you?
Where are you? Dad, where are you?
Where are you? Dad, where are you?
Where are you, where are you? Dad, where are you?
Where are you? Dad, where are you?
Where are you? Dad, where are you?
Where are you? Dad, where are you?
Where are you, where are you? Dad, where are you?
Where are you? Where are you?
Additional context:
"Sans meme devoir lui parler, il sait ce qui ne vas pas"
(Without even having to talk to him, He knows that it's not going well).
The relationship between a father and his kids is special. A child doesn't need to tell their dad that it's not going well, he will just know. It's such a beautiful line in French, just wanted to highlight it here.
"Des géniteurs" typically refers to the "parents" of livestock for breeding purposes (in english, we call this "Broodstock"). Here, Stromae uses it to refer to humans breeding just to breed, and then right after asks "ou des genies?" (or geniuses?). This line is satirical, pointing out the flaws of society as it stands now, with how promiscuous society is, yet many are not ready or willing to commit to the consequences of their actions, if pregnancy does occur. Stromae has lost his father due to war, but he also acknowledges the pain of many others who didn't "lose" their father to death, but rather, to abandonment.
"Tout le monde sait comment fait de bebes, mais personne sait comment fait des papa"
(Everyone knows how to make babies, but nobody knows how to make Papa's)
This line is so powerful in French. Again, another comment on society's promiscuity and lack of accountability/commitment. Just wanted to emphasize it for it's beauty.
"Faut l'sucer d'son pouce ou quoi?" (Maybe you are pulling it out of your ass, or what?) An expression used in French. The literal meaning of "sucer de son pouce" means "[he is] sucking his own thumb", but again, it is an expression used to mean someone is making stuff up (in this case, society pretending to know what they are doing. The "geniteurs" or the "broodstock").
Thank you!
Obrigado por iluminares nossa percepção sobre esta letra! Fantástica explicação
Спасибо! Огромный благодарность за ваш титанический труд над составлением обьяснительную комментарии. Я примерно догадался о чем песня но, точный перевод со всеми смыслями не знал. Не понимал людей, особенно предположительно со знанием языка лучше чем я, когда вставляют эту песню как фон на всякие смешные или идиотские видеоролики в интернете.
Thanx!
Appreciated it for the translation...
After knowing about this song, I feel grateful that I have , if not the best, a great father. From helping me with chemistry to daily lessons,f un moments and the discipline he taught. I pray to god for blessing all the children with great parents.
Same ❤ Blessed you are, my friend
Amen!
Me too. R.I.P, Papa.
My dad was not a great father, but he tried. He’s been gone for 20 years but I still talk to him out loud. RIP Romans.❤
I dont have a fathet
heard this like 50,000 on insta - which brought me here
Eu tbm.....amei essa música!!! Gratidão 🙏🏻
Me too.
❤
yeap... me too
For all the fathers out there, keep it up
😂
🎉j’em.toi🎉🎉😢😮😊
😢❤ No words to say. A song that touched the heart.
Father love❤
Je suis touché en plein ❤ça touche au plus profond version exceptionnelle !!
I can feel it deep in my bones , this song got me dancing aggressively in my room 😂😂💯
Its about a father gone to war
3.30 go listen if you dont shed a tear ..then your heart is deaf.❤
@ameersahabfaruki3215what’s the artist name?
@IntrusionFixGaming Let me tell you, the artist's name (STROMAE) And its pronunciation is: STGHOME or STHOME And it's actually written in the title, the artist's name is next to where the song title is written or something.
Understand--- 0%
Vibing---100%🥰
Błogosławionego Dnia i Błogosławionej Nocy!❤
🎉
0:38 amazing ❤
Toute ma famille ❤❤
Started crying after recognizing some parts. I can learn idioms with a certain easyness & it really got me. Jesus... It really touched my soul!
❤❤❤❤❤❤ sending you love
Dünyaya tanıtılmalı cok başarılı olmuş babası olmayan cocuklar cok var anlamlı olmuş😢😢
Esta canción es la explicación de por qué el ritmo nos mueve sin la necesidad de entender, el corazón se encarga eso …
1:30my favourite part ❤❤❤❤
My
كم أحب هذه اغنية
You can definitely hear the passion in this song… just learned what the lyrics were saying just now.. never knew that it was about not having a father…
I’m deeply in love with this song
I don’t understand any word of it but my soul is in battle mode and I do pray for all of whom this song is directed towards
Cantor de verdade pra mim é assim, rasga a garganta expressando seu sentimento com Profundidade viu!?.. Cantando com o Corpo,Alma, Coração. 🤗❤️👍🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Essa música me dá uma sensação de está conquistando um império kkkkkkkk brisa
Descreveu a sensação!👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
Massa 🎉
Belle chanson ❤❤le vrai amour c'est le père🎵🎶😍🤲🙏
100% Touching to depth of millions hearts
j'aime cette chanson 😜
AY OUTAI PAPA OUTAI OUTAI PAPAOUTAI
اصبحت مدمنة على هذه اغنية الله يحفظنا اباءنا 😢
Je suis avec toi
Allahoma amine ya Rabi🥹😭🥲❤️❤️🙏
Je me rappel énormément des choses
I've heard bits of this song everywhere, started searching for the full version and finally found it. Don't understand the lyrics but something sentimental about it!!!
Miss my father 😢😢😢😢😢😢
Grüsse an alle afros dieser welt🤚🏿
Though my French suck, but this song is a piece of art. Can't help it but to listen to it over and over again
It is amazing and also frightening at the same time, what AI is actually capable of, please go and listen the original from Stromae, too, give him the credit for this masterpiece!
Ficou perfeita essa feita por IA, mas concordo nao devemos dar credito ao original.
wow sure it's ai?
@healing682yeah man, mad stuff really! you can find the og upload channel under the name "mikeysound" (i might have spelt it wrong)
Yes, it is AI, this was made from the LOUD URBAN CHOIR cover of Papaoutai.
😮
Thank god there's always someone to tell the rest of us who are unaware! 🙏
I wish I could always tell the difference myself though... 😞 How to detect, any hints are appreciated thank you. 😇
This song makes me feel like people are dancing in background like on sinners its spiritual and uplifting and you dont have know the words its pure and beautiful 🙏🏾💪🏾
This song , literally gives goosebumps 🌊
This song gives me chills everytime I listen it
It's a beautiful song, i won't stop listening to the song, i don't understand french but i love the song,it takes me far away
This is a very happy song. It feels like that I miss something it makes me sad because it’s kind of a sad song
Language is no barrier to celebrate the song. Really love it.❤.
i cry this song has set my soul free... My Soul is Free
Asante baba 😂😂 from Tanzania mpo apa🎉🎉🎉🎉
😂😂😂 ah sacré papa
3:15 is just 😮😮🤯
YESSSS ❤😊
Love this song so much even my Grandma don't like it I can't hear this forever and watch play this song forever
❤❤❤❤❤.... Can't undestanads the language but it touches your soul
It's French about being a father
I really enjoy this song even though I don't understand the language
Outè papa
The meaning is emotional but the song🤛🏻💗
😮❤
This should go viral
The best song in 2026
This song is nearly 20 years old now
Not understanding but 100% vibing 😊
Everyone knows how to make babies but not how to create fathers. Where are you dad where are you
Papaoutai means Dad, where are you
this is the best remix of a song than all the other songs
I love Africa... I wish i could visit one day. Love people ...
First comment 01-03-2026 ❤
Conheci esta 🎶 hoje, 01/03/26
Estou apaixonada por essa canção! Me desperta uma sensibilidade muito forte! Sou mulher! Gratidão 🙏🏻 bjosss ❤❤❤❤ Brazil
@novobrasil3570estou com você,me apaixonei de cara ❣️
I'm all about bringing this song to the lion king. Mufasa bout to pop out them thunderclouds.🦁
It’s a very sad song about a boy that lost his father to war
A tous papa, irresponsables, fuyant leurs responsabilités, il faut écouter ce son, repris en version plus touchant et captivant, Bravo
Ou te papaoute 🕺 ou te papoute 🕺 ou te papoute🕺🕺🕺
only tom cruse can owns this song
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Am from Zambia I don't understand the language but I love the rhythm
This song gave me chills
Best song
Goose bumps this is so deep awesome 😢
200% vibes ❤
This is song ❌ An emotional message to lost dad ✔️✔️😢
I CANT UNDERSTAND THIS SONG BUT FEEL IT ❤❤❤❤
mûkemmel tarif edemem alıp götûrüyor muhteşem yüreginize saglık
MA GNI FIQUE !!! 🤩🤩🤩 Je suis choquée de cet INCROYABLE REMIX !!! Je suis époustouflée !!! 😃😃😃😍😍😍😍😍😍👏👏👏👏👏👏👌👌👌👌👌👌
I don't need to understand what he's saying. When it's good, you know it!
Where are you father. He know what's wrong. Where are you
Makes two of us. I love it so much ❤😅
@TsungiBezvoHe is talking about the absence of a father
❤❤❤❤
Absolutely amazing song! Touches heart and soul ❤
It makes me cry
I love this song 💓 from northeast India
I am from maharashtra india
I’m from 🇦🇪
Mon bébé tresoo❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️😅
Beautiful song. Thanks for posting it. God bless your father!
The emotion displayed in this rendition is incredible 🙏🙏
Such a great song
PAPA PLEASE 😢
God protect us all❤
he loves everyone
❤
Beautiful song, French the most beautiful language to express feelings. Learning hard, want to speak and understand it.
Çokiyi
Lost my father to cancer last year, this is his ID. The explanation of this song made me cry like a baby
Am sorry about your Dad 🙏🏼😔. I lost mine in 2023🌹🙏🏼
My condolences fam
Hope you still keeping your head up❤
My dad died in 2015 two days from my bday and I miss him like crazy, Im one of the lucky ones I knew my dad and he was a great father. So it's easy for me to be one, great example. Sorry for ur loss. At least u had memories with him think about those and his voice and don't worry u will see him again
🥹🥹🥹🥹🥲😭RIP his soul in a best place in pradise Amen🙏
@madonneyzI'm sorry for your loss, may his soul attain greater peace 🕊️
i just love the song
Full vibe❤
Bro chill...
0:38 🔥
0.33 😢😢😢😢
I love this song ❤❤❤
Terima kasih alm bapakku
Who else heard this on IG dancers . An had to find this song to add to their playlist an jus help relax ya stressful days
Salute guys
Wow🎉🎉
Simplesmente sensacional
Language : 0%
Feel : 10000000000%
Masterpiece
I feel the vibes in this song
This song
Is not just a song
Its a message
A message from the heart❤
Any malayalees😌❤
Uma das músicas mais linda que eu já escutei em toda minha vida ❤
É essa é mão ✋✋✋✋✋✋
this song is amazing
ITS SOUNDS LIKE ENGAGING❣❣
Holy shit this goes so hard