Meaning of 'J'ai dîné à London'

by Pierre Perret

Interpretation

The song lyrics "J'ai dîné à London" by Pierre Perret are about the singer's experiences during a dinner in London. He expresses his disappointment with the food and culinary habits of the English. The song lyrics contain many humorous descriptions and sarcastic comments.

The singer notes that the English have no fear of nuclear defense, despite having been threatened with invasions in the past. He realizes that the food he ate in London was not very tasty and describes it as "dégueulasse" (disgusting). He describes dishes like "tortore" (pigeon), "salmis" (dish prepared with the skin of bird knees), and "omelette aux ananas" (pineapple omelette) that he did not like. He compares the feeling of eating oysters cooked in milk to sucking the blue eyes of a drowned person.

The singer also mentions the strange feeling of eating Cambridge sausage, which stole his dentures. He criticizes the fruit pudding and compares it to the cursed son on his mother's gravestone. He describes how he drank warm beer on a herring tart and regrets not hugging his parents. He discovers that the broccoli in white sauce is actually a sponge for cleaning the table.

At the end of the song, the singer notes that he had hoped to experience digestion in his own country, but instead, he is put in prison. He realizes that he never returned to London and that the queen is very disappointed in him.

The song lyrics "J'ai dîné à London" by Pierre Perret is a humorous critique of English cuisine and eating habits in London. It expresses the singer's disappointment with the food and uses humorous and sarcastic descriptions.