Papa Pingouin was the Luxembourg entry at the Eurovision Song Contest 1980 in The Hague performed by Sophie & Magaly.
The song is about a penguin who is bored on his ice floe wanting to move from the Poles to a warmer place, such as "down south as far as England ... Paris, Rome, or Naples", however, it can't due to its small wings and "lead feet".
It was performed 4th on the night following Greece and preceding Morocco. At the close of voting, it finished in 9th place with 56 points.
Co-writer Jean-Paul Cara plays the part of Papa Pingouin in the stage performance.
Lyrics[]
Le papa pingouin, le papa pingouin
Le papa, le papa, le papa pingouin
Le papa pingouin s'ennuie sur la banquise
Le papa pingouin, le papa pingouin
Le papa, le papa, le papa pingouin
Le papa pingouin voudrait faire sa valise
On le sent nerveux, un peu malheureux
Pas très bien dans ses plumes
Pour se calmer les nerfs, il plonge dans la mer
Il envie l'oiseau qui s'en va là-haut du côté de la lune
Lui qui a des pieds de plomb, ça le rend grognon
(Pa papapa papapa papapa...)
(Papapa papapa papapa papapa...)
Le papa pingouin, le papa pingouin
Le papa, le papa, le papa pingouin
Le papa pingouin s'ennuie sur la banquise
Le papa pingouin, le papa pingouin
Le papa, le papa, le papa pingouin
Le papa pingouin voudrait faire sa valise
Sur la neige bleue fait un pas douteux et glisse sur la glace
On l'entend murmurer: "Je veux m'en aller"
Très haut dans le ciel, plus près du soleil, en traversant l'espace
"J'ai des ailes d'un oiseau, je peux voler haut"
(Pa papapa papapa papapa...)
(Papapa papapa papapa papapa...)
Mais voyons papa, pourquoi dis-tu ça?
Tu sais bien que les ailes
Celles des pingouins et des moulins ne servent plus à rien
Mais pourquoi, papa, aller là-bas?
Ici la vie est belle
Laisse le ciel aux anges et aux saints, viens, papa
Papapa papapa papapa...
Papapa papapa papapa...
Le papa pingouin, le papa pingouin
Le papa, le papa, le papa pingouin
Le papa pingouin poursuit son joli rêve
Voilà qu'il se prend pour un goéland, il fait de longs voyages
Il descend vers le sud jusqu'en Angleterre
Et voici Paris, Rome et Napoli, les rives de Carthage
Et la Méditerranée, que c'est beau l'été
(Pa papapa papapa papapa...)
(Papapa papapa papapa papapa...)
Mais voyons papa, tu n'y penses pas?
Tu sais bien que les ailes
Celles des pingouins et des moulins ne servent plus à rien
Mais pourquoi, papa, aller là-bas?
Ici la vie est belle
Si tu pars, tu n'iras pas loin, reste là
Papapa papapa papapa...
Papapa papapa papapa papapa...
Le papa pingouin, le papa pingouin
Le papa, le papa, le papa pingouin
Le papa pingouin revient de ses chimères
Le papa pingouin, le papa pingouin
Le papa, le papa, le papa pingouin
Le papa pingouin redescend sur la terre
(Le papa pingouin, le papa pingouin)
(Le papa, le papa, le papa pingouin)
(Le papa pingouin adore sa banquise)
Le papa pingouin, le papa pingouin
Le papa, le papa, le papa pingouin
Le papa pingouin va brûler sa valise
(Le papa pingouin, le papa pingouin)
Le papa, le papa, le papa pingouin
Papa penguin, papa penguin
Papa, papa, papa penguin
Papa penguin is bored on the ice floe
Papa penguin, papa penguin
Papa, papa, papa penguin
Papa penguin wants to pack his suitcase
He feels nervous, a little unhappy
Doesn't feel very well in his feathers
To calm down his nerves, he dives into the sea
He envies the bird that is flying up there next to the moon
He has lead feet, it makes him grumpy
(Pa papapa papapa papapa...)
(Papapa papapa papapa papapa...)
Papa penguin, papa penguin
Papa, papa, papa penguin
Papa penguin is bored on the ice floe
Papa penguin, papa penguin
Papa, papa, papa penguin
Papa penguin wants to pack his suitcase
On the blue snow he makes an insecure step and slips on the ice
He murmurs: "I want to leave"
Very high in the sky, closer to the sun, crossing space
"I have wings of a bird, I can fly high"
(Pa papapa papapa papapa...)
(Papapa papapa papapa papapa...)
But look papa, why do you say that?
You know that the wings
Of penguins and mills are good for nothing
But why, papa, go there?
Here life is beautiful
Leave the sky to the angels and the saints, come, papa
Papapa papapa papapa...
Papapa papapa papapa...
Papa penguin, papa penguin
Papa, papa, papa penguin
Papa penguin pursues his wonderful dream
Look how he pretends to be a big seagull, he makes long journeys
He travels down south as far as England
And here's Paris, Rome and Naples, the shores of Carthage
And the Mediterranean, how beautiful is the summer
(Pa papapa papapa papapa...)
(Papapa papapa papapa papapa...)
But look papa, don't you think about it?
You know very well that wings
Of penguins and mills are good for nothing
But why, papa, go there?
Here life is beautiful
If you leave, you won't go very far, stay here
Papapa papapa papapa...
Papapa papapa papapa papapa...
Papa penguin, papa penguin
Papa, papa, papa penguin
Papa penguin gives up his fantasy
Papa penguin, papa penguin
Papa, papa, papa penguin
Papa penguin comes back down to earth
(Papa penguin, papa penguin)
(Papa, papa, papa penguin)
(Papa penguin loves his ice floe)
Papa penguin, papa penguin
Papa, papa, papa penguin
Papa penguin is going to burn his suitcase
(Papa penguin, papa penguin)
Papa, papa, papa penguin
| Eurovision Song Contest 1980 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Participants | |||
 Blue Danube •  Adja Pekkan •  Anna Vissi & The Epikouri •  Sophie & Magaly •  Samira Bensaïd •  Alan Sorrenti •  Bamses Venner •  Tomas Ledin •  Paola del Medico •  Vesa-Matti Loiri •  Sverre & Mattis •  Katja Ebstein •  Prima Donna •  José Cid •  Maggie MacNeal •  Profil •  Johnny Logan •  Trigo Limpio •  Télex
| |||
| Songs | |||
| Du bist Musik • Petr'Oil • Autostop • Papa Pingouin • Bitaqat Hob • Non so che darei • Tænker altid på dig • Just nu! • Cinéma • Huilumies • Sámiid Ædnan • Theater • Love Enough For Two • Um grande, grande amor • Amsterdam • Hé, hé M'sieurs, dames • What's Another Year • Quédate esta noche • Eurovision
| |||
Videos[]
Sophie & Magaly - Papa Pingouin (Luxembourg 1980)
Luxembourg 1980