When and why do we say chanter comme une casserole?

Q. I was at a French carol concert and the singing was not very good. I tried to say “it sounded like a cats chorus” but couldn’t find any translation for this saying. Can you explain what a French person would say in this situation? - Connexion reader, M.M

‘Chanter comme une casserole’ (literally: to sing like a saucepan), is a less than complimentary way of referring to someone who cannot sing in tune.

It suggests that the sound of their voice can be compared to the noise created when two pans are banged together.

This relates to the way in which English-speakers may say that someone who is tone-deaf ‘has a tin ear’, or a group of singers sound like a 'cats chorus.'

If you really hated an actor’s musical performance in a film or show, you might say: “L’acteur principal, il chante comme une casserole” (The main actor cannot carry a tune).

You could also use it to describe a group of singers: "Ils chantent tous comme des casseroles !" (They are singing completely off-key).

Rather than saying the whole phrase, you can also describe someone simply as a casserole to say that they are a bad singer.

In this way, you might exclaim: “C’est une casserole” or “Quelle casserole!”.

More expressions involving casseroles

French-speakers also use the expression ‘passer à la casserole’, which is a familiar way of saying ‘to be killed’ which might translate to ‘to be bumped off’.

‘Traîner des casseroles’ (literally: to drag pans) is often used in the world of politics, and refers to a figure who is weighed down by their past actions.

This person might simply make them more apparent by trying to shake them off, just as they would make the saucepans clang more loudly by trying to untangle themselves from them.