Very engaged in the civil society, he sang and personified the lust for life, the hopes and the doubts of his generation, often clashing with politicians, elites, and older generations. He is especially famous for a tense debate about the struggles, hopes and doubts of French youth with the then first secretary of the French Socialist party, François Mitterrand, who was later twice elected president of France. Later he also had problems in a misunderstood verbal clash about French veterans.
Daniel Balavoine loved Africa and this transpires in many of his songs. He dedicated himself to humanitarian projects and took part in the Paris-Dakar rallye two times. The third time he took part only for humanitarian reasons. On the 14th january 1986, around 8pm, his helicopter crashed between Mali and Burkina-Faso, killing all five passengers, putting an end to his career, and leaving behind his pregnant wife Corine and his son Jeremy.
Aimer est plus fort que d'être aimé
Daniel Balavoine Lyrics
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Tu avances sous les regards
Courroucés
Tu écris mais sur le buvard
Tous les mots se sont inversés
Si tu parles il te faut savoir
Que ceux qui lancent des regards
Courroucés
Ne voudront voir dans leur miroir
Que ce qui peut les arranger
Toi qui as brisé la glace
Sais que rien ne remplace
La vérité
Et qu'il n'y a que deux races
Ou les faux ou les vrais
L'amour
Te porte dans tes efforts
L'amour
De tout délie les secrets
Oh et face à tous ceux qui te dévorent
Aimer est plus fort que d'être aimé
Toi qui sais ce qu'est le blasphème
On ne récolte pas toujours
Ce qu'on sème
Tu connais l'ambition suprême
De ceux qui te vouent de la haine
Ils voudraient sous la menace
Te fondre dans la masse
Pour t'étouffer
Oh mais pour couler le brise-glace
Il faudrait un rocher
L'amour
Te porte dans tes efforts
L'amour
De tout délie les secrets
Oh et face à tous ceux qui te dévorent
Aimer est plus fort que d'être aimé
Oh l'amour
Te porte dans tes efforts
L'amour
De tout délie les secrets
Oh et face à tous ceux qui te dévorent
Aimer est plus fort que d'être aimé
Oh l'amour
Te porte dans tes efforts
The lyrics of Daniel Balavoine's song Aimer est plus fort que d'être aimé tackle the idea that love is a powerful force that can withstand the trials and tribulations of life. Balavoine talks to an individual (second-person narrative) who "knows what a rampart is" and who walks through judgmental and angry gazes while writing down his thoughts that are often misunderstood. He advises the person to remember that speaking up will attract both positive and negative attention, but that those who are quick to judge will only see what pleases them when looking at themselves.
Balavoine then reveals the magic that accompanies love. Someone who knows what it means to "break the ice" understands that there is no substitute for the truth and that there are only two types of people in the world, those who are real and those who are not. Love, Balavoine declares, sustains the person in their efforts and reveals secrets. Finally, Balavoine reminds the person that in the face of people who would suck the life out of them, loving others is stronger than being loved.
Line by Line Meaning
Toi qui sais ce qu'est un rempart
You who knows what a rampart is
Tu avances sous les regards
You move forward under the watchful eyes
Courroucés
Angered
Tu écris mais sur le buvard
You write but on the blotter
Tous les mots se sont inversés
All the words have been reversed
Si tu parles il te faut savoir
If you speak, you must know
Que ceux qui lancent des regards
That those who throw glances
Courroucés
Angered
Ne voudront voir dans leur miroir
Will only want to see in their mirror
Que ce qui peut les arranger
What can benefit them
Toi qui as brisé la glace
You who have broken the ice
Sais que rien ne remplace
Know that nothing replaces
La vérité
The truth
Et qu'il n'y a que deux races
And that there are only two races
Ou les faux ou les vrais
Either the fake or the real
L'amour
Love
Te porte dans tes efforts
Carry you in your efforts
De tout délie les secrets
Unravels all secrets
Oh et face à tous ceux qui te dévorent
And in the face of all those who devour you
Aimer est plus fort que d'être aimé
Loving is stronger than being loved
Toi qui sais ce qu'est le blasphème
You who knows what blasphemy is
On ne récolte pas toujours
You do not always reap
Ce qu'on sème
What you sow
Tu connais l'ambition suprême
You know the ultimate ambition
De ceux qui te vouent de la haine
Of those who vow you hatred
Ils voudraient sous la menace
They would like, under threat
Te fondre dans la masse
To merge you into the mass
Pour t'étouffer
To suffocate you
Oh mais pour couler le brise-glace
But to sink the icebreaker
Il faudrait un rocher
You would need a rock
Oh l'amour
Oh love
Te porte dans tes efforts
Carry you in your efforts
De tout délie les secrets
Unravels all secrets
Oh et face à tous ceux qui te dévorent
And in the face of all those who devour you
Aimer est plus fort que d'être aimé
Loving is stronger than being loved
Oh l'amour
Oh love
Te porte dans tes efforts
Carry you in your efforts
De tout délie les secrets
Unravels all secrets
Oh et face à tous ceux qui te dévorent
And in the face of all those who devour you
Aimer est plus fort que d'être aimé
Loving is stronger than being loved
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Daniel Balavoine
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind