He was uncompromising when composing his songs. His tactical method of addressing issues was profound and often humorous, making him a unique and effective figure in the French community.
Brassens, born in 1921 in the small Mediterrenean port of Sete, wanted to be a poet. He realized very early however that poetry in the 20th century could hardly put bread on the table and instead set himself to become a singer.
He is much less famous internationally than contemporaries like Charles Aznavour, Edith Piaf and Yves Montand, as much of the impact of his songs came from the lyrics, which proved difficult to translate into other languages. He loved the Middle Ages and used a great deal of Old French vocabulary, as well as many classical - ie., Latin and Greek - references. Few people, even in France, possess the background to fully understand his songs.
Yet he was at the same time a hugely popular singer and many of his songs still carry a lot of appeal and relevance. In this sense, he can be compared to Boris Vian, to Jacques Brel, and to a lesser extent to Serge Gainsbourg.
He was very sophisticated, yet at the same time used profanity liberally. While he wasn't politically engaged, he was nevertheless unambiguously a leftist, many of his songs carrying blatant and buoyant anarchist overtones.
While his music was initially quite primitive, the 1950's St-Germain-des-Pres influence quickly made itself felt and while subdued and - in his mind - always secondary to the lyrics, it became increasingly sophisticated - to the point that many of his songs have been covered and reinterpretated by jazzmen (see for instance this UK site: www.projetbrassens.eclipse.co.uk)
He died in 1981, but up to this date (2006) there are few French people - including most of those born since - who can't sing along to his most famous song, Les Copains d'abord ("Friends foremost") or his "Bancs public" ("Public Benches").
For those interested, this site carries a number of (quite good) English tranlations of his songs: www.brassens.org
Le pornographe
Georges Brassens Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Et si j'pensais "merde" tout bas, je ne le disais pas mais
Aujourd'hui que mon gagne-pain c'est d'parler comme un turlupin
Je n'pense plus "merde" pardi, mais je le dis
J'suis l'pornographe du phonographe
Le polisson de la chanson
Afin d'amuser la galerie je crache des gauloiseries
Des pleines bouches de mots crus tout à fait incongrus mais
En m'retrouvant seul sous mon toit, dans ma psyché j'me montre au doigt
Et m'crie "va t'faire, homme incorrect, voir par les Grecs"
J'suis l'pornographe du phonographe
Le polisson de la chanson
Tous les samedis j'vais à confesse, m'accuser d'avoir parlé d'fesses
Et j'promets ferme au marabout, de les mettre tabou mais
Craignant, si je n'en parle plus, d'finir à l'Armée du Salut
Je r'mets bientôt sur le tapis, les fesses impies
J'suis l'pornographe du phonographe
Le polisson de la chanson
Ma femme est, soit dit en passant, d'un naturel concupiscent
Qui l'incite à se coucher nue sous le premier venu mais
M'est-il permis, soyons sincères, d'en parler au café-concert
Sans dire qu'elle a, suraigu, le feu au cul?
J'suis l'pornographe du phonographe
Le polisson de la chanson
J'aurais sans doute du bonheur et peut-être la Croix d'Honneur
À chanter avec décorum l'amour qui mène à Rome mais
Mon ange m'a dit "turlututu, chanter l'amour t'est défendu
S'il n'éclot pas sur le destin d'une putain"
J'suis l'pornographe du phonographe
Le polisson de la chanson
Et quand j'entonne, guilleret à un patron de cabaret
Une adorable bucolique, il est mélancolique et
Me dit, la voix noyée de pleurs "s'il vous plaît de chanter les fleurs
Qu'elles poussent au moins rue Blondel dans un bordel"
J'suis l'pornographe du phonographe
Le polisson de la chanson
Chaque soir avant le dîner à mon balcon mettant le nez
Je contemple les bonnes gens dans le soleil couchant mais
N'me d'mandez pas d'chanter ça, si vous redoutez d'entendre ici
Que j'aime à voir, de mon balcon passer les cons
J'suis l'pornographe du phonographe
Le polisson de la chanson
Les bonnes âmes d'ici bas comptent ferme qu'à mon trépas
Satan va venir embrocher ce mort mal embouché mais
Mais veuille le grand manitou pour qui le mot n'est rien du tout
Admettre en sa Jérusalem à l'heure blême
Le pornographe du phonographe
Le polisson de la chanson
The song "Le Pornographe" by Georges Brassens is an introspective piece that explores the themes of hypocrisy, censorship, and societal constraints. The first verse describes the singer's childhood fear of using profanity, which contrasts with his current job as a singer who uses vulgar language to entertain. He acknowledges the paradox of his situation and criticizes himself for being "incorrect" and "impious." The chorus identifies him as the "pornographer of the phonograph" and the "polisson of the song," highlighting his tendency to use taboo subjects to grab the audience's attention.
The second stanza delves deeper into his inner conflict as he depicts his struggle to conform to societal norms. He confesses his sins every Saturday but then quickly resorts to his old ways. He fears that abandoning his provocative lyrics will lead to obscurity and a life of normalcy, represented by joining the "Army of Salvation." The singer concludes that being a successful singer requires him to create songs that challenge traditional morality and values.
The third verse is the most controversial, as it talks about the singer's wife's sexuality. Although she is naturally promiscuous, he is unsure if he should discuss it in public. He questions whether he is allowed to describe his wife's sexual nature in a café-concert, worrying about society's restrictions. The final stanza reinforces his subversive nature as he claims that Satan will come to take him to hell, but he hopes that God will accept him in his kingdom at the last minute.
Overall, "Le Pornographe" is a commentary on the need for artistic freedom, the pressure to conform, and the hypocrisy that comes with creating provocative art. Brassens highlights the paradox of being an artist who needs to challenge conventional wisdom and entertain, while also being constrained by societal taboos.
Line by Line Meaning
Autrefois, quand j'étais marmot, j'avais la phobie des gros mots
Back when I was a kid, I was scared of bad language
Et si j'pensais "merde" tout bas, je ne le disais pas mais
Even if I thought a curse word, I wouldn't say it aloud
Aujourd'hui que mon gagne-pain c'est d'parler comme un turlupin
Now that my job is to talk like a slangmaster
Je n'pense plus "merde" pardi, mais je le dis
I don't just think curse words, I say them now
J'suis l'pornographe du phonographe
I'm the pornographer of the phonograph
Le polisson de la chanson
The naughty boy of song
Afin d'amuser la galerie je crache des gauloiseries
To entertain the crowd, I spit out vulgar jokes
Des pleines bouches de mots crus tout à fait incongrus mais
Full-mouthed with dirty words, completely incongruous
En m'retrouvant seul sous mon toit, dans ma psyché j'me montre au doigt
But when I'm alone at home, my conscience points at me
Et m'crie "va t'faire, homme incorrect, voir par les Grecs"
And screams at me "go make love, you indecent man, like the Greeks did"
Tous les samedis j'vais à confesse, m'accuser d'avoir parlé d'fesses
Every Saturday I go to confession to confess talking about butts
Et j'promets ferme au marabout, de les mettre tabou mais
And I promise the priest to make them taboo
Craignant, si je n'en parle plus, d'finir à l'Armée du Salut
But fearing that if I stop talking about them, I'll end up in the Salvation Army
Je r'mets bientôt sur le tapis, les fesses impies
So I soon bring up the impious butts again
Ma femme est, soit dit en passant, d'un naturel concupiscent
By the way, my wife has a lustful nature
Qui l'incite à se coucher nue sous le premier venu mais
That makes her want to sleep naked with the first man she meets
M'est-il permis, soyons sincères, d'en parler au café-concert
Is it allowed, to be honest, to talk about this at the cafe-concert?
Sans dire qu'elle a, suraigu, le feu au cul?
Without saying that she's burning with desire?
J'aurais sans doute du bonheur et peut-être la Croix d'Honneur
I could have happiness and maybe even a medal of honor
À chanter avec décorum l'amour qui mène à Rome mais
If I sang about love that leads to Rome with dignity
Mon ange m'a dit "turlututu, chanter l'amour t'est défendu
My angel told me, "la-di-da, singing about love is forbidden
S'il n'éclot pas sur le destin d'une putain"
Unless it blossoms on the destiny of a whore"
Et quand j'entonne, guilleret à un patron de cabaret
And when I sing, cheerfully, to a cabaret owner
Une adorable bucolique, il est mélancolique et
An adorable pastoral song, he becomes melancholic
Me dit, la voix noyée de pleurs "s'il vous plaît de chanter les fleurs
He says to me, with a voice soaked in tears, "if you please, sing about flowers
Qu'elles poussent au moins rue Blondel dans un bordel"
That grow at least on Blondel Street, in a brothel"
Chaque soir avant le dîner à mon balcon mettant le nez
Every evening before dinner, I stick my nose out on my balcony
Je contemple les bonnes gens dans le soleil couchant mais
I contemplate the good people in the setting sun
N'me d'mandez pas d'chanter ça, si vous redoutez d'entendre ici
Don't ask me to sing about them, if you fear hearing it here
Que j'aime à voir, de mon balcon passer les cons
That I enjoy watching the fools pass by from my balcony
Les bonnes âmes d'ici bas comptent ferme qu'à mon trépas
The good souls here on earth are sure that upon my death
Satan va venir embrocher ce mort mal embouché mais
Satan will come and impale this foul-mouthed corpse
Mais veuille le grand manitou pour qui le mot n'est rien du tout
But may the great master for whom words mean nothing
Admettre en sa Jérusalem à l'heure blême
Admit me into his Jerusalem at the white hour
Le pornographe du phonographe
The pornographer of the phonograph
Le polisson de la chanson
The naughty boy of song
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Georges Charles Brassens
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind