Brel was born on 8th April 1929 in Schaarbeek, a district of Brussels, and lived half of his life in Paris. He died of lung cancer on 9th October 1978 in Bobigny in the suburbs of Paris, and is buried in the Marquesas Islands.
Although the Brels spoke French, they were of Flemish descent, with some of the family originating from Zandvoorde, near Ieper. Brel's father was co-owner of a cardboard factory and Brel started his professional life at that firm, apparently destined to follow in his father's footsteps. However he had no interest in it, showing instead an interest in the arts, having joined the Catholic-humanist youth organisation Franche Cordée, where he did some singing and acting. At Franche Cordée he met Thérèse Michielsen ('Miche'), and they married in 1950.
In the early 1950s Brel achieved some minor success in Belgium, singing his own songs. A 78rpm record ("La foire"/"Il y a") was released as a result. From 1954 Brel seriously pursued a singing career. He quit his job and moved to Paris, writing music and singing in the city's cabarets and music-halls.. In January 1955 he supported in the Ancienne Belgique in Brussels the performances of the Belgian pop and variety pioneer Bobbejaan Schoepen. After some success his wife and daughters joined him from Belgium. By 1956 he was touring Europe and he recorded the song "Quand on n'a que l'amour", which brought him his first major recognition. He appeared in a show with Maurice Chevalier and Michel Legrand.
By the end of the 1950s Miche and Brel's three daughters moved to Brussels. He and his family led separate lives from then on. Under the influence of his friend Georges Pasquier ('Jojo') and pianists Gérard Jouannest and François Rauber, Brel's style changed. He was no longer a Catholic-humanist troubadour, but sang grimmer songs about love, death, and the struggle that is life. The music became more complex and his themes more diverse, exploring love ("Je t'aime", "Litanies pour un retour"), society ("Les singes", "Les bourgeois", "Jaurès") and spiritual concerns ("Le bon Dieu", "Dites, si c'était vrai", "Fernand"). His work is not limited to one style. He was as proficient in comic compositions ("Le lion", "Comment tuer l'amant de sa femme...") as in more emotional ones ("Voir un ami pleurer", "Fils de...", "Jojo"). He composed and recorded his songs almost exclusively in French, and is widely recognised in French-speaking countries as one of the best French-language composers of all time.
Brel himself occasionally included parts of his songs in Flemish (Dutch), one of the three official languages of Belgium, as in Marieke. He also recorded eight other Flemish versions of songs, such as Mijn vlakke land (Le plat Pays), Laat Me Niet Alleen (Ne me quitte pas), Rosa, De Burgerij (Les Bourgeois), and De Nuttelozen van de Nacht (Les paumés du petit matin). Since his own command of the language was poor, these were translated by Ernst van Altena, renowned translator of French song. Although France was Brel's "spiritual home" and he expressed contradictory statements about his native Belgium, some of his best compositions pay tribute to Belgium.
A very successful theatrical review of his songs, "Jacques Brel is Alive and Living in Paris," was launched in 1968. It featured English translations of his songs, and it was late made into a film.
To English-speaking listeners, Brel's best-known song is probably "Seasons in the Sun," a hit for Terry Jacks in 1973. Its English lyrics are a translation by Rod McKuen of Brel's "Le Moribond."
For twenty years he was a major star gaining recognition beyond French audiences. In 1973 he retreated to French Polynesia, remaining there until 1977 when he returned to Paris and recorded his well-received final album.
A heavy smoker, it was discovered in 1973 that Brel had lung cancer. He died in 1978 and was buried in Calvary Cemetery in Atuona, Hiva Oa, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia only a few yards away from painter Paul Gauguin.
Les Bonbons
Jacques Brel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Parce que les fleurs, c´est périssable
Puis les bonbons, c´est tellement bon
Bien que les fleurs soient plus présentables
Surtout, quand elles sont en boutons
Mais, j’vous ai apporté des bonbons
J´espère qu´on pourra se promener
Que madame vot’ mère ne dira rien
On ira voir passer les trains
A huit heures, moi, je vous ramènerai
Quel beau dimanche pour la saison!
J’vous ai apporté des bonbons
Si vous saviez c’que je suis fier
De vous voir pendue à mon bras
Les gens me regardent de travers
Y en a même qui rient derrière moi
Le monde est plein de polissons
J’vous ai apporté des bonbons
Oh oui! Germaine, est moins bien qu’vous
Oh oui! Germaine, elle est moins belle
C´est vrai qu’Germaine a des ch’veux roux
C´est vrai qu’Germaine, elle est cruelle
Ça, vous avez mille fois raison
J’vous ai apporté des bonbons
Et nous voilà sur la Grand-Place
Sur le kiosque, on joue Mozart
Mais dites-moi qu’c´est par hasard
Qu´il y a là votre ami Léon
Si vous voulez qu’je cède la place
J´avais apporté des bonbons
Mais bonjour! Mademoiselle Germaine
J´vous ai apporté des bonbons
Parce que les fleurs, c´est périssable
Puis les bonbons c´est tellement bon
Bien que les fleurs soient plus présentables
Surtout quand elles sont en boutons.
Allez! J´vous ai apporté des bonbons
In Jacques Brel's Les Bonbons, the singer brings a gift of candy to his beloved. He explains that he chose candy over flowers because flowers wilt, while candy tastes so good. He hopes to take her for a walk and see the passing trains, but worries that her mother won't let her. Despite the possibility of ridicule from others, he is proud to have her on his arm. As they stroll through the Grand-Place, they encounter her friend Léon, but the singer still presents Germaine with candy once again.
The song is rich in its use of irony and satire. On the surface, it seems like a sweet love song, but upon closer inspection, it becomes clear that the singer is not as charming as he appears. He is possessive and manipulative, bringing Germaine candy as a way to control her and win her affections. He also insults her friend Léon and implies that Germaine is better than him because she is more conventionally attractive. Overall, the song comments on toxic masculinity and the ways in which men can use gifts and flattery to try and assert their dominance over women.
Line by Line Meaning
J'vous ai apporté des bonbons
I brought you candy
Parce que les fleurs, c´est périssable
Because flowers wilt
Puis les bonbons, c´est tellement bon
And candy is so good
Bien que les fleurs soient plus présentables
Even though flowers are more presentable
Surtout, quand elles sont en boutons
Especially when they're in buds
Mais, j’vous ai apporté des bonbons
But I brought you candy
J´espère qu´on pourra se promener
I hope we can take a walk
Que madame vot’ mère ne dira rien
And that your mother won't say anything
On ira voir passer les trains
We'll go watch the trains go by
A huit heures, moi, je vous ramènerai
I'll bring you back home at eight
Quel beau dimanche pour la saison!
What a beautiful Sunday for the season!
Si vous saviez c’que je suis fier
If you only knew how proud I am
De vous voir pendue à mon bras
To see you hanging on my arm
Les gens me regardent de travers
People look at me sideways
Y en a même qui rient derrière moi
Some even laugh behind my back
Le monde est plein de polissons
The world is full of pranksters
Oh oui! Germaine, est moins bien qu’vous
Oh yes! Germaine is not as good as you
Oh oui! Germaine, elle est moins belle
Oh yes! Germaine is not as pretty
C´est vrai qu’Germaine a des ch’veux roux
It's true that Germaine has red hair
C´est vrai qu’Germaine, elle est cruelle
It's true that Germaine is cruel
Ça, vous avez mille fois raison
On that, you're absolutely right
Et nous voilà sur la Grand-Place
And here we are on the Grand-Place
Sur le kiosque, on joue Mozart
Mozart is being played on the bandstand
Mais dites-moi qu’c´est par hasard
But tell me it's just by chance
Qu´il y a là votre ami Léon
That your friend Léon is there
Si vous voulez qu’je cède la place
If you want me to give up my spot
J´avais apporté des bonbons
I brought candy
Mais bonjour! Mademoiselle Germaine
But hello! Miss Germaine
J´vous ai apporté des bonbons
I brought you candy
Parce que les fleurs, c´est périssable
Because flowers wilt
Puis les bonbons c´est tellement bon
And candy is so good
Bien que les fleurs soient plus présentables
Even though flowers are more presentable
Surtout quand elles sont en boutons.
Especially when they're in buds.
Allez! J´vous ai apporté des bonbons
Come on! I brought you candy
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Mary M. Brandes
on La Valse à Mille Temps
I love Jacques Brel songs.