He was bor… Read Full Bio ↴Michel Sardou (born January 26, 1947) is a French singer.
He was born in Paris, the son of Fernand Sardou and Jackie Rollin (Jackie Sardou). Contrary to what has been written at the beginning of his career, he is not the grandson of the dramatist Victorien Sardou.
He is known for songs dealing with various social and political issues, such as the rights of women in Islamic countries, clerical celibacy and colonialism. Another sometimes controversial theme found in some of his songs ("Les Ricains," for example) is respect and support for the culture and foreign policies of the United States. Another notable fact about his career is that he has focused his full attention on his homeland, ignoring the prospect of an international audience, although his 1981 single "Les lacs du Connemara" did manage to become a big international hit. A number of his hit songs were written in collaboration with Jacques Revaux, a few others (most notably "En chantant") with Italian singer Toto Cutugno.
Even in the 21st century, Michel Sardou remains immensely popular in France, selling out 18 consecutive dates at Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy in 2001, while his 2004 album "Du plaisir" went straight to the no. 1 spot on the French album charts.
He has been married three times, first to a French dancer, then to Babette (the mother of his children) and lastly to an lifelong friend who edits the French version of Vogue.
He is currently (2023) at the center of a controversy over a song he wrote fifty years ago: the lakes of Connemara. Juliette Armanet, a French pop starlet answering a question about a song that would made her leave a party and it was LES LACS DU CONNEMARA. Sardou, an idol of the French right, in spite of himself, is stuck between the left which finds him corny and the right which does not support that one attacks its institutions. Music is a strong force and nobody fights harder than those who LOVE certain songs. Amazingly this song has nothing to do with politics.
Le Figurant
Michel Sardou Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dans les 4L, les Simca 1000
C'est moi
Celui qui courait sous la plage
Mais qu'ils ont coupé au montage
C'est moi
Devant Montand, devant Miou-Miou
Juste devant mais très très flou
C'est moi
Celui qui danse avec Marceau
Pas le grand brun, le blond de dos
C'est moi
Le figurant
Derrière Gabin, derrière Blier
Tous les larbins qu'on a sonnés
C'est moi
Derrière Poiret, derrière Serrault
Quand ils étaient troisièmes couteaux
C'est moi
Après les gens de toute l'équipe
Le grand absent du générique
C'est moi
C'est moi
Le figurant
Le figurant
Celui qui rêve d'une réplique
Comme d'autres rêvent de l'Amérique
Celui qui prend la ligne six
Tous les jours entre cinq et six
Celui qui rêve d'une réplique
Comme d'autres rêvent de l'Amérique
Celui qui passe à bicyclette
Celui qui fume sa cigarette
Derrière Lino, derrière Lindon
Qui court après François Pignon
C'est moi
Derrière Stallone, derrière Bruce Lee
Les types qui zonent dans les tueries
C'est moi
Derrière Baloo, derrière Mowgli
Le singe qui joue de la batterie
C'est moi
C'est moi
Le figurant
Le figurant
Celui qui rêve d'une réplique
Comme d'autres rêvent de l'Amérique
Celui qui gèle pendant des heures
En attendant qu'on dise moteur
Celui qui regarde l'Atlantique
Juste à la proue du Titanic
Celui qui rêve de quelques lignes
Même si elles doivent le rendre indigne
C'est moi
Le soldat inconnu qui tombe
Quand Ryan passe entre les bombes
C'est moi
Celui qui dans "Paris Brûle-t-il?"
Saute d'un camion et qu'on fusille
C'est moi
Le figurant
The lyrics of Michel Sardou's song "Le Figurant" describe the experiences and aspirations of a background actor in the film industry. The singer identifies himself as the one who runs on the beach behind famous actors such as Jean-Paul Belmondo and Bourvil, but whose scenes always end up being cut from the final film. He is the one who dances with Marcel Marceau but is only seen from behind, the one who hides behind famous actors like Michel Serrault and Louis de Funès when they were still relatively unknown.
The figurant, or background actor, dreams of having a line of dialogue in a film, just as others dream of going to America. The figurant takes the line six metro every day between five and six, dreaming of his chance to have a speaking role. He is the one who passes by on a bicycle, the one who smokes a cigarette, constantly seeking recognition and a chance to be noticed amongst the famous actors he works with.
The song highlights the often overlooked and unappreciated role of background actors in the film industry. They play their part, however small, in creating the atmosphere and setting of a film, but their contributions are rarely recognized or acknowledged. The figurant represents the dreams and aspirations of those who are relegated to the background, hoping for their moment in the spotlight.
Line by Line Meaning
Derrière Bebel, derrière Bourvil
Behind Bebel, behind Bourvil
Dans les 4L, les Simca 1000
In the 4L, the Simca 1000
C'est moi
It's me
Celui qui courait sous la plage
The one who ran under the beach
Mais qu'ils ont coupé au montage
But they cut it from the editing
C'est moi
It's me
Devant Montand, devant Miou-Miou
In front of Montand, in front of Miou-Miou
Juste devant mais très très flou
Just in front but very very blurry
C'est moi
It's me
Celui qui danse avec Marceau
The one who dances with Marceau
Pas le grand brun, le blond de dos
Not the tall brunette, the blond from behind
C'est moi
It's me
Le figurant
The extra
Derrière Gabin, derrière Blier
Behind Gabin, behind Blier
Tous les larbins qu'on a sonnés
All the lackeys we called
C'est moi
It's me
Derrière Poiret, derrière Serrault
Behind Poiret, behind Serrault
Quand ils étaient troisièmes couteaux
When they were third-rate actors
C'est moi
It's me
Après les gens de toute l'équipe
After all the people from the team
Le grand absent du générique
The great absence from the credits
C'est moi
It's me
C'est moi
It's me
Le figurant
The extra
Le figurant
The extra
Celui qui rêve d'une réplique
The one who dreams of a line
Comme d'autres rêvent de l'Amérique
Like others dream of America
Celui qui prend la ligne six
The one who takes line six
Tous les jours entre cinq et six
Every day between five and six
Celui qui rêve d'une réplique
The one who dreams of a line
Comme d'autres rêvent de l'Amérique
Like others dream of America
Celui qui passe à bicyclette
The one who passes by bicycle
Celui qui fume sa cigarette
The one who smokes his cigarette
Derrière Lino, derrière Lindon
Behind Lino, behind Lindon
Qui court après François Pignon
Who runs after François Pignon
C'est moi
It's me
Derrière Stallone, derrière Bruce Lee
Behind Stallone, behind Bruce Lee
Les types qui zonent dans les tueries
The guys who hang around in the killings
C'est moi
It's me
Derrière Baloo, derrière Mowgli
Behind Baloo, behind Mowgli
Le singe qui joue de la batterie
The monkey who plays the drums
C'est moi
It's me
C'est moi
It's me
Le figurant
The extra
Le figurant
The extra
Celui qui rêve d'une réplique
The one who dreams of a line
Comme d'autres rêvent de l'Amérique
Like others dream of America
Celui qui gèle pendant des heures
The one who freezes for hours
En attendant qu'on dise moteur
Waiting for them to say 'action'
Celui qui regarde l'Atlantique
The one who looks at the Atlantic
Juste à la proue du Titanic
Right at the bow of the Titanic
Celui qui rêve de quelques lignes
The one who dreams of a few lines
Même si elles doivent le rendre indigne
Even if they make him unworthy
C'est moi
It's me
Le soldat inconnu qui tombe
The unknown soldier who falls
Quand Ryan passe entre les bombes
When Ryan passes between the bombs
C'est moi
It's me
Celui qui dans 'Paris Brûle-t-il?'
The one who in 'Paris Is Burning?'
Saute d'un camion et qu'on fusille
Jumps off a truck and gets shot
C'est moi
It's me
Le figurant
The extra
Lyrics © REMARK MUSIC
Written by: Benoit Carre, Pierre Billon, Jean Mora
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind