In 1965, Le Forestier formed a duo (Cat et Maxime) with his sister Catherine. Playing at cabaret venues on Paris' Left Bank, the pair met and formed a friendship with Georges Moustaki. They were amongst the first artists to cover a number of songs by Moustaki - including Ma Liberté and Ma Solitude. In 1968, Catherine joined Moustaki as a backing singer. Le Forestier began to focus on songwriting and composed Ballade pour un traître which was recorded and released by the French/Italian singer and actor, Serge Reggiani.
Le Forestier continued as part-time singer/songwriter during his military service (beginning 1969) with a parachute regiment (the inspiration for the song Parachutiste). He recorded two songs: "Cœur de Pierre, Face de Lune", and La Petite Fugue.
His military service ending September 1970, Le Forestier refocused on his musical career. He developed a folksy style which was enormously popular in the 1970s and '80s. His first album Mon Frère, released in 1973, contains several pieces that have entered French folklore, including the title song Mon frère, San Francisco, Comme un arbre and Education sentimentale. He toured extensively, both in France and abroad. In 1976, he toured in 14 cities in the USSR. Recently he has gained particular acclaim for his reworkings of the songs of Georges Brassens.
San Francisco
Maxime Le Forestier Lyrics
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Adossée à la colline, on y vient à pied
On ne frappe pas, ceux qui vivent là
Ont jeté la clé
On se retrouve ensemble
Après des années de route et on vient s'asseoir
Autour du repas, tout le monde est là
À cinq heures du soir
Quand San Francisco s'embrume
Quand San Francisco s'allume
San Francisco
Où êtes-vous?
Lizzard et Luc, Psylvia
Attendez-moi
Nageant dans le brouillard
Enlacés, roulant dans l'herbe, on écoutera Tom à la guitare
Phil à la kena, jusqu'à la nuit noire
Un autre arrivera
Pour nous dire des nouvelles d'un qui reviendra
Dans un an ou deux puisqu'il est heureux
On s'endormira
Quand San Francisco se lève
Quand San Francisco se lève
San Francisco
Où êtes-vous?
Lizzard et Luc, Psylvia
Attendez-moi
C'est une maison bleue
Accrochée à ma mémoire, on y vient à pied
On ne frappe pas, ceux qui vivent là
Ont jeté la clef
Peuplée de cheveux longs
De grands lits et de musique, peuplée de lumière
Et peuplée de fous, elle sera dernière à rester debout
Si San Francisco s'effondre
Si San Francisco s'effondre
San Francisco
Où êtes-vous?
Lizzard et Luc, Psylvia
Attendez-moi
The song "San Francisco" by Maxime Le Forestier is a beautiful and poetic tribute to the city of San Francisco. It describes a house nestled in the hills, where people come together after years of travel to share a meal and stories. The lyrics suggest a sense of community and belonging, as the inhabitants of the house have thrown away the key and don't bother with knocking. They are all there, gathered around a meal at five in the evening. The scenery is painted with vivid poetic images of the fog and light of San Francisco, and the mentioning of Lizzard and Luc, Psylvia, and Tom and Phil adds a note of nostalgia and a feeling of longing for loved ones.
As the evening sets in, the mood becomes more relaxed and closer, with Tom playing the guitar and Phil playing the kena. The visitors roll in the grass with each other, and everyone listens to each other's stories. The idea of the future is present, with the mention of someone leaving and returning in a year or two. The lyrics are optimistic, with the singer falling asleep at the end of the evening and dreaming of another day in San Francisco, where the city rises again.
Overall, the song is a beautiful tribute to San Francisco that tells the tale of a community built around the love of the city and the bonds of shared experiences.
Line by Line Meaning
C'est une maison bleue
There's a blue house
Adossée à la colline, on y vient à pied
It's backed up against the hill, you have to walk to get there
On ne frappe pas, ceux qui vivent là
There's no need to knock, the people who live there
Ont jeté la clé
Have thrown away the key
On se retrouve ensemble
People come together there
Après des années de route et on vient s'asseoir
After years on the road, they come to sit down together
Autour du repas, tout le monde est là
Around the meal, everyone is there
À cinq heures du soir
At five in the evening
Quand San Francisco s'embrume
When San Francisco gets foggy
Quand San Francisco s'allume
When San Francisco lights up
San Francisco
San Francisco
Où êtes-vous?
Where are you?
Lizzard et Luc, Psylvia
Lizzard and Luc, Psylvia
Attendez-moi
Wait for me
Nageant dans le brouillard
Swimming in the fog
Enlacés, roulant dans l'herbe, on écoutera Tom à la guitare
Wrapped up, rolling in the grass, listening to Tom play guitar
Phil à la kena, jusqu'à la nuit noire
Phil playing the kena, until nightfall
Un autre arrivera
Another person will arrive
Pour nous dire des nouvelles d'un qui reviendra
To tell us news of someone who will return
Dans un an ou deux puisqu'il est heureux
In a year or two, since he is happy
On s'endormira
We will fall asleep
Quand San Francisco se lève
When San Francisco wakes up
San Francisco
San Francisco
Où êtes-vous?
Where are you?
Lizzard et Luc, Psylvia
Lizzard and Luc, Psylvia
Attendez-moi
Wait for me
C'est une maison bleue
There's a blue house
Accrochée à ma mémoire, on y vient à pied
Stuck in my memory, you have to walk to get there
On ne frappe pas, ceux qui vivent là
There's no need to knock, the people who live there
Ont jeté la clef
Have thrown away the key
Peuplée de cheveux longs
Filled with long hair
De grands lits et de musique, peuplée de lumière
Big beds and music, filled with light
Et peuplée de fous, elle sera dernière à rester debout
And filled with crazy people, it will be the last to remain standing
Si San Francisco s'effondre
If San Francisco collapses
San Francisco
San Francisco
Où êtes-vous?
Where are you?
Lizzard et Luc, Psylvia
Lizzard and Luc, Psylvia
Attendez-moi
Wait for me
Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: Bruno Le Forestier
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind