Despite the numerous biographies, many facts and events of Édith's life are shrouded in mystery. She was born Édith Giovanna Gassion in Belleville, Paris, France, the high-immigration district later described by Daniel Pennac. Legend has it that she was born on the pavement of Rue de Belleville 72 but according to her birth certificate that was at Hôpital Tenon, the Belleville arrondissement hospital. She was named Édith after the executed British nurse Edith Cavell (Piaf —Parisian jargon for "sparrow"— came from a nickname she would receive twenty years later).
Her mother, Annetta Giovanna Maillard (1898 – 1945), was a partly-Italian 17-year-old girl, native of Livorno, working as a café singer under the pseudonym Line Marsa; from her, Édith took the middle name of Giovanna. Her father, Louis-Alphonse Gassion (1881 – 1944), was a street acrobat with a theatrical past. The little Édith was soon abandoned and left for a short time to her maternal grandmother, Mena (probably a Kabyle). Shortly after, Édith's father brought the child to his mother, who ran a brothel in Normandy, and then joined the French Army (1916). Thus Édith was in contact with the prostitutes and the various attenders of the brothel since her early years, a circumstance which must have had a deep impact on her personality and vision of life.
From the age of three to seven she was blind. As part of Piaf's legend, she allegedly recovered her sight after her grandmother's prostitutes went on a pilgrimage to Saint Thérèse de Lisieux. In 1929 she joined her father in his acrobatic street performances. Then took a room at Grand Hôtel de Clermont (18 rue Veron, Paris 18ème) and separated from him, going her own way as a street singer in Pigalle, Ménilmontant and Paris suburbs (cf. the song "Elle fréquentait la Rue Pigalle"). She was about 16 years of age when she fell in love with a delivery-boy, Louis Dupont, and shortly after had a child, a little girl named Marcelle. Sadly, Marcelle died in infancy of meningitis.
In 1935, Édith was discovered in the Pigalle area of Paris by the nightclub owner Louis Leplée, whose club was frequented by the upper and lower classes alike. He persuaded her to sing despite her extreme nervousness, which, combined with her height of only 4' 8" (142 cm) inspired him to give her the nickname that would stay with her for the rest of her life and become her stage name: La Môme Piaf (The Little Sparrow). Her first record was produced in the same year. Shortly afterwards, Leplée was murdered and Piaf was accused of being an accessory; she was acquitted.
In 1940, Jean Cocteau wrote the successful play Le Bel Indifférent for her to star in. She began to make friends with famous people, such as the actor Maurice Chevalier and the poet Jacques Borgeat. She wrote the lyrics of many of her songs, and collaborated with composers on the tunes.
Her signature song, "La vie en rose" (which was voted a Grammy Hall of Fame Award in 1998) was written in the middle of the German occupation of Paris in World War II. During this time, she was in great demand and very successful. She befriended many high-ranking Germans and sang for them. It is said that she collaborated with the Nazis, too. After the war, she toured Europe, the United States, and South America, becoming an internationally known figure. Her popularity in the U.S. was such that she appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show eight times. She helped to launch the career of Charles Aznavour, taking him on tour with her in France and the United States.
The great love of Piaf's life, the boxer Marcel Cerdan, died in 1949. Piaf was married twice. Her first husband was Jacques Pills, a singer; they married in 1952 and divorced in 1956. Her second husband, Theophanis Lamboukas (also known as Théo Sarapo), was a hairdresser-turned-singer and actor, and was twenty years younger than Piaf; they married in 1962.
In 1951 she was in a car accident, and thereafter had difficulty breaking a serious morphine habit.
The Paris Olympia is the place where Piaf achieved fame and where, just a few months before her death, she gave one of her most memorable concerts while barely able to stand. In early 1963, Piaf recorded her last song, "L'homme de Berlin".
At the early age of 47, Piaf died of cancer in Plascassier, on the French riviera, on October 10, 1963. Her friend Jean Cocteau, very shocked and afflicted by her death, died a few hours later. Her body was returned to Paris where her death was only announced on October 11, the official date of her death. She was buried in Père Lachaise cemetery, Paris. Although she was forbidden a Mass by the Roman Catholic archbishop of Paris (because of her lifestyle), her funeral procession drew hundreds of thousands of mourners onto the streets of Paris and the ceremony at the cemetery was jammed with more than forty thousand fans. Charles Aznavour recalled that Piaf's funeral procession was the only time, since the end of World War II, that Parisian traffic came to a complete stop.
There is a museum dedicated to Piaf, the Musée Édith Piaf at 5, rue Crespin du Gast, 75011, Paris.
Today she is still remembered and revered as one of the greatest singers France has ever produced. Her life was one of sharp contrasts: the range of her fame as opposed to her tragic personal life, and her fragile small figure on stage with the resounding power of her voice.
La Belle histoire d'amour
Édith Piaf Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Je vais toujours vers lui.
Je vais vers je-ne-sais-quoi.
Je marche dans la nuit.
Je cherche à t'oublier
Et c'est plus fort que moi :
Je me fais déchirer.
Je n'appartiens qu'à toi...
Je n'oublierai jamais
Nous deux, comme on s'aimait
Toutes les nuits, tous les jours,
...La belle histoire d'amour...
...La belle histoire d'amour...
Pourquoi m'as-tu laissée ?
Je suis seule à pleurer,
Toute seule à chercher...
Un jour où j'attendais,
J'ai longtemps attendu.
J'espérais... J'espérais...
Tu n'es pas revenu.
Je me suis révoltée.
Je me suis résignée.
J'ai crié, j'ai pleuré,
J'ai nié, j'ai prié...
Je n'oublierai jamais
Nous deux, comme on s'aimait
Toutes les nuits, tous les jours.
...La belle histoire d'amour...
...La belle histoire d'amour...
Pourquoi m'as-tu laissée ?
Je suis seule à pleurer,
Toute seule à chercher...
Quand un homme me plaît,
J'fais des comparaisons.
Je n'arrive jamais
A lui donner raison.
C'est ta voix que j'entends.
C'est tes yeux que je vois.
C'est ta main que j'attends.
Je n'appartiens qu'à toi...
Je n'oublierai jamais
Nous deux, comme on s'aimait
Toutes les nuits, tous les jours,
...La belle histoire d'amour...
...La belle histoire d'amour...
Pourquoi m'as-tu laissée ?
Je suis seule à pleurer,
Toute seule à chercher...
J'espère toujours en toi.
Je sais que tu viendras.
Tu me tendras les bras
Et tu m'emporteras...
Et tu m'emporteras...
Et tu m'emporteras...
Et tu m'emporteras...
Et tu m'emporteras...
Et tu m'emporteras...
The lyrics of Edith Piaf's song La belle histoire d'amour describe the heartache and longing of a woman who has been left by a man she loves. She describes how she walks in the night to try and forget him, but finds that she cannot escape her feelings for him. The lyrics express her frustration and pain, as she cries and prays for him to return to her. Despite her attempts to move on, the woman cannot forget their beautiful love story. She hears his voice, sees his eyes and feels her heart race at the thought of his touch. The lyrics convey how much the woman belongs to him and how she hopes and waits for his return, imagining him taking her in his arms and carrying her away.
The song is widely regarded as one of Piaf's finest works and a classic example of French chanson. It was released in 1963 and was written by Charles Dumont and Michel Vaucaire. It has been covered by many artists over the years, including Barbra Streisand, Nana Mouskouri and Celine Dion. The lyrics of the song speak universal truths about the pain of lost love and the longing for someone who is gone. The mournful melody and Piaf's emotive delivery add to the poignancy of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Quand un homme vient vers moi,
Whenever a man comes towards me,
Je vais toujours vers lui.
I always go towards him.
Je vais vers je-ne-sais-quoi.
I go towards what I don't know.
Je marche dans la nuit.
I walk in the night.
Je cherche à t'oublier
I try to forget you
Et c'est plus fort que moi :
But it's stronger than me
Je me fais déchirer.
It tears me apart.
Je n'appartiens qu'à toi...
I belong to you and only you...
Je n'oublierai jamais
I will never forget
Nous deux, comme on s'aimait
The way we loved each other
Toutes les nuits, tous les jours,
Every night, every day,
...La belle histoire d'amour...
...The beautiful love story...
Pourquoi m'as-tu laissée ?
Why did you leave me?
Je suis seule à pleurer,
I am alone crying,
Toute seule à chercher...
All alone looking...
Un jour où j'attendais,
One day when I was waiting,
J'ai longtemps attendu.
I waited a long time.
J'espérais... J'espérais...
I hoped... I hoped...
Tu n'es pas revenu.
You didn't come back.
Je me suis révoltée.
I rebelled
Je me suis résignée.
I resigned myself
J'ai crié, j'ai pleuré,
I screamed, I cried,
J'ai nié, j'ai prié...
I denied, I prayed...
Quand un homme me plaît,
When a man pleases me,
J'fais des comparaisons.
I make comparisons.
Je n'arrive jamais
I never manage
A lui donner raison.
To agree with him.
C'est ta voix que j'entends.
It's your voice I hear.
C'est tes yeux que je vois.
It's your eyes I see.
C'est ta main que j'attends.
It's your hand I wait for.
Je n'appartiens qu'à toi...
I belong to you and only you...
J'espère toujours en toi.
I always hope for you.
Je sais que tu viendras.
I know you will come.
Tu me tendras les bras
You will hold me in your arms
Et tu m'emporteras...
And you will take me away...
Et tu m'emporteras...
And you will take me away...
Et tu m'emporteras...
And you will take me away...
Et tu m'emporteras...
And you will take me away...
Et tu m'emporteras...
And you will take me away...
Et tu m'emporteras...
And you will take me away...
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, LES NOUVELLES EDITIONS MERIDIAN
Written by: Edith PIAF, Charles DUMONT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ludmylla Dias
Quand un homme vient vers moi,
Je vais toujours vers lui.
Je vais vers je-ne-sais-quoi.
Je marche dans la nuit.
Je cherche à t'oublier
Et c'est plus fort que moi :
Je me fais déchirer.
Je n'appartiens qu'à toi...
Je n'oublierai jamais
Nous deux, comme on s'aimait
Toutes les nuits, tous les jours,
...La belle histoire d'amour...
...La belle histoire d'amour...
Pourquoi m'as-tu laissée ?
Je suis seule à pleurer,
Toute seule à chercher...
Un jour où j'attendais,
J'ai longtemps attendu.
J'espérais... J'espérais...
Tu n'es pas revenu.
Je me suis révoltée.
Je me suis résignée.
J'ai crié, j'ai pleuré,
J'ai nié, j'ai prié...
Je n'oublierai jamais
Nous deux, comme on s'aimait
Toutes les nuits, tous les jours.
...La belle histoire d'amour...
...La belle histoire d'amour...
Pourquoi m'as-tu laissée ?
Je suis seule à pleurer,
Toute seule à chercher...
Quand un homme me plaît,
J'fais des comparaisons.
Je n'arrive jamais
A lui donner raison.
C'est ta voix que j'entends.
C'est tes yeux que je vois.
C'est ta main que j'attends.
Je n'appartiens qu'à toi...
Je n'oublierai jamais
Nous deux, comme on s'aimait
Toutes les nuits, tous les jours,
...La belle histoire d'amour...
...La belle histoire d'amour...
Pourquoi m'as-tu laissée ?
Je suis seule à pleurer,
Toute seule à chercher...
J'espère toujours en toi.
Je sais que tu viendras.
Tu me tendras les bras
Et tu m'emporteras...
Et tu m'emporteras...
Et tu m'emporteras...
Et tu m'emporteras...
Et tu m'emporteras...
Et tu m'emporteras...
Consuelo Avalos
Que maravilla de voz Edith Piaf,
martin ayala
Grandiosa voz la de Edith Piaf.
Ludmylla Dias
Quand un homme vient vers moi,
Je vais toujours vers lui.
Je vais vers je-ne-sais-quoi.
Je marche dans la nuit.
Je cherche à t'oublier
Et c'est plus fort que moi :
Je me fais déchirer.
Je n'appartiens qu'à toi...
Je n'oublierai jamais
Nous deux, comme on s'aimait
Toutes les nuits, tous les jours,
...La belle histoire d'amour...
...La belle histoire d'amour...
Pourquoi m'as-tu laissée ?
Je suis seule à pleurer,
Toute seule à chercher...
Un jour où j'attendais,
J'ai longtemps attendu.
J'espérais... J'espérais...
Tu n'es pas revenu.
Je me suis révoltée.
Je me suis résignée.
J'ai crié, j'ai pleuré,
J'ai nié, j'ai prié...
Je n'oublierai jamais
Nous deux, comme on s'aimait
Toutes les nuits, tous les jours.
...La belle histoire d'amour...
...La belle histoire d'amour...
Pourquoi m'as-tu laissée ?
Je suis seule à pleurer,
Toute seule à chercher...
Quand un homme me plaît,
J'fais des comparaisons.
Je n'arrive jamais
A lui donner raison.
C'est ta voix que j'entends.
C'est tes yeux que je vois.
C'est ta main que j'attends.
Je n'appartiens qu'à toi...
Je n'oublierai jamais
Nous deux, comme on s'aimait
Toutes les nuits, tous les jours,
...La belle histoire d'amour...
...La belle histoire d'amour...
Pourquoi m'as-tu laissée ?
Je suis seule à pleurer,
Toute seule à chercher...
J'espère toujours en toi.
Je sais que tu viendras.
Tu me tendras les bras
Et tu m'emporteras...
Et tu m'emporteras...
Et tu m'emporteras...
Et tu m'emporteras...
Et tu m'emporteras...
Et tu m'emporteras...
Zarathoustra
Ludmylla Dias merci
Corie Stern
Thank you for the words in French...I can't understand it by ear but read it pretty good ! Merci bien ! Corie and one of my favorite Edith Piaf songs !
Diana Russ
No he podido dejar de escuchar esta canción:)
Marc Gentilhomme
cette chanson, Edith en a refusé les droits d'auteur pour les paroles qu'elle a écrite pour Marcel Cerdan, la musique étant de Charles Dumont. Elle la chantera à la fin de son récital à l'Olympia de 1960-61 (qui durera 4 mois, une folie, mais un triomphe) et on rapporte que les gens (en tout cas les fans) pleuraient par rangées entières....
Corie Stern
Would had been fantastic to had seen her perform in the Olympia...as a long time fan of Edith who my older brother introduced me to as a very young teen....I did at least visit her at Pere Lachaise in Bellevue-Paris along time ago !!! Corie
onibru
La mère de toutes les voix.
Javier Rivera
magnifique ❤