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.
Les trois cloches
Édith Piaf Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Comme égaré, presque ignoré
Voici qu'en la nuit étoilée
Un nouveau-né nous est donné
Jean-François Nicot, il se nomme
Il est joufflu, tendre et rosé
À l'église, beau petit homme
Demain tu seras baptisé
Une cloche sonne, sonne
Sa voix, d'écho en écho
Dit au monde qui s'étonne
"C'est pour Jean-François Nicot
C'est pour accueillir une âme
Une fleur qui s'ouvre au jour
À peine, à peine une flamme
Encore faible qui réclame
Protection, tendresse, amour"
Village au fond de la vallée
Loin des chemins, loin des humains
Voici qu'après dix-neuf années
Cœur en émoi, le Jean-François
Prend pour femme la douce Elise
Blanche comme fleur de pommier
Devant Dieu, dans la vieille église
Ce jour, ils se sont mariés
Toutes les cloches sonnent, sonnent
Leurs voix, d'écho en écho
Merveilleusement couronnent
La noce à François Nicot
"Un seul cœur, une seule âme"
Dit le prêtre, "et, pour toujours
Soyez une pure flamme
Qui s'élève et qui proclame
La grandeur de votre amour"
Village au fond de la vallée
Des jours, des nuits, le temps a fui
Voici qu'en la nuit étoilée
Un cœur s'endort, François est mort
Car toute chair est comme l'herbe
Elle est comme la fleur des champs
Épis, fruits mûrs, bouquets et gerbes
Hélas! vont en se desséchant
Une cloche sonne, sonne
Elle chante dans le vent
Obsédante et monotone
Elle redit aux vivants
"Ne tremblez pas, cœurs fidèles
Dieu vous fera signe un jour
Vous trouverez sous son aile
Avec la vie éternelle
L'éternité de l'amour"
The song "Les Trois Cloches" by Edith Piaf tells the story of a village tucked away in a valley, where a newborn named Jean-Francois Nicot is welcomed into the world. The village is so isolated that the arrival of this new life seems almost miraculous. A beautiful bell rings out to let everyone know of the blessed event, and the song describes the tenderness and love that surrounds the new baby's baptism. The lyrics express the common hope of families everywhere that this new life will be loved and protected by those around them.
The song then fast-forwards to nineteen years later, where the same bells joyfully ring out again. Jean-Francois has grown into a man and is marrying his sweetheart, Elise. The lyrics tell us that they are joined in love and commitment under the watchful eye of God. The bells this time celebrate the union of two lives into one, and the hope that their love will be as enduring as the mountains surrounding their isolated village.
Finally, the bells ring out one last time for Jean-Francois, who has passed away. His death is likened to the natural cycle of life, where "all flesh is as grass." However, the bell's chime reminds listeners that death is not the end, and that faith and hope in eternal love can provide comfort even in the darkest of times.
Line by Line Meaning
Village au fond de la vallée
There is a village situated deep in the valley
Comme égaré, presque ignoré
The village is almost lost and ignored
Voici qu'en la nuit étoilée
On a starry night, something unexpected happens
Un nouveau-né nous est donné
A newborn baby is born and given to us
Jean-François Nicot, il se nomme
The baby boy is named Jean-Francois Nicot
Il est joufflu, tendre et rosé
The newborn is healthy, soft, and pink
À l'église, beau petit homme
He will be baptized in the church
Demain tu seras baptisé
Tomorrow is the day of his baptism
Une cloche sonne, sonne
A bell rings repeatedly
Sa voix, d'écho en écho
The sound of the bell echoes across the valley
Dit au monde qui s'étonne
It tells the world that something special is happening
"C'est pour Jean-François Nicot
The bell rings to welcome the newborn Jean-Francois Nicot
C'est pour accueillir une âme
It is to welcome a new soul into the world
Une fleur qui s'ouvre au jour
Like a flower that blooms in the morning light
À peine, à peine une flamme
A spark that has just begun
Encore faible qui réclame
Still weak and in need of protection, tenderness and love
Protection, tendresse, amour"
This new life needs protection, tenderness and love
Village au fond de la vallée
The village that was almost forgotten
Loin des chemins, loin des humains
Far from the roads and the people
Voici qu'après dix-neuf années
After nineteen years have passed
Cœur en émoi, le Jean-François
Jean-Francois is smitten with Elise
Prend pour femme la douce Elise
He marries the sweet Elise
Blanche comme fleur de pommier
She is as white as an apple blossom
Devant Dieu, dans la vieille église
They get married in front of God in the old church
Ce jour, ils se sont mariés
They are joined in matrimony
Toutes les cloches sonnent, sonnent
All the bells ring out
Leurs voix, d'écho en écho
Their sounds reverberating through the valley
Merveilleusement couronnent
Crowning this joyous occasion
La noce à François Nicot
The wedding of Francois Nicot
"Un seul cœur, une seule âme"
The priest proclaims that their hearts and souls are united
Dit le prêtre, "et, pour toujours
The priest assures that their union is for eternity
Soyez une pure flamme
He advises them to be a pure flame
Qui s'élève et qui proclame
A flame that keeps burning and proclaims
La grandeur de votre amour"
The greatness of their love
Village au fond de la vallée
The village that was once subjected to obscurity
Des jours, des nuits, le temps a fui
Days and nights have passed them by as time flies
Voici qu'en la nuit étoilée
And on another starry night
Un cœur s'endort, François est mort
Jean-Francois Nicot has passed away
Car toute chair est comme l'herbe
Just like the grasses and flowers
Elle est comme la fleur des champs
Our bodies are just like the flowers of the fields
Épis, fruits mûrs, bouquets et gerbes
Harvests, fruits and cut flowers
Hélas! vont en se desséchant
All these things wilt and wither
Une cloche sonne, sonne
The bell rings out again
Elle chante dans le vent
Echoing, on the wind it re-ascends
Obsédante et monotone
Repeating its tune, it sounds alone
Elle redit aux vivants
As if to remind the living
"Ne tremblez pas, cœurs fidèles
To not be afraid, those who are faithful
Dieu vous fera signe un jour
For one day, God will beckon you
Vous trouverez sous son aile
To find shelter under the wings of the divine
Avec la vie éternelle
To have eternal life
L'éternité de l'amour"
And the eternity of love.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, LES NOUVELLES EDITIONS MERIDIAN
Written by: Jean Villard
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@user-nz1xr8ij7s
On ne trouve plus des chanteurs comme ça j ai 72ans et j écoute pas les chanteurs de maintenant
@heitzmannpatrice4315
Merde!! IL y 50 ans que je ne les avais plus entendu j'ai 70 balais aujourd'hui et vla que je me met à pleurer!!
@huguesdamez
C’était un autre monde, les belles chansons, les êtres humains étaient des anges comparés à ceux d’aujourd'hui
@user-iz2fd4vj2s
Ce sont des souvenirs qui me remontent je le fais de bon cœur venant de perdre ma maman qui adorait cette chanson
@arcticwolf4029
Bravo pour mettre de tels chanteurs en ligne et permettre aux jeunes générations de les connaître à leur tour. Leur talent est immortel.
@cinead4929
c'est vrai, c'est une chance de pouvoir connaître des artistes comme ceux là qui font honneur à notre beau pays🇫🇷
@mariefrancewagner2270
Ce fut un immense succès .
@ColineReko-vq2oh
@@mariefrancewagner2270 peace and peace ✌️ you create points in a month old and ailne and the other one could not hold you in on any one of the principles polished on 5hoot the last one 1⃣ or more than
@nadiamoy2133
C'est émouvant d'entendre cette chanson et de retrouver ces artistes je vais avoir 8o ans et c'est toute ma jeunesse merci 🎇💞🐦🐇🕊😻💞🎇
@fds1805
@@nadiamoy2133 C'est toute ma jeunesse aussi. Ma mère repassait le mercredi après-midi en écoutant son émission favorite "Souvenir, souvenir" à la radio. Des chansons qui racontaient une histoire, souvent triste. Et on s'épongeait les yeux à qui mieux mieux. Le bon temps.