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.
Toi Tu L'entends Pas
Édith Piaf Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Toi, tu n'entends pas
Cette f? te
Dans ma t? te.
Toi, tu les vois pas,
Tous ces millions de chandelles
Qui br? lent dans ma cervelle.
Toi, tu n'entends pas,
C'est trop b? te,
C'est trop b? te.
Toi, tu n'entends pas
Cet orchestre gigantesque
Puisque il ne joue que pour moi.
Toi, tu n'entends pas,
Toi, tu n'entends pas
Cette foule
Qui me so? le
De ses cris de joie,
Qui dansent carmagnole
Et chantent des choses folles.
Toi, tu n'entends pas,
Toi, tu n'entends pas
La vacarme
Qui s'acharne
Tout au fond de moi.
Il m'envahit corps et? me
Mais toi, tu ne l'entends pas.
Toi, tu n'entends pas,
Toi, tu n'entends pas
Les musiques
Et les cirques
Et les op? ras,
La garde r? publicaine,
La grande f? te foraine.
Toi, tu n'entends pas,
Toi, tu n'entends pas
Mon c? ur battre,
Se d? battre,
Se battre pour toi.
Il fait du bruit comme quatre
Mais toi, tu ne l'entends pas.
Toi, tu n'entends pas,
Toi, tu n'entends pas.
C'est trop b? te,
C'est trop b? te.
Toi, tu n'entends pas
Ces millions de po? mes
Pour chaque rime est "je t'aime".
Tu les entendras.
Tu les entendras.
Quand tu m'aimes,
Quand tu m'aimes,
Quand tu m'aimeras,
Tu entreras dans ma ronde
Le jour o? tu m'aimeras.
Tu entreras dans ma ronde...
...Le jour o? tu m'aimeras...
The song "Toi tu l'entends pas" is a lament about the inability of the other person to understand and appreciate the joy and beauty that the singer is experiencing. The singer describes a carnival of emotions, a bombardment of sounds from within and without, but the other person is deaf to it all. The lyrics are a poetic representation of the frustration that comes from not being able to share one's experience with someone else.
The first stanza sets the tone for the rest of the song. The singer begins by saying "Toi, tu n'entends pas" (You don't hear it), addressing the other person who is unable to understand what the singer is going through. There is a "fête" going on in the singer's head, but the other person is unaware of it. The singer compares the sensations to "millions of candles burning" in her head, and an "orchestra" playing only for her. The other person is missing out on all of this beauty.
In the second stanza, the singer continues to describe the noise and chaos inside her head. There is a "crowd" of emotions, dancing and singing joyful songs. The singer is overwhelmed by all of this, but the other person is oblivious to it. The singer's heart is beating loudly, trying to make itself heard, but the other person does not hear it.
The third stanza shifts the focus to the external world. The singer mentions a circus, an opera, and a carnival. She talks about a "guard of honor" and a "great fair". The other person does not hear any of this, nor does the person hear the "millions of poems" that are written for them. The singer ends on a hopeful note, saying that one day the other person will hear all of these things when they love her.
Line by Line Meaning
Toi, tu n'entends pas, Toi, tu n'entends pas Cette fête Dans ma tête.
You don't hear it, you don't hear it, the celebration going on inside my head.
Toi, tu les vois pas, Tous ces millions de chandelles Qui brûlent dans ma cervelle.
You don't see them, all these millions of candles burning in my mind.
Toi, tu n'entends pas, Toi, tu n'entends pas. C'est trop bête, C'est trop bête.
You don't hear it, you don't hear it. It's too silly, it's too silly.
Toi, tu n'entends pas Cet orchestre gigantesque Puisque il ne joue que pour moi.
You don't hear this gigantic orchestra since it only plays for me.
Toi, tu n'entends pas, Toi, tu n'entends pas Cette foule Qui me soûle De ses cris de joie, Qui dansent carmagnole Et chantent des choses folles.
You don't hear it, you don't hear it, this crowd that overwhelms me with their shouts of joy, who dance the carmagnole and sing crazy things.
Toi, tu n'entends pas, Toi, tu n'entends pas La vacarme Qui s'acharne Tout au fond de moi. Il m'envahit corps et âme Mais toi, tu ne l'entends pas.
You don't hear it, you don't hear it, the commotion that rages deep inside me. It fills my body and soul, but you don't hear it.
Toi, tu n'entends pas, Toi, tu n'entends pas Les musiques Et les cirques Et les opéras, La garde républicaine, La grande fête foraine.
You don't hear it, you don't hear it, the music, the circuses, the operas, the republican guard, the grand fair.
Toi, tu n'entends pas, Toi, tu n'entends pas Mon cœur battre, Se débattre, Se battre pour toi. Il fait du bruit comme quatre Mais toi, tu ne l'entends pas.
You don't hear it, you don't hear it, my heart beating, struggling, fighting for you. It makes noise like four, but you don't hear it.
Toi, tu n'entends pas, Toi, tu n'entends pas. C'est trop bête, C'est trop bête.
You don't hear it, you don't hear it. It's too silly, it's too silly.
Toi, tu n'entends pas Ces millions de poèmes Pour chaque rime est "je t'aime". Tu les entendras. Tu les entendras.
You don't hear these millions of poems where each rhyme is "I love you." You will hear them. You will hear them.
Quand tu m'aimes, Quand tu m'aimes, Quand tu m'aimeras, Tu entreras dans ma ronde Le jour où tu m'aimeras. Tu entreras dans ma ronde... ...Le jour où tu m'aimeras...
When you love me, when you love me, when you will love me, you will join my circle on the day when you love me. You will join my circle...on the day when you love me...
Writer(s): CHARLES DUMONT, PIERRE DELANOE
Contributed by Jackson E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Daniel Santos
Toi, tu l'entends pas, toi, tu l'entends pas
Cette fête dans ma tête, toi, tu les vois pas
Tous ces millions de chandelles
Qui brulent dans ma cervelle
Toi, tu l'entends pas, toi, tu l'entends pas
C'est trop bête, c'est trop bête, toi, tu l'entends pas
Cet orchestre gigantesque puisqu'il ne joue que pour moi
Toi, tu l'entends pas, toi, tu l'entends pas
Cette foule qui me saoule de ses cris de joie
Qui dansent la carmagnole et chantent des choses folles
Toi, tu l'entends pas, toi, tu l'entends pas
Ce vacarme qui s'acharne tout au fond de moi
Il m'envahit corps et âme, mais toi, tu n'l'entends pas
Toi, tu n'entends pas, les chevaux de bois
Les musiques et les cirques et les opéras
La garde républicaine
La grande fête foraine
Toi, tu l'entends pas, toi, tu l'entends pas
Mon cœur battre, se débattre, se battre pour toi
Il fait du bruit comme quatre mais toi, tu ne l'entends pas
Toi, tu l'entends pas, toi, tu l'entends pas
Cette fête dans ma tête, tu n'les entends pas
Tous ces merveilleuse poèmes
Pour chaque rime et je t'aime
Tu les entendras, tu les entendras
Quand tu m'aimes, quand tu m'aimes
Quand tu m'aimeras
Tu entreras dans ma ronde
Le jour où tu m'aimeras
Tu entreras dans ma ronde
Le jour où tu m'aimeras
VealParmigiana
I like Edith's vocals in this Marching song which sounds very unusual and haunting to me. I am certain that I would dislike the song and find it irritating to listen to if performed by any other singer. Edith was extremely versatile and could sing anything well.
gendotte
I listen to her. A lot. Only one clinker in the bunch.
Florian Verlhac
encore un merveilleux succes de piaf
Daniel Santos
Toi, tu l'entends pas, toi, tu l'entends pas
Cette fête dans ma tête, toi, tu les vois pas
Tous ces millions de chandelles
Qui brulent dans ma cervelle
Toi, tu l'entends pas, toi, tu l'entends pas
C'est trop bête, c'est trop bête, toi, tu l'entends pas
Cet orchestre gigantesque puisqu'il ne joue que pour moi
Toi, tu l'entends pas, toi, tu l'entends pas
Cette foule qui me saoule de ses cris de joie
Qui dansent la carmagnole et chantent des choses folles
Toi, tu l'entends pas, toi, tu l'entends pas
Ce vacarme qui s'acharne tout au fond de moi
Il m'envahit corps et âme, mais toi, tu n'l'entends pas
Toi, tu n'entends pas, les chevaux de bois
Les musiques et les cirques et les opéras
La garde républicaine
La grande fête foraine
Toi, tu l'entends pas, toi, tu l'entends pas
Mon cœur battre, se débattre, se battre pour toi
Il fait du bruit comme quatre mais toi, tu ne l'entends pas
Toi, tu l'entends pas, toi, tu l'entends pas
Cette fête dans ma tête, tu n'les entends pas
Tous ces merveilleuse poèmes
Pour chaque rime et je t'aime
Tu les entendras, tu les entendras
Quand tu m'aimes, quand tu m'aimes
Quand tu m'aimeras
Tu entreras dans ma ronde
Le jour où tu m'aimeras
Tu entreras dans ma ronde
Le jour où tu m'aimeras
Omar Estrada
Increible!!
Abdulrahman B.
incroyable!
Abdulrahman B.
09-10-2022
lediabledelabastille
la voix est vieilli mais édith est encore plus émouvante les deux derniéres années de sa vie j'adore cette chanson meci
Harim Sen
c't'une très belle chanson
Alex O
She was a little bit too advanced for her time.