In 1976, he achieved a national breakout with the studio album Night Moves. On his studio albums, he also worked extensively with the Alabama-based Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, which appeared on several of Seger's best-selling singles and albums.
Seger's first marriage in 1968 lasted for "one day short of a year". He had a long-term relationship with Jan Dinsdale from 1972 until 1983. In 1987, he married actress Annette Sinclair and they divorced one year later. He married Juanita Dorricott in 1993, in a small private setting at The Village Club, in Bloomfield Hills; they have two children. Seger lives mainly at his home in Orchard Lake Village, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. He owns a condo in Naples, Florida.
Politically, Seger has characterized himself as a centrist: "[I'm] right down the middle", he remarked. He supported Democrat Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election. He tackled antiestablishment themes in early songs such as "2+2=?" (1968) and "U.M.C. (Upper Middle Class)" (1974), according to Brian McCollum of the Detroit Free Press. On his 2014 album Ride Out, he addressed topics such as gun violence, and wrote "It's Your World" about climate change. On the subject, he said, "There are a lot of culprits in climate change, and everybody's responsible, myself included. Nobody gets a free pass on this one. We've got to change our ways and change them fast.
A roots rocker with a classic raspy, shouting voice, Seger wrote and recorded songs that deal with love, women and blue-collar themes and is an example of heartland rock. Seger has recorded many hits, including "Ramblin' Gamblin' Man", "Night Moves", "Turn the Page", "Still the Same", "We've Got Tonight", "Against the Wind", "You'll Accomp'ny Me", "Shame on the Moon", "Like a Rock", and "Shakedown", which was written for Beverly Hills Cop II (1987). Seger also co-wrote the Eagles' number-one hit "Heartache Tonight", and his iconic recording of "Old Time Rock and Roll" was named one of the Songs of the Century in 2001.
With a career spanning six decades, Seger continues to perform and record today. Seger was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004 and the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2012. Seger was named Billboard's 2015 Legend of Live honoree at the 12th annual Billboard Touring Conference & Awards, held November 18–19 at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York.
Seger was known as one of the last holdouts regarding making his catalog available for digital download and streaming. However, as of 2017, much of his work is available.
C
Bob Seger Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You could see that Pierre did truly love the mademoiselle
And now the young monsieur and madam have rung the chapel bell
C'est la vie say the old folks, it goes to show you never can tell
They finished off an apartment with a two-room Roebuck sale
The coolerator was jammed with TV dinners and ginger ale
And when Pierre found work, the little money comin' worked out well
They had a hi-fi phono, boy did they let it blast
Seven hundred little records, all blues, rock, rhythm, and jazz
But when the sun went down, the volume went down as well
C'est la vie say the old folks, it goes to show you never can tell
They bought a souped-up jitney, it was a cherry red '53
And drove it down to New Orleans to celebrate their anniversary
It was there where Pierre was wedded to the lovely mademoiselle
C'est la vie say the old folks, it goes to show you never can tell
They had a teenage wedding and the old folks wished 'em well
You could see that Pierre did truly love the mademoiselle
And now the young monsieur and madam have rung the chapel bell
C'est la vie say the old folks, it goes to show you never can tell
The lyrics of Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band's song C'est la vie tell the story of a young couple named Pierre and a mademoiselle (a French term for an unmarried woman). The old folks, seemingly family or friends, attend their wedding and wish them well. Their love for each other is evident and the couple is happy in their newly acquired apartment, furnished with items from a two-room Roebuck sale. The refrigerator was filled with inexpensive meals such as TV dinners and ginger ale. Pierre, after eventually finding work, was able to support the couple with his meager wages.
However, the couple still enjoyed the simple pleasures of life with their hi-fi phono and their collection of 700 records of blues, rock, rhythm, and jazz. Despite their love for music, they were considerate of their neighbors and turned down the volume when necessary. They later decided to celebrate their anniversary in New Orleans, driving down in their cherry red '53 jitney. It was there where they renewed their vows, and Pierre married the lovely mademoiselle. Just like the old folks said, "c'est la vie," or "that's life," showing that life has its ups and downs, but it is important to cherish the happy memories.
The song's carefree tone and upbeat melody highlight the joys of life and the importance of love, despite the difficulties and uncertainties that come with it. Bob Seger's nostalgic lyrics remind listeners that, at the end of the day, it is the simple pleasures that truly matter.
Line by Line Meaning
It was a teenage wedding and the old folks wished 'em well
A young couple got married and the older generation wished them success
You could see that Pierre did truly love the mademoiselle
It was evident that Pierre truly loved the woman he was marrying
And now the young monsieur and madam have rung the chapel bell
The newlyweds have rung the chapel bell to signify their marriage
C'est la vie say the old folks, it goes to show you never can tell
The older generation comments that such is life and unpredictable events can happen
They finished off an apartment with a two-room Roebuck sale
They furnished their apartment with a discounted furniture sale by Roebuck
The coolerator was jammed with TV dinners and ginger ale
Their refrigerator had mostly TV dinners and ginger ale stored in it
And when Pierre found work, the little money comin' worked out well
When Pierre got a job, his small income was enough to support them
C'est la vie say the old folks it goes to show you never can tell
The older generation reiterates that life can be unpredictable and surprising
They had a hi-fi phono, boy did they let it blast
They had a high-fidelity record player and played it loudly
Seven hundred little records, all blues, rock, rhythm, and jazz
They had 700 records playing different genres of music like blues, rock, rhythm, and jazz
But when the sun went down, the volume went down as well
They turned down the volume of the music when it got dark
C'est la vie say the old folks, it goes to show you never can tell
The older generation comments that life is unpredictable and uncertain
They bought a souped-up jitney, it was a cherry red '53
They purchased an upgraded vehicle, a 1953 cherry red car
And drove it down to New Orleans to celebrate their anniversary
They drove the car to New Orleans to celebrate their wedding anniversary
It was there where Pierre was wedded to the lovely mademoiselle
Pierre got married to the lovely woman in New Orleans
C'est la vie say the old folks, it goes to show you never can tell
The older generation comments that life will always be unpredictable
They had a teenage wedding and the old folks wished 'em well
The older generation wished the young couple success in their marriage
You could see that Pierre did truly love the mademoiselle
It was evident that Pierre loved his wife deeply
And now the young monsieur and madam have rung the chapel bell
The newlyweds have rung the chapel bell, announcing their marriage
C'est la vie say the old folks, it goes to show you never can tell
The older generation comments that life will always be unpredictable
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Chuck Berry
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@tbu1mi
As a fellow Michigander I must stay out of this whole discussion. Bob rocks. He has always rocked. Unborn children will say in the future- He rocks.
@andrewwhite1585
same
@franmlaw
My children's children's will know Bob Seger!
@dereksuddreth8672
Aboard my first US Navy ship in 1977, I met a sailor from Ann Arbor who told me stories of seeing Bob Seger play at local bars around Michigan in the early seventies. I was awe struck at the thought of having a conversation between sets with this Rock Icon before he made it big. Everyone pays dues, and Bob was no exception. His music was a big part of the soundtrack of my teen years and he remains one of my all time favorite performers to this day...
@michelleromeo2471
Mr Seger, you have been my hero for years and I am oblivious as to why more fans to not listen to C'est La Vie! I love all of your music, but most of all, I truly hope that you are doing well. Bless you and your family for all of the sacrifices that you 'all' have made to give us this beautiful music. Thank you....you have saved more than one life with your music, and I am sure that your family has made sacrifices too..... SO THANK YOU TO YOU ALL!
@lukehunter6922
Bob wrote many of our lives.
@DavidSmith-uo9je
This song really rocks like old rock and roll
@DonDeering
@@DavidSmith-uo9je It is old rock 'n' roll, Chuck Berry wrote it.
@eileenstone4525
No offense to Chuck Berry but this is the best version EVER!!!!!!!!!!!
@ronaldgoebel2174
best live performance I ever saw was Bob Seger!