Carla Bruni-Sarkozy (born Carla Gilberta Bruni Tedeschi, December 23, 1967 … Read Full Bio ↴Carla Bruni-Sarkozy (born Carla Gilberta Bruni Tedeschi, December 23, 1967 in Turin, Italy) is an Italian-born, naturalized French songwriter, singer, former model and the spouse of the former president of France, Nicolas Sarkozy.

At the age of 5, her family left for Paris. When she was 19, she decided to stop studying art and architecture, to become a full-time model.

She was a very successful fashion model until 1998. Since then she has devoted herself to chanson. Her debut album, Quelqu'un m'a dit, on which she sings in French (despite her Italian origin), was released in 2002. To date it has sold over a million copies across Europe. Her second album, No Promises (this time in English, with songs inspired by famous English-language poets), was released in January 2007.

She married then French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, in the beginning of 2008.

Her music career still did not cease after becoming the First Lady. She released her third album Comme si de rien n'était ("As If Nothing Happened") on 11 July 2008. The songs are self-penned except for one rendition of You Belong to Me and another song featuring a poem by Michel Houellebecq set to music. Royalties from the album will be donated to unidentified charitable and humanitarian cause.

Afternoon
Carla Bruni Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

When I am old and comforted
And done with this desire
With memory to share my bed

When I am old and comforted
And done with this desire
With peace to share my fire

I'll comb my hair in scalloped bands
Beneath my laundered cap
And watch my cool and fragile hands
Lie light upon my lap

And I will have a sprigged gown
With lace to kiss my throat
I'll draw my curtain to the town
And hum a purring note

And I'll forget the way of tears
And rock and stir my tea
But oh how I wish those blessed years
Were further than they'd be

And I will have a sprigged gown
With lace to kiss my throat
I'll draw my curtain to the town
And hum a purring note

When I am old and comforted
And done with this desire
With memory to share my bed

When I am old and comforted
And done with this desire

With peace to share my fire
With peace to share my fire

Overall Meaning

Carla Bruni's song "Afternoon" is a melancholic reflection on the passage of time and the inevitability of aging. The lyrics are written from the perspective of an older woman who looks back on her life with a sense of acceptance and resignation. The singer's tone is bittersweet, as she reflects on both the joys and regrets of her past, but ultimately comes to terms with her present state of being.

The song's opening lines, "When I am old and comforted / And done with this desire / With memory to share my bed," set the tone for the rest of the lyrics. The singer is looking forward to a time when she can be at peace with herself and her memories. She imagines herself wearing a "sprigged gown" with "lace to kiss my throat," suggesting that even in her old age, she still has a sense of beauty and elegance.

Despite her sense of acceptance, there is a hint of regret in the lyrics as well. The singer wishes that the "blessed years" before her old age were further away than they are. This suggests that while she has come to terms with her present state of being, she still mourns the passing of her youth and the time that is now behind her. Overall, the song is a poignant reflection on the human experience of aging, and the ways in which we come to terms with the passage of time.

Line by Line Meaning

When I am old and comforted
When I am in my old age and have settled into a life of comfort

And done with this desire
And have let go of my desires

With peace to share my fire
With a peaceful heart to keep me warm

With memory to share my bed
With memories to keep me company in my bed

I'll comb my hair in scalloped bands
I'll gently style my hair with soft, rounded edges

Beneath my laundered cap
Underneath my freshly washed cap

And watch my cool and fragile hands
And observe my hands, now cool and delicate with age

Lie light upon my lap
As they rest softly on my lap

And I will have a sprigged gown
I'll wear a dress patterned with delicate flowers

With lace to kiss my throat
With a lace collar that gently caresses my neck

I'll draw my curtain to the town
I'll close my curtains to the noise of the town outside