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.
Salut Marin
Carla Bruni Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tu as fait ta malle, tu a mis les voiles
Je sais que tu ne reviendras pas
On dit que le vent des étoiles
Et plus salé qu'un alizé
Et plus salé qu'un alizé
Plus entêtant qu'un mistral
Plus entêtant qu'un mistral
Au revoir marin, tu vas manquer
Tes yeux bleus, ton air d'amiral
Salut marin bon vent à toi
Je te dis bon vent mais ça me fait mal
Car marin tu emportes avec toi
Toute notre enfance de cristal
Et notre jeunesse de miel
Et notre jeunesse de miel
Et tous nos projets d'arc en ciel
Et tous nos projets d'arc en ciel
Et do Cap Horn à Etretat,
Do Havre aux plages de Goa
L'horizon à toi se rappelle
Vous, les marins, vous êtes ainsi
Vous ne savez rien d'autre que partir
Vous, les marins, vous êtes cruels
Vous nous laissez au large de vos souvenirs
Vous, le marins, vous êtes sans cœur
Vous préférez la mer à vos amours
Et les sirènes de chaque port
À vos mères, à vos femmes et à vos sœurs.
La vie marin passe sans bruit
Comme autrefois tout en secousses
Quelquefois c'est la houle et le roulis
Et quelquefois la vague est douce
Alors je fais comme il se doit
Alors je fais comme il se doit
Je vis tranquille au bord d'un précipice
Tranquille au bord d'un précipice
Marin tu serais fier je crois
Marin tu serais fier je crois
Je vis de faze, le vent aux trousses
Tout comme toi.
Salut Marin is a song by Carla Bruni which is dedicated to a sailor who has set off to sea, and the pain and longing that accompanies their departure. The song begins with a farewell to the sailor and wishes him well on his journey. Bruni highlights that the sailor will not come back, and how the wind is saltier than the trade winds and more intoxicating than the mistral. The sailor is an enigma to those left behind, and despite the pain of his departure, he will be missed by those who love him.
Bruni reflects on the sailor's departure and how it takes with it everything they had together, including their childhood and their dreams. The horizon is vast, and the sailor will leave his mark wherever he goes. However, Bruni's song also exposes some negative traits of sailors- they are cruel, without heart and prefer the sea to those they love. The song ends with Bruni reflecting on what life could be like if she was a sailor too, living precariously but with the wind always in her sails.
Overall, Salut Marin is a moving tribute to sailors, and a poignant exploration of the emotions and feelings that accompany departures.
Line by Line Meaning
Salut marin bon vent à toi
Farewell sailor, good winds to you.
Tu as fait ta malle, tu a mis les voiles
You've packed your bags, you've set sail.
Je sais que tu ne reviendras pas
I know you won't come back.
On dit que le vent des étoiles
It's said that the wind of the stars
Et plus salé qu'un alizé
Is saltier than the trade wind.
Plus entêtant qu'un mistral
More captivating than a mistral.
Au revoir marin, tu vas manquer
Goodbye sailor, we'll miss you.
Tes yeux bleus, ton air d'amiral
Your blue eyes, your admiral's air.
Je te dis bon vent mais ça me fait mal
I bid you good wind but it hurts me.
Car marin tu emportes avec toi
Because sailor, you take with you
Toute notre enfance de cristal
All of our childhood of crystal.
Et notre jeunesse de miel
And our youth of honey.
Et tous nos projets d'arc en ciel
And all of our rainbow-colored dreams.
Do Cap Horn à Etretat,
From Cape Horn to Etretat,
Do Havre aux plages de Goa
From Le Havre to the beaches of Goa,
L'horizon à toi se rappelle
The horizon reminds you.
Vous, les marins, vous êtes ainsi
You sailors, you're like this.
Vous ne savez rien d'autre que partir
You know nothing else but leaving.
Vous, les marins, vous êtes cruels
You sailors, you're cruel.
Vous nous laissez au large de vos souvenirs
You leave us far away from your memories.
Vous, le marins, vous êtes sans cœur
You sailors, you're heartless.
Vous préférez la mer à vos amours
You prefer the sea to your loves.
Et les sirènes de chaque port
And the sirens of every port
À vos mères, à vos femmes et à vos sœurs.
Over your mothers, wives, and sisters.
La vie marin passe sans bruit
The sailor's life passes quietly
Comme autrefois tout en secousses
Like in the past, with jolts
Quelquefois c'est la houle et le roulis
Sometimes it's the swell and the roll
Et quelquefois la vague est douce
And sometimes the wave is gentle.
Alors je fais comme il se doit
So I do what must be done
Je vis tranquille au bord d'un précipice
I live calmly on the edge of a cliff.
Marin tu serais fier je crois
Sailor, I think you would be proud.
Je vis de faze, le vent aux trousses
I live in phases, with the wind on my heels
Tout comme toi.
Just like you.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: CARLA BRUNI, TAOFIK FARAH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind