Some of his best known songs include "Boum...!", "Y'A D'La Joie", "Que Reste-T-Il De Nos Amours?", "Ménilmontant", and "Douce France". His catalog of songs is enormous, numbering close to a thousand. While many of his songs mined relatively conventional topics such as love, Paris, and nostalgia for his younger days, what set Trenet's songs apart were their personal, poetic, sometimes quite eccentric qualities, often infused with a warm wit. Some of his songs had unconventional subject matter, with whimsical imagery bordering on the surreal. "Y'A D'La Joie" evokes "joy" through a series of disconnected (though all vaguely phallic) images, including that of a subway car shooting out of its tunnel into the air, the Eiffel Tower crossing the street and a baker making excellent bread. The lovers engaged in a minuet in "La Polka Du Roi" reveal themselves at length to be "no longer human": they are made of wax and trapped in the Musée Grévin. Many of his hits from the 1930s and 1940s effectively combine the melodic and verbal nuance of French song with American swing rhythms.
Other artists have had hits with some of Trenet's songs, such as the American Bobby Darin's success with "Beyond the Sea" ("La Mer"). Darin's version preserved the charming chording of Trenet's original which the author dashed off in about an hour in 1946 as an homage to the French coastline, once again free of battleships and the scars of World War II.
Other Trenet songs were recorded by such popular French singers as Maurice Chevalier, Jean Sablon, and Frehel.
Grand Mama It's New York
Charles Trenet Lyrics
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Forty five years old
Who travelled alone
With his old grandmother
He was just a child
Forty five years old
Travelling alone
In his grandma's fold
His beautiful beard
So curly and black
Was a glory of his many relations
His beautiful beard
So curly and black
Was a glory of his whole family clack
One day he left on a big boat
Thinking he'd land on a Chinese coast
But after eight days
What surprise, everyone heard his cry
Grandmama it's New York
It's New York I can see so many buildings
Grandmama it's New York
I see all the boats in the port of New York
All the seagulls wave hello
In the sky I can see the pretty seagulls
All the seagulls wave hello
It's so wonderful that my heart fell a glow
Grandmama calm her boy
With a little chocolate toy
But the child feeling so good
Yelled as loud as he could
Grandmama it's New York
It's New York I can see so many buildings
Grandmama it's New York
I see all the boats in the port of New York
I see all the boats in the port of New York
As he was in the diplomatic corps
He was always on the most charming cruises
As he was in the diplomatic corps
He visited the foreign countries galore
He lived like this til he was ninety two
Always chaperoned by his old grandmother
He lived like this til he was ninety two
Always under his grandmother's view
The day of his death she was right there
(Pas folle la vieille)
Still giving him a chocolate éclair
But he, quite far gone on his way
Could only gently say
Grandmama it's New York
It's New York I can see so many buildings
Grandmama it's New York
I see all the boats in the port of New York
All the seagulls wave hello
In the sky I can see the pretty seagulls
All the seagulls wave hello
It's so wonderful that my heart's all aglow
When he got to the pearly gate
What did he see?
The Empire State
Angels reading the Daily News
Others singing Manhattan Blues
See my boy it's New York
It's New York you can see so many buildings
See my boy it's New York
Look, there, the good Lord in the port of New York
Look, there, the good Lord in the port of New York
The lyrics of Charles Trenet's song "Grand Mama It's New York" tell a touching story of a man who, despite being a mature individual at forty-five years old, still retains a childlike wonder and innocence. He embarks on a journey to New York City with his old grandmother, with whom he shares a close and loving bond. The image of a grown man being referred to as "just a child" emphasizes the pure and simple joy he experiences in the company of his grandmother.
The man's beautiful curly black beard is described as a symbol of pride and connection to his family, highlighting the importance of heritage and tradition in his life. As he ventures out on a big boat with hopes of reaching a Chinese coast, he is instead surprised to find himself in New York City after eight days at sea. The overwhelming sight of the bustling cityscape and the port of New York fills him with awe and excitement.
Throughout his life, the man continues to travel and explore the world, thanks to his position in the diplomatic corps. His adventures are always accompanied by his faithful grandmother, who remains a constant presence in his life until he reaches the age of ninety-two. The lyrics depict a heartwarming scene of the elderly grandmother comforting her grandson with a chocolate toy as he expresses his joy at discovering new places and experiences.
As the man reaches the end of his life and approaches the pearly gates, he is greeted by a vision of New York in the afterlife, symbolized by the Empire State Building and angels reading the Daily News and singing Manhattan Blues. The song comes full circle as the man, now reunited with his grandmother, marvels at the beauty of New York City even in the spiritual realm. The lyrics convey a sense of wonder, nostalgia, and love for both the city of New York and the enduring bond between the man and his grandmother.
Lyrics © RAOUL BRETON EDITIONS
Written by: Charles TRENET, Jeff JONES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind