Son of an opera singer and an Italian piano teacher (Liette), he was raised by his grandparents in Toulouse, where he heard Glenn Miller, Édith Piaf and Louis Armstrong (among others) on the radio.
In 1947 he failed his baccalaureat and commenced a career in journalism, writing for various journals including Le Journal des Curistes at Vichy and L'Echo d'Alger. At the same time he wrote songs for Marcel Amont (Le barbier de Belleville, Le balayeur du roi) and Philippe Clay (Joseph, La sentinelle). He met Georges Brassens, who became his friend and mentor.
In 1949 he performed his military service in the foreign legion at Rabat, Morocco.
He sent his lyrics to Marguerite Monnot, Édith Piaf's songwriter, who put them to music. (Méphisto, Le Sentier de la guerre). He started to sing for a livelihood in 1959 in a Parisian cabaret in Montmartre, Le lapin agile.
In 1962, he decided to sing his works himself: Une petite fille and Cécile ma fille (dedicated to his daughter, born in 1962 to his wife Sylvie, whom he met at Le lapin agile). These songs made him immediately known to the larger public, which he had already started to penetrate by participating in the concerts of Dalida.
A car accident immobilised him for several months in 1963. The following year he travelled to Brazil, and sang in prestigious halls in Paris: the Olympia, the Palais, the Théâtre de la Ville.
Following the death of his friend Jacques Audiberti in 1965 he wrote, in homage, the song Chanson pour le maçon.
The events of May 1968 inspired him to the torrential Paris Mai, a plea for life, which would be banned from the airwaves. The same year he recorded his first live album at the Olympia: Une soirée avec Claude Nougaro.
His career continued normally punctuated with success: Le jazz et la java, Tu verras, Île de Ré, Armstrong, Toulouse, Petit taureau. But in 1984, his recording company did not renew his contract. Nougaro left for New York, seeking inspiration, and while there wrote and recorded a self-financed disc, Nougayork, whose resounding success was a surprise.
In 1988 Victoires de la musique rewarded him with best album and best artist, and between 1993 and 1997 he released three new albums.
His health deteriorated after 1995, when he underwent a heart operation. In 2003, his condition left him unable to appear at the festival du Verbe at Toulouse. From 1998 to 2004 he devoted himself more to concerts and festivals, apart from an album in aid of children suffering from AIDS. Having undergone further surgery in early 2004, he died of cancer in March, 74 years old.
His music drew inspiration, among other sources, from American jazz, from which he borrowed heavily (Charles Mingus, Louis Armstrong, Dave Brubeck, Sonny Rollins), but also from Brazilian music (Antonio Carlos Jobim, Baden Powell de Aquino, Chico Buarque).
Ami Chemin
Claude Nougaro Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Quelle joie, bel ami, te voilà
Justement ces jours-ci je ne pensais qu'à toi
Laisse-moi te serrer dans mes bras
Que de fois sur mes routes quand il faisait froid
Quand le doute et la peur m'étreignaient
J'ai senti ta présence et le son de ta voix
Ami, quelles que soient nos vies
Dans les lignes de nos mains
Et l'étoile qui nous lie
À nos destins
Ami, je viens de la nuit
Tu arrives du matin
Et nous voici réunis
À mi-chemin
On a tous dans le cœur le désir de trouver
Un écho, un semblable, l'âme sœur
Un sourire, une phrase, une complicité
Une rencontre venue d'ailleurs
J'étais mal dans ma tête et je me détestais
D'être gris, malheureux et soudain
Avec toi, bel ami, la lumière est entrée
Me voici redevenu jardin
Ami, quelles que soient nos vies
Dans les lignes de nos mains
Et l'étoile qui nous lie
À nos destins
Ami, je viens de la nuit
Tu arrives du matin
Et nous voici réunis
A mi-chemin
Pas besoin de refaire le monde, il est fait
Il est fait par chacun d'entre nous
Nous serons des enfants dans un conte de fées
Que nous raconteront nos nounous
Ami, quelles que soient nos vies
Dans les lignes de nos mains
Et l'étoile qui nous lie
À nos destins
Ami, je viens de la nuit
Tu arrives du matin
Et nous voici réunis
À mi-chemin...
The song "Ami Chemin" by Claude Nougaro speaks about the joy of encountering a dear friend and the power of that relationship in bringing light to one's life. The singer expresses their excitement and happiness at seeing their friend again after a long time, expressing the sentiment that they often think of their friend with fondness. The singer reminisces on the times when they felt lost and uncertain, and how their friend's presence and comforting words helped them through those difficult moments.
The song goes on to describe how we all have a yearning in our hearts to find someone who understands us and brings us joy. The singer speaks of feeling lost and unhappy with themselves, but with the arrival of their friend, they feel as though they have been reborn. It's clear that the bond between him and his friend is something that transcends distance and time.
The lyrics are quite simple and straightforward, but they convey a deep meaning about the importance of friendship and the power it has to heal and uplift us. It's an ode to the bond between friends and the difference that bond can make in our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Bel ami, quel bonheur de te voir devant moi
It is such a joy to see you in front of me, my dear friend.
Quelle joie, bel ami, te voilà
What joy it brings to see you, my dear friend.
Justement ces jours-ci je ne pensais qu'à toi
I have been thinking of you constantly these days.
Laisse-moi te serrer dans mes bras
Let me embrace you.
Que de fois sur mes routes quand il faisait froid
There were many times on my journey when it was cold.
Quand le doute et la peur m'étreignaient
When doubts and fears were overwhelming me.
J'ai senti ta présence et le son de ta voix
I felt your presence and heard your voice.
Me redire encore que tu m'aimais
Reassuring me that you love me.
Ami, quelles que soient nos vies
My friend, whatever our lives may bring.
Dans les lignes de nos mains
Written in the lines of our palms.
Et l'étoile qui nous lie
And the star that connects us.
À nos destins
To our destinies.
Ami, je viens de la nuit
My friend, I come from the night.
Tu arrives du matin
You arrive from the morning.
Et nous voici réunis
And here we are, reunited.
À mi-chemin
Halfway.
On a tous dans le cœur le désir de trouver
We all have a desire in our hearts to find.
Un écho, un semblable, l'âme sœur
An echo, a kindred spirit, a soulmate.
Un sourire, une phrase, une complicité
A smile, a phrase, a bond.
Une rencontre venue d'ailleurs
A meeting from elsewhere.
J'étais mal dans ma tête et je me détestais
I was in a bad state of mind and despised myself.
D'être gris, malheureux et soudain
Being unhappy and suddenly, my dear friend,
Avec toi, bel ami, la lumière est entrée
With you, my dear friend, the light entered.
Me voici redevenu jardin
I have become a garden once again.
Pas besoin de refaire le monde, il est fait
No need to change the world, it is what it is.
Il est fait par chacun d'entre nous
It is made by each and every one of us.
Nous serons des enfants dans un conte de fées
We will be like children in a fairy tale.
Que nous raconteront nos nounous
As told by our nannies.
À mi-chemin...
Halfway.
Contributed by Jake J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Pascal CREBESSEGUES
Je ne sais exprimer l'envie, cette joie d'être au monde et le bonheur enfin de l'autre, que procure cette chanson. Une énergie, un fol espoir portés par une mélodie qui nous ouvre les portes d'un univers où chaque homme est l'égal de tous.
Max Régnier
Une des plus belles chansons du grand poète, la plus belle ? Claude Nougaro, jongleur de mots et de musique vivifiants.
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top top vrai
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pour la femme de ma vie l ange de l amour jtnm
Pascal Berney
Musique Anizette Oron.
Agnès Roure
Merci
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l amis je t aime
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pour toi matti bonne journee bisou
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jtm l amis