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).
Art Mineur
Claude Nougaro Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Qu'a illustré le beau Serge
Puisse-t-il sur l'autre berge
S'enivrer d'alcools meilleurs
Est-ce bien sérieux d'ailleurs
Passé les soixante berges
De pratiquer l'art mineur
Pourquoi suis-je et à quoi sers-je
Dans la mine où je m'immerge
Charbon rouge de mon cœur
Un projecteur sur le front
Comme au casque du mineur
Artiste mineur de fond
These lyrics are from the song "Art Mineur" by Claude Nougaro. The song is about the artist's own reflection on his chosen career path as a musician, and the comparison he draws between his work and that of another famous French artist, Serge Gainsbourg. The opening line, "Je pratique l'art mineur," translates to "I practice minor art." Here, Nougaro acknowledges that his art may not be as mainstream or as celebrated as some other forms, but he continues to pursue his passion regardless.
Nougaro then references Serge Gainsbourg, who was a French singer, songwriter, and actor, known for his unique style and controversial songs. Nougaro wishes that Gainsbourg is enjoying better libations on the other side, perhaps meaning that he hopes Gainsbourg is still creating beautiful art in another realm.
As Nougaro ponders his own career choice, he questions whether it is still serious for him to pursue his art, particularly since he is now in his sixties. However, he still finds himself compelled to continue down this path, and wonders what purpose he serves in this pursuit of his "minor art."
The lyrics "Charbon rouge de mon cœur, un projecteur sur le front, comme au casque du mineur, artiste mineur de fond" translate to "Red coal of my heart, a spotlight on my forehead, like a miner's helmet, miner artist in the depths." In these lines, Nougaro draws a direct comparison between himself and a miner, emphasizing the hard work and dedication required to pursue art, even if it is not as visible or celebrated as major art forms like painting or sculpture.
Overall, "Art Mineur" is a reflection on the artist's pursuit of his passion, on the importance of continuing to create even if one's work is not always celebrated, and on the defining power of art in one's life.
Line by Line Meaning
Je pratique l'art mineur
I practice a minor art form
Qu'a illustré le beau Serge
That the beautiful Serge has illustrated
Puisse-t-il sur l'autre berge
May he on the other shore
S'enivrer d'alcools meilleurs
Get drunk on better alcohols
Est-ce bien sérieux d'ailleurs
Is it serious by the way
Passé les soixante berges
Past sixty winters
De pratiquer l'art mineur
To practice a minor art form
Qu'a illustré le beau Serge
That the beautiful Serge has illustrated
Pourquoi suis-je et à quoi sers-je
Why am I and what is my purpose
Dans la mine où je m'immerge
In the mine where I immerse myself
Charbon rouge de mon cœur
Red coal of my heart
Un projecteur sur le front
A headlamp on my forehead
Comme au casque du mineur
Like on the miner's helmet
Artiste mineur de fond
Deep minor artist
Lyrics © LES EDITIONS DU CHIFFRE NEUF
Written by: Jean-Claude VANNIER, Claude NOUGARO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Aldebaran3339
Merci à tous deux pour vos encouragements!
Pascal Mencarelli
Gainsbourg avait surtout cherché à provoquer..., je pense qu'entre Brassens et Bernard Minet, il y en a un qui fait plus de l'art que l'autre, qu'il soit mineur ou majeur...et Gainsbourg le savait bien...en tout cas, Nougaro s'est bien amusé à croquer Gainsbourg sur ce coup-là...je ne connaissais pas, merci pour la découverte de cette chanson Yann, et bravo pour ton interprétation.
jean-jacques souin
une belle découverte que cette chanson dédiée à serge gainsbourg par un autre grand claude nougaro pas facile à chanter et tu t'en sors bien amitiés jean jacques