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).
C Est Ca La Vie
Claude Nougaro Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
C'est ça la vie, c'est ça la vie
On y vend un sommeil hors de prix
C'est ça la vie, c'est ça la vie
On entend derrière les lambris
C'est ça la vie, c'est ça la vie
Des gens qui pleurent, des gens qui rient
C'est ça la vie, c'est ça la
Vi-
-tesse de croisière
Vi-
-cieuse tanière
Vi-
-sage angélique
Vi-
-père lubrique
L'hôtel est plein comme un œuf pourri
C'est ça la vie, c'est ça la vie
Malgré le service mal appris
C'est ça la vie, c'est ça la vie
Les plus grands voyageurs de l'esprit
C'est ça la vie, c'est ça la vie
Y crèchent dans un profond mépris
C'est ça la vie, c'est ça la
Vi-
-laine compagne
Vi-
-olente campagne
Vi-
-ctoire décisive
Vi Vi Vi-
-vement qu'ça arrive !
Moi, je dessine sur les murs gris
C'est ça ma vie, c'est ça ma vie
Des mots, des monstres, des Jésus-Christ
C'est ça ma vie, c'est ça ma vie
Aujourd'hui je me crois le nombril
C'est ça ma vie, c'est ça ma vie
Demain, je me fais hara-kiri
C'est ça ma vie, c'est ça ma vie
C'est ça la vie, c'est ça la vie
Un vieil hôtel dont les tuyaux crient
C'est ça la vie, c'est ça la...
The lyrics of Claude Nougaro's song "C'est ça la vie" paint a picture of the complexities and contradictions of life. The first verse describes an old hotel where the pipes scream, symbolizing the noise and chaos that often accompany daily existence. The second line suggests that in this life, even sleep comes at a high price, perhaps alluding to the constant demands and pressures that individuals face in their pursuit of success and fulfillment.
Behind the walls of this hotel, the singer says one can hear the sounds of people crying and laughing, representing the different emotional states that are part of the human experience. The repetition of "c'est ça la vie" after each phrase emphasizes the acceptance of life's ups and downs, its joys and sorrows.
The chorus introduces a series of contradictions and contrasts. The first set of words, "Vitesse de croisière" (cruise speed) and "Vicieuse tanière" (vicious den), suggests that life has both calm and turbulent moments. Similarly, "visage angélique" (angelic face) and "père lubrique" (lecherous father) highlights the paradoxical nature of human behavior and the coexistence of good and bad inclinations.
The second verse continues the theme of contradictions, with the line "L'hôtel est plein comme un œuf pourri" (The hotel is as packed as a rotten egg), implying that despite the crowded and unpleasant conditions, people still willingly stay there. This may reflect how individuals often find themselves trapped in situations they dislike, whether due to societal expectations or personal choices.
The verse also mentions the "grands voyageurs de l'esprit" (great travelers of the mind) who inhabit the hotel with a deep sense of disdain. This could refer to individuals who are disconnected from reality or lost in their own thoughts, emphasizing the isolation and detachment that can sometimes be part of the human experience.
The final verse introduces a personal perspective, with the singer describing how they draw on the gray walls monsters, words, and even Jesus Christ. This implies a desire for self-expression and the need to leave a mark on the world. The line "Aujourd'hui je me crois le nombril" (Today I believe I am the center) reflects the singer's ego and self-importance, while "Demain, je me fais hara-kiri" (Tomorrow, I commit hara-kiri) suggests a recognition of the fleeting nature of life and the potential for self-destruction.
Overall, the lyrics of "C'est ça la vie" encapsulate the various facets of existence, highlighting its contradictions, challenges, and moments of both joy and despair. Through vivid imagery and repetitive phrases, the song invites listeners to reflect on the complexities and uncertainties that define the human experience.
Line by Line Meaning
Un vieil hôtel dont les tuyaux crient
An old hotel where the pipes scream
C'est ça la vie, c'est ça la vie
That's life, that's life
On y vend un sommeil hors de prix
There, they sell an expensive sleep
C'est ça la vie, c'est ça la vie
That's life, that's life
On entend derrière les lambris
Behind the paneling, one can hear
C'est ça la vie, c'est ça la vie
That's life, that's life
Des gens qui pleurent, des gens qui rient
People who cry, people who laugh
C'est ça la vie, c'est ça la
That's life, that's
Vitesse de croisière
Cruising speed
Vicieuse tanière
Vicious den
Visage angélique
Angel face
Père lubrique
Lustful father
L'hôtel est plein comme un œuf pourri
The hotel is packed like a rotten egg
C'est ça la vie, c'est ça la vie
That's life, that's life
Malgré le service mal appris
Despite the poorly learned service
C'est ça la vie, c'est ça la vie
That's life, that's life
Les plus grands voyageurs de l'esprit
The greatest travelers of the mind
C'est ça la vie, c'est ça la vie
That's life, that's life
Y crèchent dans un profond mépris
Nest there in deep disdain
C'est ça la vie, c'est ça la
That's life, that's
Vilaine compagne
Ugly companion
Violente campagne
Violent countryside
Victoire décisive
Decisive victory
Vi Vi Vi-vement qu'ça arrive !
Vi Vi Vi-mentally waiting for it to happen!
Moi, je dessine sur les murs gris
Me, I draw on the gray walls
C'est ça ma vie, c'est ça ma vie
That's my life, that's my life
Des mots, des monstres, des Jésus-Christ
Words, monsters, Jesus Christs
C'est ça ma vie, c'est ça ma vie
That's my life, that's my life
Aujourd'hui je me crois le nombril
Today I believe I'm the center of the world
C'est ça ma vie, c'est ça ma vie
That's my life, that's my life
Demain, je me fais hara-kiri
Tomorrow, I'll do hara-kiri
C'est ça ma vie, c'est ça ma vie
That's my life, that's my life
C'est ça la vie, c'est ça la vie
That's life, that's life
Un vieil hôtel dont les tuyaux crient
An old hotel where the pipes scream
C'est ça la vie, c'est ça la...
That's life, that's...
Lyrics © PREMIERE MUSIC GROUP, MUSIC SALES CORPORATION
Written by: Maurice VANDER, Claude NOUGARO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Michel Cathala
C'est super de pouvoir acceder a posteriori a ces vidéos. Moi j'etais juste né quand il a exploser sur scène dans les années 60 et je n'ai assisté a aucun de ses concerts... Mais malgré tout je me rends compte qu'il faisait parti de ma vie... D'abord ce 45 tours de mes parents, le jazz et la java, Cécile qui faisait pleurer ma mère , sing sing, 4 boules de cuir qui faisait remonter mon père sur le ring, puis Armstrong appris au college,Toulouse qui m'a toujours ému, Nougayork et son retour en force sur scène et dans les média car on l' avait enterré en 1er classe.. C'est surtout cette faconde dans les interviews, comment il martelait les mots et les jeux de mots surtout qui m'interpellait.. Il me régale encore. Quel bonheur...
Alain Goldfarb
superbe!
red ibis
merci pour cette video A bientôt mon ami c'est ça la vie
François Cerveaux
lovizoliounid..!