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).
Kine
Claude Nougaro Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Kiné qui n'est, qui n'est plus en exercice
Ses mains et ses doigts
Je les garde pour moi
Les deux plus les dix
Car qui n'est, qui n'est, qui n'est pas aux anges
Corps abandonné entre ses phalanges?
{Refrain:}
Même avec des ailes
Ca serait pas mieux
Elle a les yeux verts
Comme un univers
Au sommet des cieux
Quand je la sens lasse
Alors, elle me masse
J'aime une kiné
Kiné qui n'est plus du tout disponible
Elle a trop à faire
Avec mes vertèbres en déséquilibre
Car qui n'est, qui n'est pas enquiquiné
Par des nerfs froissés
De sombres pensées?
{au Refrain}
Quand je la sens lasse
Alors, je l'enlace
J'aime une kiné
Kiné, qui n'est, qui n'est plus dans le commerce
Je la garde pour moi-même
Car qui n'aime, qui n'aime pas qu'on le berce?
On s'est pas mariés
Au diable les messes!
Mais, soir et matin,
Je lui demande ses mains
{au Refrain}
Quand ses yeux se mouillent
Alors, j'la gratouille {x2}
J'aime une kiné {ad lib}
The song "Kine" by Claude Nougaro talks about his love for a physiotherapist, who he describes as having an otherworldly beauty with her green eyes that seem to reach the top of the skies. He cherishes her hands and fingers as they help alleviate his nerve-wracking worries and the pain of his vertebrae. He loves her even though she is no longer in practice and not available to others, and he feels honored to have her all to himself. He cuddles her when she is tired, and he makes her laugh when she is sad. Through all the hardships that life throws, their love for each other remains strong, and he feels that he is blessed to have her in his life.
One can interpret the lyrics of "Kine" from different perspectives. Some may view it as a love song that speaks of the author's admiration for a woman with extraordinary qualities. Others may see it as an ode to the medical profession and the care that is provided by medical personnel. Nonetheless, the essence of the song is that love can be found in unexpected places, and it can be expressed in various forms.
Line by Line Meaning
J'aime une kiné
I am in love with a physiotherapist
Kiné qui n'est, qui n'est plus en exercice
She is no longer practicing as a physiotherapist
Ses mains et ses doigts
Her hands and fingers
Je les garde pour moi
I keep them for myself
Les deux plus les dix
All ten of them
Car qui n'est, qui n'est, qui n'est pas aux anges
Who wouldn't be overjoyed?
Corps abandonné entre ses phalanges?
Body surrendered to her fingertips?
Elle a tout pour elle
She has everything going for her
Même avec des ailes
Even with wings
Ca serait pas mieux
It wouldn't be any better
Elle a les yeux verts
Her eyes are green
Comme un univers
Like a universe
Au sommet des cieux
At the top of the heavens
Quand je la sens lasse
When I sense her tiredness
Alors, elle me masse
Then she massages me
Kiné qui n'est plus du tout disponible
She is no longer available
Elle a trop à faire
She has too much to do
Avec mes vertèbres en déséquilibre
With my unbalanced vertebrae
Car qui n'est, qui n'est pas enquiquiné
Who isn't bothered?
Par des nerfs froissés
By crumpled nerves
De sombres pensées?
By dark thoughts?
Quand ses yeux se mouillent
When her eyes get wet
Alors, j'la gratouille {x2}
Then, I tickle her
J'aime une kiné
I am in love with a physiotherapist
Kiné, qui n'est, qui n'est plus dans le commerce
She is no longer available on the market
Je la garde pour moi-même
I keep her for myself
Car qui n'aime, qui n'aime pas qu'on le berce?
Who doesn't like to be rocked?
On s'est pas mariés
We didn't get married
Au diable les messes!
To hell with masses!
Mais, soir et matin,
But, every evening and morning,
Je lui demande ses mains
I ask for her hands
Writer(s): Claude Gaudette, Claude Nougaro
Contributed by Gabriel I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.