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).
Quatre Boules De Cuir
Claude Nougaro Lyrics
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De ton œil électrique, Boxe, Boxe,
Ô déesse de pierre
Quatre boules de cuir, mes poings contre les siens,
Moi le jeune puncheur, Boxe, Boxe,
Lui, le vieux Kid Marin
Kid Marin c'est un grand et Dieu sait que je l'aime
Mais ses gants et mes gants ne pensent pas de meme
Il n'est qu'une manière, Boxe, Boxe,
Il faut etre vainqueur
Quatre boules de cuir sur quatre pieds de guerre
Bombardent le plexus, Boxe, Boxe,
L'angle du maxillaire
Quatre boules de cuir dans la cage du ring
Son crochet je l'encaisse,
Il esquive mon swing
Kid Marin, j'en ai marre de notre réunion
Je vais te faire voir
Qui des deux est champion
Quatre boules de cuir et soudain deux qui roulent
Répandant leurs châtaignes
Dans le cri de la foule
La joue sur le tapis, j'aperçois les chaussettes
De l'arbitre là haut
4, 5, 6, 7
Enfant je m'endormais sur des K.O. de rêve
Et c'est moi qu'on soutient
Et c'est moi qu'on soulève
Et voici les vestiaires, on débande mes mains
Kid Marin vient me voir, ca ira mieux demain
Ô déesse de pierre, je prendrai ma revanche
Et j'aurai ton sourire, comme une maison blanche
Oui, j'aurai ton sourire, point final de mes poings
Meme si dans les coins, Boxe, Boxe,
J'y vois encore luire,
Quatre boules de cuir.
The lyrics of Claude Nougaro's song "Quatre boules de cuir" describe a boxing match between the singer, a young boxer, and Kid Marin, an older and respected fighter. The four leather balls, or gloves, symbolize the two fighters and their fists, which are engaged in a brutal and intense battle. The singer addresses a feminine metaphorical figure, the "goddess of stone," who represents victory and success in the ring. He acknowledges that to win her favor and reach her heart, there is only one way - to be the victor of the match.
Despite his admiration and respect for Kid Marin, the singer is determined to prove himself and defeat his opponent. He is tired of their meeting and wants to determine who the true champion is. The blows exchanged between the two fighters, described as "four balls of leather" on "four feet of war," become increasingly violent until the singer wins the match. In the end, he is celebrated as the winner, while Kid Marin comes to console him and offer encouragement for future fights.
The song is a powerful and evocative portrayal of the physical and emotional exhaustion of boxing, as well as the passion and determination required to succeed in the sport.
Line by Line Meaning
Quatre boules de cuir tournent dans la lumière
Four leather balls spin in the light
De ton œil électrique, Boxe, Boxe,
From your electric eye, Boxing, Boxing,
Ô déesse de pierre
Oh, goddess of stone,
Quatre boules de cuir, mes poings contre les siens,
Four leather balls, my fists against his,
Moi le jeune puncheur, Boxe, Boxe,
Me, the young puncher, Boxing, Boxing,
Lui, le vieux Kid Marin
Him, the old Kid Marin
Kid Marin c'est un grand et Dieu sait que je l'aime
Kid Marin is great and God knows I love him
Mais ses gants et mes gants ne pensent pas de meme
But his gloves and my gloves don't think the same
Ô déesse de pierre, pour atteindre ton cœur,
Oh, goddess of stone, to reach your heart,
Il n'est qu'une manière, Boxe, Boxe,
There is only one way, Boxing, Boxing,
Il faut etre vainqueur
You must be the winner
Quatre boules de cuir sur quatre pieds de guerre
Four leather balls on four feet of war
Bombardent le plexus, Boxe, Boxe,
Bombard the solar plexus, Boxing, Boxing,
L'angle du maxillaire
The angle of the jaw
Quatre boules de cuir dans la cage du ring
Four leather balls in the ring cage
Son crochet je l'encaisse,
I take his hook punch
Il esquive mon swing
He dodges my swing
Kid Marin, j'en ai marre de notre réunion
Kid Marin, I'm tired of our reunion
Je vais te faire voir
I'll show you
Qui des deux est champion
Who of us is the champion
Quatre boules de cuir et soudain deux qui roulent
Four leather balls and suddenly two rolling
Répandant leurs châtaignes
Spreading their chestnuts
Dans le cri de la foule
In the crowd's cry
La joue sur le tapis, j'aperçois les chaussettes
Cheek on the mat, I see the socks
De l'arbitre là haut
Of the referee up there
4, 5, 6, 7
4, 5, 6, 7
Enfant je m'endormais sur des K.O. de rêve
As a child, I fell asleep dreaming of K.O.s
Et c'est moi qu'on soutient
And they support me
Et c'est moi qu'on soulève
And they lift me
Et voici les vestiaires, on débande mes mains
And here are the locker rooms, they unwrap my hands
Kid Marin vient me voir, ca ira mieux demain
Kid Marin comes to see me, it will be better tomorrow
Ô déesse de pierre, je prendrai ma revanche
Oh, goddess of stone, I will take my revenge
Et j'aurai ton sourire, comme une maison blanche
And I will have your smile, like a white house
Oui, j'aurai ton sourire, point final de mes poings
Yes, I will have your smile, the final point of my fists
Meme si dans les coins, Boxe, Boxe,
Even if in the corners, Boxing, Boxing,
J'y vois encore luire,
I still see shining
Quatre boules de cuir.
Four leather balls.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, LES EDITIONS DU CHIFFRE NEUF
Written by: Maurice VANDER, Claude NOUGARO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind