Claude Nougaro (September 9, 1929 Toulouse – March 4, 2004 Paris) was a Fre… Read Full Bio ↴Claude Nougaro (September 9, 1929 Toulouse – March 4, 2004 Paris) was a French songwriter and singer.

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).

Rimes
Claude Nougaro Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

J'aime la vie quand elle rime à quelque chose
J'aime les épines quand elles riment avec la rose
J'aimerais même la mort si j'en sais la cause

Rimes ou prose

J'aime ma chanson quand elle rime avec ta bouche
Comme les ponts de Paris avec bateaux-mouche

Et la perle des pleurs avec l'œil des biches

Rimes tristes

J'aime les manèges quand ils riment avec la neige
J'aime les nains qui riment avec Blanche Neige
Rimons, rimons tous les deux
Rimons, rimons si tu veux
Même si c'est pas des rimes riches
Arrimons-nous, on s'en fiche

J'aime les manèges quand ils riment avec la neige
J'aime les nains qui riment avec Blanche Neige
Rimons, rimons tous les deux
Rimons, rimons si tu veux
Même si c'est pas des rimes riches
Arrimons-nous, on s'en fiche

J'aime la vie quand elle rime à quelque chose
J'aime les épines quand elles riment avec la rose
J'aimerais même la mort si j'en sais la cause

Rimes ou prose

J'aime ma chanson quand elle rime avec ta bouche
Comme les ponts de Paris avec bateaux-mouche
Et la perle des pleurs avec l'œil des biches

Rimes tristes

J'aime les manèges quand ils riment avec la neige
J'aime les nains qui riment avec Blanche Neige
Rimons, rimons tous les deux
Rimons, rimons si tu veux
Même si c'est pas des rimes riches
Arrimons-nous, on s'en fiche

J'aime la vie quand elle rime à quelque chose
J'aime les épines quand elles riment avec la rose
Rimons, rimons belle dame
Rimons, rimons jusqu'à l'âme
Et que ma poésie
Rime à ta peau aussi

Rimons, rimons belle dame
Rimons, rimons jusqu'à l'âme

Et que ma poésie
Rime à ta peau aussi

Overall Meaning

The song Rimes by Claude Nougaro is a beautiful declaration of how the world and its different nuances can be lovely when they rhyme. The singer expresses his appreciation for life when it is meaningful and purposeful. The line "J'aime la vie quand elle rime à quelque chose" (I love life when it rhymes with something) is a perfect example of how the lyrics speak about how things are special when they come together and fit like a beautiful musical composition. The singer speaks about how he loves the thorns of the rose when they rhyme together, and even death of it makes sense and has a reason.

The lyrics also talk about the beauty of love and how it fits together like the bridges of Paris with the boats below. The poetical portrayal of emotions and words is illustrated through the line, "J'aime ma chanson quand elle rime avec ta bouche" (I love my song when it rhymes with your mouth). The lyrics are an ode to life, love, and words, reminding us how things are better when they rhyme.

Overall, the song utilizes imagery and metaphors that help express the idea of how things should rhyme and fit perfectly like a melody. The song is truly a beautiful illustration of how things are gorgeous when they rhyme.

RimesClaude Nougaro Lyrics

Rimes
Claude Nougaro Lyrics