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).
Rythm'Flouze
Claude Nougaro Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ton jazz band bande velpeau
Tu t'sens mal dans ta peau
Y a d'la mouise dans ton show
Ton showbiz tomb' de haut
Alaska météo
Aïe rythm'flouze
Y a du gaz dans ton eau
Plus qu'ta peau sur les os
Désolant mélodrame
S.O.S. à Soho
Pauvre mélomane
T'as plus qu'ton walkman
Al Jarreau
Fais moi ton bel canto
Tiens moi l'oreille au chaud ou j'cane
Chaka Khan
Sors moi d'la bouse
Du rythm'flouze
Tout s'en va à vau l'eau
À vue d'œil t'es K. O.
Tu titubes sur tes cannes
Y t'faudrait un micro
Pour planter tes crocs
Un tube où tu clames
Chaka Khan
Sors moi ton bel organe
Fais moi planer tes gammes là haut
Al Jarreau
Tire moi d'la bouse
Du Rythm'Flouze
Puis tu sors du studio
T'es toujours top niveau
Chaka Khan Al Jarreau
Un concert à Tokyo
Puis Paris par Pan Am
Al Jarreau Chaka Khan
The lyrics of Claude Nougaro's song Rythm'Flouze describe the story of a struggling jazz musician in the entertainment industry. The first verse depicts the musician at a low point, with an empty bank account, a struggling jazz band, and a general feeling of discomfort in his own skin. The showbiz that he is a part of is falling apart and he's struggling to stay afloat. The second verse describes the musician's physical and emotional state, using the metaphor of having gas in his water, and having nothing left but his bones. He is in a sorry state and needs help, represented by the S.O.S. to Soho.
The chorus, which repeats throughout the song, emphasizes the idea of being in a financial and musical rut – the "rythm'flouze" (rhythm and flow) that the musician is stuck in. The third verse has the musician asking for help from two successful musicians, Al Jarreau and Chaka Khan, hoping that they can get him out of the rut. He wants them to share their vocal talent and help him climb out of the "bouse" (mud) that he finds himself in.
Overall, the song has a melancholy tone, representing the struggle and hardship that comes with being a musician in the entertainment industry.
Line by Line Meaning
L'compte en banque à zéro
You have no money left in your bank account
Ton jazz band bande velpeau
Your jazz band is playing poorly and without enthusiasm
Tu t'sens mal dans ta peau
You feel uncomfortable and unhappy with yourself
Y a d'la mouise dans ton show
There's trouble in your show or performance
Ton showbiz tomb' de haut
Your show business is failing and declining
Alaska météo
The weather in Alaska is bleak and cold
Aïe rythm'flouze
Oh, the rhythm is weak and poor
Y a du gaz dans ton eau
There's a problem or issue going on beneath the surface
Plus qu'ta peau sur les os
You're very thin and weak, with only skin and bones left
Désolant mélodrame
It's a sad and melodramatic situation
S.O.S. à Soho
You're in a desperate situation and need help
Pauvre mélomane
You, as a lover of music, are in a sad and difficult situation
T'as plus qu'ton walkman
All you have left is your music player (you have lost everything else)
Al Jarreau
A reference to the famous singer Al Jarreau
Fais moi ton bel canto
Sing beautifully for me
Tiens moi l'oreille au chaud ou j'cane
Listen to me attentively, or things will go poorly for me
Chaka Khan
A reference to the famous singer Chaka Khan
Sors moi d'la bouse
Help me get out of this bad situation
Du rythm'flouze
From this poor and weak rhythm
Tout s'en va à vau l'eau
Everything is falling apart and going downhill
À vue d'œil t'es K. O.
You're obviously and visibly knocked out or defeated
Tu titubes sur tes cannes
You're stumbling on your feet or legs
Y t'faudrait un micro
You need a microphone (to sing or perform)
Pour planter tes crocs
To make your mark or show your talent
Un tube où tu clames
A hit song where you can shout and express yourself
Sors moi ton bel organe
Sing beautifully for me again
Fais moi planer tes gammes là haut
Make me fly with your high notes and scales
Tire moi d'la bouse
Pull me out of this bad situation
Puis tu sors du studio
Then you leave the recording studio
T'es toujours top niveau
You're still at the top of your game
Chaka Khan Al Jarreau
A reference to both famous singers, hinting at a successful collaboration
Un concert à Tokyo
A concert in Tokyo (a prestigious and successful venue)
Puis Paris par Pan Am
Then travel to Paris by plane (another sign of success and prestige)
Al Jarreau Chaka Khan
The two singers mentioned again, with their previous collaboration leading to bigger and better things
Lyrics © LES EDITIONS DU CHIFFRE NEUF
Written by: Philippe SAISSE, Claude NOUGARO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind