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).
Vive l'Alexandrin
Claude Nougaro Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sie liegt vor Angst
Schon so lange wach
Dann - kommt wieder er
Sie spürt den Atem
Er will immer mehr
Liebe - er spricht von Liebe
Mitternacht - es ist Mitternacht
Und sie weint
Allein
Alle Träume sterben
Mitternacht - es ist Mitternacht
Und sie weint
Allein
Und alle Engel schreien heut´ Nacht
Kind - sie ist ein Kind
Es fließen leise
Tränen in den Wind
Kalt - ihr ist so kalt
Sie spürt die Hitze
Nah an seinem Hals
Liebe - er spricht von Liebe
Seine Liebe ist in ihr
Mitternacht - es ist Mitternacht
Und sie weint
Allein
Alle Träume sterben
Mitternacht - es ist Mitternacht
Und sie weint
Allein
Und alle Engel schreien heut´ Nacht
Mitternacht - es ist Mitternacht
Und sie weint
Allein
Alle Träume sterben
Mitternacht - es ist Mitternacht
Und sie weint
Und alle Engel schreien heut´ Nacht
The lyrics of Claude Nougaro's "Vive l'Alexandrin" depict a young girl caught in a dangerous and abusive relationship. The song starts with a description of the girl, Nacht (which means 'night' in German) who is lying awake out of fear. But her abuser, referred to as "er" (which means 'he' in German), arrives and she can feel his breath on her neck. He speaks of love, but it is clear that his love is overpowering and violent. The song continues to describe how Nacht is just a child, crying silently in the wind while feeling both cold and the heat of her abuser's body. The repeated refrain of "Mitternacht" (which means 'midnight' in German) emphasizes the darkness and despair of her situation, as all her dreams die and she is left alone with her tears.
The lyrics are very poetic, with an almost musical quality to them, which is fitting given the song's title. "Vive l'Alexandrin" refers to a poetic meter used in French poetry, which has twelve syllables per line. Nougaro uses this meter to great effect, creating a sense of rhythm and flow to the lyrics. The use of German words also adds to the sense of unease and danger in the song.
Interestingly, Nougaro wrote the song in collaboration with Serge Gainsbourg, who was known for his controversial and sometimes explicit lyrics. "Vive l'Alexandrin" was released in 1984, near the end of Nougaro's career, but it remains one of his most powerful and haunting songs. The song has been covered by various artists, including Carla Bruni.
Line by Line Meaning
Nacht - es ist Nacht
It's night - darkness surrounds her
Sie liegt vor Angst
She's lying there full of fear
Schon so lange wach
She's been awake for so long
Dann - kommt wieder er
Then, he comes back to her
Sie spürt den Atem
She feels his breath on her
Er will immer mehr
He wants more and more
Liebe - er spricht von Liebe
He talks of love, his love is inside her
Seine Liebe ist in ihr
His love is inside her
Mitternacht - es ist Mitternacht
It's midnight, a dark time
Und sie weint
And she cries
Allein
Alone
Alle Träume sterben
All her dreams are dying
Kind - sie ist ein Kind
She's just a child
Es fließen leise
Quiet tears
Tränen in den Wind
Blown away by the wind
Kalt - ihr ist so kalt
She's cold, so cold
Sie spürt die Hitze
She feels the heat
Nah an seinem Hals
Close to his neck
Und alle Engel schreien heut´ Nacht
And all the angels are screaming tonight
Writer(s): Claude Gaudette, Claude Nougaro
Contributed by Kaitlyn C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.