Very engaged in the civil society, he sang and personified the lust for life, the hopes and the doubts of his generation, often clashing with politicians, elites, and older generations. He is especially famous for a tense debate about the struggles, hopes and doubts of French youth with the then first secretary of the French Socialist party, François Mitterrand, who was later twice elected president of France. Later he also had problems in a misunderstood verbal clash about French veterans.
Daniel Balavoine loved Africa and this transpires in many of his songs. He dedicated himself to humanitarian projects and took part in the Paris-Dakar rallye two times. The third time he took part only for humanitarian reasons. On the 14th january 1986, around 8pm, his helicopter crashed between Mali and Burkina-Faso, killing all five passengers, putting an end to his career, and leaving behind his pregnant wife Corine and his son Jeremy.
France
Daniel Balavoine Lyrics
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Caresse mes doigts
Danse dans mes bras
Dans ce silence
Qui parle si bas
Ne me trompe pas
Ne me trahis pas
Fais-moi confiance
Et surtout ne les écoute pas
Ils aimeraient bien tous te séduire
À n'importe quel prix
Pour que tu leur donnes ta voix
France, je ne reconnais
Ni mon côté gauche
Ni mon côté droit
Et quand je pense
À tous ces français
Qui voudraient t'aimer
Mais ne peuvent pas
Les mots de sciences
Qui vont t'étouffer
Viennent de gens qui ne respirent pas
Qui ne t'offrent aucune délivrance
N'oublie pas
France, tous ces mots pour un public
France, tous ces mots démagogiques
Je voulais te prévenir
Et depuis longtemps déjà
Qu'ils ne font que te mentir
Mais je gardais tout pour moi
J'avais trop peur des lois
France, si tu meurs demain
Tu sauras au moins
Que ce n'est pas moi
Qui tient le manche
De cette arme blanche
Qui au creux des reins
Te transpercera
Et sur tes hanches
Mortes de chagrin
Ils viendront pour essuyer leurs mains
Et pour cacher ta poitrine prieront
Sur tes seins
France, tous ces mots pour un public
France, tous ces mots démagogiques
Ça faisait longtemps déjà
Que je voulais te dire ça
Mais je n'osais vraiment pas
De peur qu'on ne me croit pas
Qu'on se moque de moi
De peur qu'on ne me croit pas
Qu'on se moque de moi
In Daniel Balavoine's song "France," he sings intimately to France, personifying the country as his lover. Balavoine pleads with the country to not be deceived by false promises of politicians who wish to manipulate her for their own gain. He reassures France of his unwavering support and begs her not to be swayed by sycophants seeking her favor. He laments the fact that he feels conflicted and disoriented about his own loyalties, but he still implores France to trust him and not be influenced by those who do not have her best interest at heart. At the end of the song, Balavoine warns France of the dangers that lie ahead, but he is powerless to defend her against them. His heartbroken plea is made in the hope that France will avoid a gruesome fate at the hands of those who seek to destroy her.
The lyrics of "France" are not only a passionate love letter to the country but also a critique of the political system and the tendency to manipulate the masses for personal gain. Balavoine's message is timeless, as today's political climate is still very much influenced by demagogic rhetoric and empty promises. The song serves as a reminder to remain vigilant and not let our emotions and biases guide our decisions.
Line by Line Meaning
France, tu danses avec moi
France, you dance with me
Caresse mes doigts
Caress my fingers
Danse dans mes bras
Dance in my arms
Dans ce silence
In this silence
Qui parle si bas
That speaks so softly
Ne me trompe pas
Don't deceive me
Ne me trahis pas
Don't betray me
Fais-moi confiance
Trust me
Je suis avec toi
I am with you
Et surtout ne les écoute pas
And above all, don't listen to them
Ils aimeraient bien tous te séduire
They would all like to seduce you
À n'importe quel prix
At any price
Pour que tu leur donnes ta voix
So that you give them your voice
France, je ne reconnais
France, I don't recognize
Ni mon côté gauche
Neither my left side
Ni mon côté droit
Nor my right side
Et quand je pense
And when I think
À tous ces français
Of all these French people
Qui voudraient t'aimer
Who would like to love you
Mais ne peuvent pas
But can't
Les mots de sciences
The words of science
Qui vont t'étouffer
That will suffocate you
Viennent de gens qui ne respirent pas
Come from people who don't breathe
Qui ne t'offrent aucune délivrance
Who offer you no deliverance
N'oublie pas
Don't forget
France, tous ces mots pour un public
France, all these words for a public
France, tous ces mots démagogiques
France, all these demagogic words
Je voulais te prévenir
I wanted to warn you
Et depuis longtemps déjà
And for a long time already
Qu'ils ne font que te mentir
That they only lie to you
Mais je gardais tout pour moi
But I kept everything to myself
J'avais trop peur des lois
I was too afraid of the laws
France, si tu meurs demain
France, if you die tomorrow
Tu sauras au moins
At least you will know
Que ce n'est pas moi
That it is not me
Qui tient le manche
Who holds the handle
De cette arme blanche
Of this white weapon
Qui au creux des reins
That in the small of the back
Te transpercera
Will pierce you
Et sur tes hanches
And on your hips
Mortes de chagrin
Dead with grief
Ils viendront pour essuyer leurs mains
They will come to wipe their hands
Et pour cacher ta poitrine prieront
And to cover your breasts they will pray
Sur tes seins
On your breasts
Ça faisait longtemps déjà
It had been a long time already
Que je voulais te dire ça
That I wanted to tell you that
Mais je n'osais vraiment pas
But I really didn't dare
De peur qu'on ne me croit pas
For fear that no one will believe me
Qu'on se moque de moi
That they will make fun of me
De peur qu'on ne me croit pas
For fear that no one will believe me
Qu'on se moque de moi
That they will make fun of me
Lyrics © WARNER CHAPPELL MUSIC FRANCE
Written by: Daniel Xavier Marie Balavoine, Robert Serre
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind